Shipra Singhania's eco-Friendly home in Alwar | Fusion - WeRIndia

In the heart of Alwar, Rajasthan, where temperatures swing from scorching highs to chilly lows, architect Shipra Singhania has crafted a sustainable solution to modern living challenges.

Her creation, a 2,000-square-foot home built entirely without cement, stands as a testament to the potential of ancient building techniques and natural materials in today’s architectural practices.

Shipra Singhania, who heads Sketch Design Studio, designed her eco-friendly home using materials such as mud, earth sacks, lime plaster, and an interesting mix of neem leaves, turmeric, and jaggery.

These traditional components are not only environmentally friendly but also add unique properties to the construction. For instance, neem wards off termites, jaggery serves as an excellent binder, and methi (fenugreek) helps solidify the structure.

The innovative home addresses the extreme weather conditions of Alwar, where summer temperatures soar to 41 degrees Celsius and winters can dip to 8 degrees.

The architect’s strategic design allows the house to maintain a comfortable indoor climate throughout the year.

The key to this climate control lies in the structure’s high central roof, which reaches 23 feet, and large windows that promote optimal ventilation and sunlight penetration.

Moreover, this house goes beyond just using eco-friendly materials. It incorporates advanced sustainability features like rainwater harvesting and greywater systems, reducing the household’s environmental footprint and promoting resource conservation.

The home not only stands as a personal residence but also as an inspiring model for sustainable architecture.

It proves that returning to traditional construction methods can provide modern solutions to the challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation.

As more people seek sustainable living options, Singhania’s home in Alwar offers a blueprint for building homes that are not only environmentally responsible but also adaptable to various climatic conditions.

This architectural marvel, devoid of any cement, showcases how innovative thinking and respect for traditional practices can merge to create sustainable living solutions that meet the needs of contemporary lifestyles while respecting the planet.

Shipra Singhania’s project is a call to rethink how we build our homes, emphasizing sustainability and ecological balance.

Image Credit: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_image_of_jaggery_powder.JPG