The non-governmental organization “Roundtable Conference” aims to establish study rooms for students in Kochagang Village. Their research revealed a significant lack of reading and learning facilities, which adversely affects literacy rates. The chosen site is an old, collapsed Anganwadi center—a government program in India focused on improving child nutrition and health in rural and tribal areas. This plot is situated near the village’s main temple complex, in front of which stands a large covered pavilion used for religious and community activities at road level.
The project site lies one meter below the road level, maintaining visual and spatial connections with the pavilion and street. Initially, the plan was to build two separate study rooms—one for male students and one for female students. However, after consulting with NGOs and conducting multiple site visits, the design team recognized a broader need to promote education across all age groups in the community. This insight inspired the creation of a multifunctional space open to everyone, including a library, reading areas, study rooms, and flexible spaces for various educational activities.
The design centers around three key spaces: two learning areas and a book storage zone arranged around a central courtyard, all interconnected. A pavilion was added in front of the library to form a semi-enclosed entrance and access area. A staircase leads visitors from the road down to the lower level, now transformed into an informal gathering spot. The pavilion features a wide, load-bearing archway that warmly welcomes visitors. This corridor also hosts newspaper and magazine racks, providing a comfortable space where elderly community members can read and relax freely.
From the corridor, visitors enter the central courtyard, which leads to the book storage area at the front and two reading rooms on either side. These reading rooms are aligned vertically with the temple complex, offering students a quiet environment shielded from the noise of public activities. Both rooms open only onto the courtyard and can serve various functions as needed. The book storage area faces the temple, with colorful book spines visible from the street and temple pavilion, attracting local residents. To increase visibility and flexibility, the storage area opens to the courtyard and features two large sliding blinds. When closed, these blinds transform into writable blackboards, allowing the courtyard to double as an outdoor classroom for children, a workshop space for youth, and a night school for women, fostering a dynamic educational ecosystem.
The study rooms feature a distinctive east-west oriented roof that promotes hot air release, seamless cross ventilation, soft natural light, and captivating views of the sky and surrounding trees. As this project is led by an NGO, the design emphasizes multifunctionality, low maintenance, and cost-effectiveness, influencing the choice of materials and construction methods. The entire structure is load-bearing and includes spacious arched openings.
The roof is constructed from corrugated metal sheets, and the flooring uses locally sourced stone materials. Around the central courtyard, a pavilion space has been carefully designed with openings that optimize natural light, ventilation, and encourage user interaction, creating a serene, inclusive, and enjoyable reading environment.
Project Drawings
▲ General Layout Plan
▲ First Floor Plan
▲ Second Floor Plan
▲ Elevation View
▲ Sectional View
▲ Sectional View
▲ Generated Figure 1
▲ Generated Figure 2
▲ Generated Figure 3
▲ Generated Figure 4
Project Information
Architect: pk_iNCEPTiON
Area: 108 m²
Project Year: 2024
Photographer: Pranit Bora
Lead Architect: Pooja Khairnar
Concept Development: Swasti Rangani, Shantanu Tribhuvan
Design and Construction Drawings: Tanishq Tejnani, Tejaswini Kawale
Details: Bhavik Chopada, Shantanu Tribhuvan
Model Making: Shantanu Tribhuvan, Swaroop Sope
Graphic Design and Presentation Drawings: Bhavik Chopada
Location: Kochagan, India
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