In the middle of an informal settlement near Mumbai there is a children’s home. Its residents have to cope with all the typical local problems, including the harsh climate, dilapidated buildings, and cramped space. The architects impressively address these and various other challenges with the clever and playful design of their new building. 

As one of the three main LafargeHolcim Awards winners for Asia Pacific in 2017, “White Rabbit” automatically qualified as a finalist in the Global LafargeHolcim Awards 2018. All 15 finalist project teams were asked to submit an updated and more comprehensive entry that was evaluated by a global jury in March 2018.

View project entry posters – Global Holcim Awards

The results of the global phase of the 5th LafargeHolcim Awards competition were announced on March 28, 2018.

Read full media release – Global LafargeHolcim Awards 2018

Sustainable construction in Asia Pacific also means building for the community. This was clearly shown by the projects that won prizes in the regional Holcim Awards presented in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The three main Awards winning projects deal with buildings for education – involving the community and sustainably improving neighborhoods.

A home for 30 children, this building replaces their existing facility which tends to flood and lacks ventilation. The proposal reacts to the constrained site by leaving a void for ventilation at the back of the site, drawing air upward and providing indirect light. Terracotta louvers are envisioned as scaffolding for greenery that can help cool the interior and potentially provide a small business opportunity harvesting greens. The raised ground floor accommodates services for women and the elderly and the upper floors are reserved for the children and their caretakers. That this is mainly a space for children is reflected in the playful design sensitive to their scale and perception.

Stacking/planning

The ground floor of the center is kept open to accommodate community activities for senior citizens, a crèche, women’s development training etc. The space is planned like a veranda opening up to a private courtyard on the north side and partly opening up to adjoining lanes on the other 3 sides, shaded by first floor overhang. The middle floor dedicated to children’s sleeping areas is more enclosed to create a secure and personal environment. Protected by a façade of operable nursery installed louvers on the south, recreational bands are provided towards the east and west with the north side opening up to the private courtyard below. The top floor houses all the storage spaces, study areas and caretaker’s sleeping place. It shelters the children’s living space underneath from direct sun.