COTTAGE RESTAURANT 2009 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust Year: 2006–2009 Location: Pondicherry Site Area: 320m2 Built Up Area: 600m2 Typology: Restaurant Team: Tushita Gandhi, Marcia Oliviera, Abhiruchi Anand, Noble George, Mona Doctor-Pingel Structure: Auro Service Consultants Contractor: Mohan Constructions Photo Credits: Georgio Cottage Restaurant was designed and built for the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust. Located in Pondicherry, the restaurant enjoys a prime location on the street facing the main canal that once divided the French quarter and the Tamil quarter. The building is a reincarnation of an iconic restaurant – of the same name – that the Ashram has been running since the 1950’s. Its seating capacity is approximately 150 customers. A monolithic exposed concrete wall with a generous angular opening at its centre defines the entrance . A large steel sliding door , painted navy blue, gives a colourful character to the building when closed. The building uses a limited material palette of exposed concrete elements , black unpolished Cuddapah stone , and white plastered walls . The use of air-conditioning is isolated to the space where the sweets and savouries are displayed. The rest of the building is kept open, making use of natural air ventilation . Yellow & black bamboo with laterite & granite are the main elements in the landscape integrated throughout the building’s three courtyards . The single mature Neem tree on the site was consciously protected and became the starting point for the design, with a courtyard and around it. Interior Design:. All tables, chairs and display units were designed in keeping with the project’s overall spirit , the climate and, the comfort of the users in mind. All furniture is locally fabricated. To read more about the project, see article. BACK TO PROJECTS

FISH HOUSE 2019 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Biswanath Jena Year: 2019 Location: Pondicherry Site Area: 93 m² Built Up Area: 388 m² Typology: Residence & Airbnb Team: Mona. Structure: G. Kumaresan Contractor: Mohan Constructions Photo Credits: Santosh Kumar Drone Photos: Prabuddha Patro Fish House is situated on a small corner plot of 7.5 x 12.5 metres, at the cross road of Muthumariamman kovil street and the ambour salai, a busy prominent street in Pondicherry. The name derived from the fact that opposite the site is a local fish market and the client's liking for aquariums. The design had to combat the smell of fish , the menace of crows , noise and dust from the adjacent Canal Street. A study of the settlement patterns of the surrounding area – which primarily consists of row houses, (dating 200 years) – showed the utilisation of courtyards to attain good lighting , ventilation and acoustics . These courtyards are often positioned to only one side of the houses. This local typology has been adapted into Fish House, through the form of a narrow courtyard (1.2 m wide) running along the western side. Contained within this courtyard is the buildings entire infrastructure e.g. fresh water and waste water pipelines. The ground floor has a meditation hall, small library and study, bathroom and kitchenette. A biopond running along the eastern wall of the site provides a sense of serenity and helps cool off the radiating heat coming from the east. Catering to the client’s needs, each floor plan is different. The ground plan is dedicated to meditation and visitors, while the upper three floors are private apartments for the family. The concrete slabs have an infill of aerated cement concrete blocks to reduce sound travelling through the floor, as well providing thermal insulation. The green wall coursing its way up and down the east and south facade is designed for its thermal and aesthetic properties , as well as to provide shelter for local small birds, which have increasingly lost their nesting grounds in Pondicherry. The balconies and terrace bear large planters of Curtain Veil and Bougainvillea that cascades down upon a steel frame structure with chain link netting. The residence is also partly available as a homestay. March 2021 Moulding a new social order - Article on Fish House, Project by Ar Mona Doctor-Pingel. By Ar Ridha Fatima Inscape - Oficial publication by Institute of Indian interior designers (IIID) Volume 02, Issue 02. See article BACK TO PROJECTS

DEEPANAM SCHOOL 2012 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Education and Research (SAIIER) Year: 2008-2012 Location: Auroville Site Area: approx. 3 acres Built Up Area: approx. 400m2 Typology: Primary and Middle School Team: Marcia Oliviera, Akshaya L.N, Annam. Vaishnavi, Sachin Patil, Niharika Sanyal, Sindhu Gopal, Swastika Mukherjee, Shashank, Renuka Gupta Structure: Mona Doctor-Pingel Photo Credits: Giorgio Contractor: Mohan Constructions Studio Naqshbandi was invited to improvise the existing infrastructure of Deepanam in 2007. With approximately 30 students at that time, it was a budding school with very little budget from SAIIER (Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Education and Research), the main financial and administrative branch in Auroville. Studio Naqshbandi worked closely with the teachers, taking down their requirements systematically and creating a five-year plan to grow incrementally . The first work was to make the existing septic tank-cum-soak pit for the toilets functional with a budget of Rs. 50000. This led to the design of a new toilet block. The first buildings were very low budget . Due to a lack of information and clarity on the requirements, the built form is improvised based on the money available. Many small improvements made the school read as a coherent campus . The studio was responsible for fundraising for notebooks, batik workshops etc, and procuring donations from various Auroville units, like granite stones from Progress Landscapes and, waste materials from Matrimandir etc. Over 5 years we designed and built several structures like the art and craft workshop, clay workshop, parent- teacher room, staff housing, extension to the science lab etc. with budgets ranging from 2 lakhs to 12 lakhs. The aim eventually became an exercise in showcasing that affordable , low cost solutions can also deliver practical , low maintenance , naturally ventilated buildings with good quality and aesthetics. To see full Deepanam School documentaton, click the PDF link... BACK TO PROJECTS

SATHYA HOUSE EXTENSION 2022 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Sathya Year: 2022 Location: Auroville Built-up Area: 760 Sq ft Typology: Residential SATHYA HOUSE , BUDGET RESIDENTIAL CONTEXT Sathyamoorty, born in a village on the outskirts of Auroville and raised by a single mother , had the fortune of being ‘adopted’ by the studio pottery within Auroville, where his mother worked as a helper. The studio not only educated him up to 10th standard but also nurtured his interest in pottery by teaching him the craft. When Sathya decided to get married, he needed a home. The ceramic studio offered him an existing storeroom for extension. Our studio was approached for a low-cost solution with a budget of around ₹3-4 lakhs. We took on the challenge of designing a prototype for affordable housing that met the criteria of natural ventilation, thermal insulation as well as beauty . CONCEPT The storeroom, originally built in 1984 as the first fired brick hemispherical dome in Auroville, inspired us to enhance this typology rather than settling for the simpler solution of adding an RCC roof or GI sheet lean-to roof for a bedroom and bathroom. We convinced Sathya’s mentor, who was extending a loan for the project, to incorporate a second dome and slightly expand the GI roof section to include a bathroom and an added store/room. The existing ferrocement open veranda was made more useful by making it a mosquito proof porch . INNOVATIONS The high brick dome with white tiles as waterproofing and reflective layer, ensures natural cooling , while the red oxide flooring provides an affordable and durable surface. Sathya himself contributed to the project by crafting ceramic jaalis and rainwater spouts at the pottery. Additional features included a rainwater collection channel all around with brick chambers to first collect the water from the ceramic spouts, plinth protection, septic tank and soak pit, a modular kitchen made by a carpenter under the client’s supervision. These enhancements raised the cost to ₹7.5 lakhs , which is a worthwhile investment considering the added functionality and longevity. Final cost per sq ft worked out to be around 1100 rs . including interiors and additional features as mentioned above. CONSTRAINTS It is easy to build something from a scratch but difficult to innovate and enhance an existing structure , that too one that has a strong language such as a dome. We were looking for low-cost solutions which would still be comfortable to live in and add to the aesthetics of the storeroom. During the execution, primary constraints were budget and time, which is of essence to keep the costs down. These limitations required careful planning, prioritization, and efficient resource allocation to ensure the project’s success. BACK TO PROJECTS

ELIZABETH HOUSE 2018 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Elizabeth Kurian Year: 2018 Location: Auroville Built Up Area: Typology: Resistance Team: Melina, Pratha, Ines, Roshita, Mona Contractor: Suresh, Permual, Sundar & Bhaskar This project was recieved as renovation of an existing old keeth house in a dilapidated state for our client Elizabeth residing in the green belt of Auroville. Rains, animals and security were major concerns of the client and the key criterion was to find low cost building solutions due to minimal budget . The intervention includes what is existing , keeping the columns and its base intact, and renovating only the plinth. The client's demand to shift the entrance for aesthetics and vastu concerns; was catered to by converting the existing entry into an attached bathroom. A small kitchenette was artistically incorporated in the Ground floor . A new internal staircase helped connect directly with the first floor maintaining utmost security , also offering an open air balcony. Whole ground floor is mosquito proofed and protected by red colour MS grill , which stands out as a unique (at an angle allows for more space) low cost design element . Continuing the same language the new (octagonal with wind exhaust) roof is designed with MS rafter structure with GI sheets . To see full Elizabeth House process documentaton, click the PDF link... BACK TO PROJECTS

STUDIO NAQSHBANDI EXTENSION 2018 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Mona Doctor-Pingel Year: 2008 (Extension 2019) Location: Auroville Built Up Area: approx. 100m2 Typology: Architecture Studio Team: Mona, Nancy Agarwal Contractor: Mohan Constructions Photo Credits: Ridho Cairns This small-scale project is an extension to the existing architecture studio based in Auroville. Completed a decade after the first phase was constructed, by the same architect. It imbues the same refined architectural qualities from the interiors to the landscaping. It is a space for art , discussion , wonder , as well as work . This is felt as one brushes their feet against the rough Cuddapah stone, or admires the calligraphy pinned to the sliding panels next to the wooden desk. Numerous textures, from the low concrete ceiling made from mango wood formwork, to the achakali brick cladding the vault’s underside, to the smooth shell-lime plaster of the walls, give the user a constant tactile experience of the space . Located at the Yantra Community within the industrial zone of Auroville, surrounded by residences and indigenous vegetation that is drought-resistant. The project is in a hot-humid coastal climate and makes use of cross-ventilation . The original architecture studio was built in 2008 by the same architect, integrating interior design and landscaping. The extension was squeezed into a tight space between the road and the original studio. To read more about the project, see article . BACK TO PROJECTS

SAIL 2023 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: HP Rama – Auro University, Surat Year: 2023 Location: Surat Site Area: 9200 m² Built Up Area: 2800 m² Landscaped Area: 2950 m² Typology: Public / Institution Team: Mona Doctor-Pingel, Ojas Vyas , Suraj Dwiwedi, Alma Anna, Nehaa Bhawaraju, Prakash Raj, Roshita Sudhir, Nancy Agarwal, Ralph Sequeira, Renuka Gupta, Mihir R. Desai. Structure: NPC Builders, Pondicherry Contractor: Bhoomi Constructions, Ahmedabad + M/S DH Patel, Surat MEPF: Artech Engineering, Ahmedabad Waste water treatment: Aqua Engineers, Auroville Acoustics: Sound Wizards, Auroville Lighting: Light-Fish, Auroville Interiors & Landscaping: Studio Naqshbandi, Interior design - Tushita Gandhi, Shrishti Art Studio Click here to view the BROCHURE . This project has recevied national and international recognition through publication on multiple digital and print media June 2024 Spiritual hub in India provides a source of wisdom and inspiration, By Ar Apurva Bose Dutta RIBA See article ( Digital , Print Publication ) The Sri Aurobindo Integral Learning Centre (SAILC) in Surat dedicated to Sri Aurobindo – his vision and thought – aspires to be a global hub for the youth to study and research on his philosophy and work. The building invites one on a journey of discovery with its beguiling simplicity and layered experience. The built form surrounded by 2300sq.m of carefully designed ‘natural’ water bodies is ideated to give its users a sensorially rich spatial experience. The interplay between indoors and outdoors is pivotal in the design of SAILC. The landscape interweaving the built form in the form of courtyards, harvesting lakes, planted trees, green roofs and bio-ponds help create a surreal world within. The simple material palette of the building consists of exposed load bearing brickwork and RCC roof, with kota stone flooring. Most of the spaces inside the building are naturally ventilated making use of passive solar techniques and bioclimatic design strategies for thermal comfort and cooling. BACK TO PROJECTS

ELIEVIDU 1997 PROJECT INFORMATION Elievidu is one of the first projects done independantly by Studio Naqshbandi and the first 'dome without ring forces ' constructued in Auroville as per the method of architect Gernot Minke of Kassel University, Germany. It is also the first building for Yantra community along with Samarpan residence. We were asked to present the density and layout for the whole Yantra site to the planning groups at that time. Along with this vision, we also set out the basic guidelines which stipulated that all buildings including those that would eventually be built as and when new clients came, would - adhere to building with domes and vaults as a common language. - use compressed earth blocks / locally available fired bricks for load bearing construction with minimum use of concrete . - aim to incorporate principles of Building Biology with ecological building technologies . - all buildings to be naturally ventilated and use of DC current (12V) via rooftop solar panels for all electricity in the residences - use of natural materials which ensure well being of the resident, for example natural rough cuddapah stone flooring , lime wash for internal walls, etc. - keep as far as possible all indigenous trees already existing on the site. - reuse of recycled waste water for fruit trees or fragrant bushes near the soak pits / biological waste water treatment - ensure minimum rain water run off from the entire site to the canyon side. In those days, we were fortunate to also calculate and design the structural system for the buildings. All infrastrucutre and landscape design was done by the studio and excution was done by a single contractor. BACK TO PROJECTS

SUNDARANAND: Co-Living 2025 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Bandish and Niyanta Soparkar Year: 2022-2025 Location: Ahmedabad Site Area: 350 sq mt Built Up Area: 700 sq mt ( approx.) Type: Residential Team: Mona Doctor-Pingel, Ridho Cairns, Mihir Desai, Soundarya Arumugam, Drashti Nadoda, Structure: Vinod Shah Consulting Engineers Contractor: Maitri Constructions (Vinay Borikar) Compressed Earth Blocks: Kesarjan ( Keyur Sarda) Lime works: Thumbimpression (Manu Narendran) Plumbing consultant: Chetan Vyas Ferrocement & Metal Fabrication: Sculptcraft ( Hitendra Solanki) Electrical consultant: Cosmo Engineers ( Prashantbhai) Glass and Aluminum works: Numaex (Haresh kacheria) Interiors, Lighting & acoustic design: Studio Naqshbandi Landscaping: Studio Naqshbandi with Nareshbhai Sundaranand is a Co-living shelter near the university area in Ahmedabad, It is designed for a young lawyer-architect couple who approached our studio just after Covid in 2022. From the outset they were very open-minded clients, curious about everything and wanted to be a part of the process of design and execution to the last detail. This suited our firm’s philosophy well since we believe that Process is as important as the Product. However, this did mean many hours of discussion and research on every aspect. DESIGN BRIEF: to Their Brief was to create a home for themselves which would also include the concept of Co-living: bringing together people from different walks of life and providing them with short term accommodation in the UNESCO Heritage city of Ahmedabad. The Co-living offers space for living , working and entertainment creating a social milieu for conversation across topics. In short, a modern and modified version of a Dharamshala ! DESIGN PROCESS: The design process itself was very interesting because we proposed from the outset that a local Ahmedabad architecture firm should be involved to make it easier to execute. When the clients proposed SEALAB, a young firm led by Anand Sonecha and Marianna P., we proposed a Dreamweaving exercise with them for the concept stage. The client was also on board as a part of the process. They agreed to pay both the firms for this phase equally and then see how to proceed with the working drawings stage. This phase took a couple of months and we had about 6-7 iterations from each firm with discussions on Zoom which were fun and enriching. Finally, the clients felt that it is best to move forward with one firm for the working drawings and they chose Studio Naqshbandi. DESIGN PHILOS0PHY : In this project we attempted to create built mass with appropriate materials in urban context which responds to the local climatic conditions and is energy efficient . Spatial organization was done in response to the harsh sun of the tropical climate by locating bedrooms in the center opening up to north for daylight, bathrooms on east and west as buffer from low sun, circulation spaces on south as a protective layer from the direct sun and rain. The extended split level mass on south-west also helps in self shading of the building during the peak hours of sun in the evening. A sunken courtyard on the south is used to introduce light and ventilation into the basement level. Structural system of brick Jack Arches with a combination of exposed RCC slabs is used to enhance the flow and add unique character to the spaces. Composite walls with a combination of AAC (Autoclaved aerated concrete) and unstabilised Mud blocks for adequate thermal insulation . The material palette consists of green kota flooring, mild steel sections, glass and recycled teak wood doors (lot of it from the old building that existed on site). Features like sunken courtyard as a gathering space, bio-pond and green spaces that seamlessly integrate nature with the living spaces enrich the living experience . Conscious use of certain proportions and dimensions helped us achieve a harmony in terms of physical ergonomics and enhance the spatial quality. BACK TO PROJECTS

AUROSOYA STAFF UNIT 2006 PROJECT INFORMATION Client: Martina Lundquist Year: 2004-2006 Location: Udyogam Complex, Industrial Zone, Auroville Built Up Area: 100m2 Typology: Soya Product Factory Architect: Mona Doctor Pingel Structure: Mona Doctor-Pingel Contractor: Mohan Constructions Photo Credits: John Mandeen, Shiraz Panthaky The overall layout, planning and infrastructure of Udyogam complex was completed by Studio Naqshbandi in 2000. Aurosoya, a food production unit specialising in making soya products, was designed by Dominic Dube sometime in 2002/3. We were asked to design a residence for the same clients on top of / adjoining the factory. It was a challenging project to build atop an existing building designed by another architect. The original building did not have the infrastructure in place to add easily another floor. The challenge was to respect the spirit and vocabulary while introducing a new function . Adding external columns allowed the residential extension to have improved structural flexibility , while also providing the opportunity for deeper overhangs . Furthermore, the toilet block needed to be expanded which was achieved by adding freestanding walls between the new and old block. BACK TO PROJECTS