: How 8 Friends Transform Villages with Homes Made of Kulhads Earthquake-Safe Schools #IndiaNEWS #Architecture Architecture, the mother of all arts, can be perceived in different ways. Eight friends

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How 8 Friends Transform Villages with Homes Made of Kulhads Earthquake-Safe Schools #IndiaNEWS #Architecture
Architecture, the mother of all arts, can be perceived in different ways. Eight friends from the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) saw it as a way to promote community development and sustainability.
In 2017, while they were in their final year of college, the group — Monik Shah, Aman Amin, Kishan Shah, Krishna Parikh, Vedanti Agarwal, Nishita Parmar, Prasik Chaudhary and Manuni Patel — visited a village in Ahmedabad. Amazed by the traditional rural architecture and the various methods used for construction, they decided they would take these lessons and turn them into a career. And so they launched Compartment S4, their sustainable architecture company.
Monik, the co-founder, says, “Initially, we went to the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) and asked them for some projects. We got the chance to provide architectural services for a small number of toilets and lakes in villages between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. That was the start. �
Within a span of five years, the team has carried out several remarkable projects, some of which are listed below:
Otla Par Gammat, December 2017
In Gujarati, otla means verandah, and par gammat means to talk.
“This was our first project, under which we built an Anganwadi centre in Badalpara Gram Panchayat of Gir district of Gujarat. We built this structure using local resources and skills,� Monik explains. “Its roof has been made with clay axes. For this, we gave about 3,000 kulhads to 4-5 potters of the village. Additionally, the walls are made from locally available limestone and cement has been used only on the joints. �
Otla par gammat, loved by kids.
He also says that the heat in Gir reaches up to 45-50 degrees Celsius. But their construction technique helps the Anganwadi centre remain cold even during the summer. Monik says that the project also provided local employment. After completing the project in 12 days, CS4 handed over its model to the villagers, so that they could build such structures themselves, if needed.
Kishan says, “In this centre, we have also made a play area made with household items like cans and tyres for children. Thus, a mere Rs 2. 5 lakh was spent for completing the structure. Normally, Rs 5-6 lakh is spent in setting up such centres. �
Handmade Khadki, May 2018
“This was a workshop module in which more than 40 volunteers came from different parts of the country. We built a school in Ghuggukham village of Nainital district in Uttarakhand. The construction was completely cementless. The school was made from clay, stone, and wood, and it took just 17 days to build this earthquake-resistant structure,� says Nishita.

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