STUDIOS 90 Residential Building’s Concept:
The composition of colored cuboids creates this sculptural residential project. The brief for these mid-rise buildings was to create studio apartments, a hostel & a guest house on the perimeter of a housing project for a residential township, to house the working people of a new cement plant.
Photography: Ricken Desai
Angularly stepped in the layout, each of the rooms is oriented towards the north in response to the hot climate of Kodla, Karnataka in India. Temperatures exceed 35°C for 8 months of the year in this region. Based on the brief, 18 studio apartments, 54 hostel rooms, and 18 guest house rooms are created in 4 & 5-level buildings facing large landscaped areas & a large playground on the northeast.
Photography: Ricken Desai
Common facilities including a cafeteria, games room, lounge & gym are housed at the ground level. Rooms opening into sheltered north-facing balconies occupy the upper floors. Indian culture is known for its vivid use of color in traditional crafts, festivities & clothing. India is the only country that celebrates Holi, a festival of color annually.
3 of these vivid primary colors – red, blue, and yellow highlight the cantilevered balconies to each room creating an identity & simultaneously enhancing the sculptural look of the buildings. Built economically with an emphasis on natural ventilation & natural sunlight, the buildings are very energy efficient.
Photography: Ricken Desai
Fly ash brick walls, water recycling, rainwater harvesting, north orientation, and sheltered outdoor spaces to reduce heat gain render the design sustainable. The entire electrical energy required is harnessed from the residual energy generated in the cement plant nearby. Studios 90 is a simple, energy-efficient residential building that responds to its site, and the climate of the location & alludes to the culture & social aspects of the users.
Project Info:
Architects: Sanjay Puri Architects
Area: 10400 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Ricken Desai
Lead Architect: Sanjay Puri
Client: SHREE CEMENT LTD
Fabricator: Shree Cement Ltd
City: Kodla
Country: India
Madeline Brooks is a Projects Editor at Arch2O, where she has been shaping and refining architectural content since March 2024. With over a decade of experience in editorial work, she has curated, revised, and published an array of projects covering architecture, urbanism, and public space design. A graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Madeline brings a strong academic foundation and a discerning editorial eye to each piece she oversees. Since joining Arch2O, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the platform’s editorial direction, with a focus on sustainability, social relevance, and cutting-edge design. Madeline excels at translating complex architectural ideas into clear, engaging stories that resonate with both industry professionals and general readers. She works closely with architects, designers, and global contributors to ensure every project is presented with clarity, depth, and compelling visual narrative. Her editorial leadership continues to elevate Arch2O’s role in global architectural dialogue.