01 fibre to fabric.

from Undergraduate Architecture Portfolio | Riddhi Agarwal | WCFA

theory of architecture

Small Scale Industry

07 sem I autumn 2022 I 12 weeks individual work

The intent of the semester was to understand the typology of a small scale industry in the semi rural context of Anegundi, Karnataka. Based on a site study to The Kishkinda Trust, an existing banana fibre centre, where women worked individually from their own houses, the idea was to try and accomodate for all of the production and processing of the fibre under a single roof. Looking at banana fibre as a raw material, this project looks at the transformation of it into fabric, using traditional handlooms, thereby reviving the craft and sustaining the farmers as well as the women of the community in the given cultural context.

Anegundi is typically a hot and dry area but the site developed it’s own micro climate because of the presence of the tungabhadra river on the East. With sustainability being one of the major area of focus in the semester, the underlying behaviour of materials, varying climatic changes and the idea of comfort were some of the key elements explored.

Location: Anegundi, Karnataka

Site Area: 10,000sqm

Built up Area: 5500sqm

Studio Guides:

Prof. Prashant G Pole

Prof. Anand Krishnamurthy

Prof. Shrutie Shah

Asst. Prof. Asijit Khan

Assoc. Prof. Surendran Aalone

The design takes an untangled and simplistic approach to breakdown the linear process of conversion of banana fibres into fabric. With the ground floor housing various activities, the first floor becomes a platform providing for shaded drying of the fibres and accommodating around another 20 looms. Two relatively smaller basement areas for storing the stems and a block printing unit have been incorporated. The organization of the built, frames and opens up the view for the people towards the river on the East. The South serves as the public plinth for the village shaded from the harsh light by plantations, thereby also defining the site edge.

The project uses locally sourced, cost effective materials that are ecologically sustainable like CSEB for construction of the walls with a lime plaster, timber fenestrations, CLT beams and recycled corrugated GI sheet for roofing. The idea was also to look at local construction techniques to benefit and sustain the larger community.