The weather and topography of Punjab was unlike anything the architects of studio Kamat & Rozario Architecture had experienced before. An extreme climate with summers rising almost to 50 degrees and winters at zero degrees. The topography of the countryside is very interesting: The settlements here are similar to a galaxy of dense clusters, created to stay away from arable land that is fertile and highly irrigated. This is one of the highest grain-growing regions in the country. Kilometers and kilometers of unbroken plain, with the absence of mountainous obstacles means that hostile winds with high speeds are created, raising a lot of dust
St. Martha Bethany Vidyalaya School. A school in India that protects its young visitors with its high walls
In a land of extremes, St. Martha Bethany Vidyalaya School with its solid and protective architecture on the outside creates colorful and dynamic yet intimate environments for the children of Punjab
The St. Martha Bethany Vidyalaya school being targeted is located on the outskirts of one of these settlements among the fields called Ludhiana. Summer conditions are quite cool due to the nearby rice growing areas, and the scenic views are pleasant, but there are frequent dust storms at the end of each rice harvest cycle. These site characteristics led, in the architectural design, to the arched shape of the school building. The hollow fortress-like walls aim to deflect wind gusts and channel them through the structure's openings into a more delicate version
The taupe color of the walls is intended to match that of the surrounding terrain so that the effects of weathering are camouflaged. The breaks in the "fortress" wall feature brightly colored bridge elements. Most of the openings are oriented toward small courtyards. Very few openings are in the direction of incident winds, and the courtyards are shaded during the day. They are small in size to maintain a cozy feeling since they are also play spaces for younger children
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