Project Narrative
Nestled within the two-acre campus of NGO Mukti in PurbaSridharpur, around 90 kilometres south of Kolkata, this modest guesthouse stands as a powerful model for resilient design in the cyclone-prone Sundarbans. Flanked by tidal channels and mangrove trees to the south and framed by expansive paddy fields to the north and east, the project’s unique location presents both beauty and vulnerability. The devastation caused by cyclones like Amphan (2020) and Yass (2021) deeply informed its conception- an architectural response grounded in the realities of an ecologically fragile landscape.
While the client initially envisioned a simple two-room guesthouse to host visiting donors and eco-tourists, the design team expanded this brief into something larger in purpose and vision: a prototype for an affordable, neighbourhood-scale cyclone shelter capable of housing 80–100 people in times of crisis. Drawing from local rural typologies, the building features two rooms opening onto a long, south-facing verandah- a familiar spatial layout found in nearby homes. Elevated above flood levels, the structure rests on an open ground floor designed as a flexible community space for everyday use and an accessible refuge during emergencies.
The architectural language is deeply rooted in Bengal’s vernacular heritage. Inspired by the traditional do-chala roof form, the structure reinterprets local materials- bamboo, mud, brick, and thatch- through a contemporary yet contextually grounded lens. These materials were selected not only for their ecological benefits but also for their familiarity, enabling local artisans and villagers to participate actively in construction. The result is a collaborative process that transforms building into a form of collective learning and empowerment.
The project also introduces innovative low-cost construction techniques. A shallow brick dome system for the upper floor slabs, contained within a grid of tie beams, reduces costs to nearly one-third of a conventional RCC slab while maintaining strength and stability. Similarly, ferrocement staircases are integrated seamlessly within splayed columns, demonstrating both structural ingenuity and craft precision. The roof’s thatch panels- crafted from a native rice species known for its long, sturdy strands- were pre-assembled on the ground, cutting down labour by seven per cent.
Built through collaboration between Mukti and local residents, this guesthouse transcends its function as a hospitality space. It becomes a living prototype- a testament to how architecture, rooted in context and community, can foster resilience, sustainability, and a renewed sense of belonging in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
While the client initially envisioned a simple two-room guesthouse to host visiting donors and eco-tourists, the design team expanded this brief into something larger in purpose and vision: a prototype for an affordable, neighbourhood-scale cyclone shelter capable of housing 80–100 people in times of crisis. Drawing from local rural typologies, the building features two rooms opening onto a long, south-facing verandah- a familiar spatial layout found in nearby homes. Elevated above flood levels, the structure rests on an open ground floor designed as a flexible community space for everyday use and an accessible refuge during emergencies.
The architectural language is deeply rooted in Bengal’s vernacular heritage. Inspired by the traditional do-chala roof form, the structure reinterprets local materials- bamboo, mud, brick, and thatch- through a contemporary yet contextually grounded lens. These materials were selected not only for their ecological benefits but also for their familiarity, enabling local artisans and villagers to participate actively in construction. The result is a collaborative process that transforms building into a form of collective learning and empowerment.
The project also introduces innovative low-cost construction techniques. A shallow brick dome system for the upper floor slabs, contained within a grid of tie beams, reduces costs to nearly one-third of a conventional RCC slab while maintaining strength and stability. Similarly, ferrocement staircases are integrated seamlessly within splayed columns, demonstrating both structural ingenuity and craft precision. The roof’s thatch panels- crafted from a native rice species known for its long, sturdy strands- were pre-assembled on the ground, cutting down labour by seven per cent.
Built through collaboration between Mukti and local residents, this guesthouse transcends its function as a hospitality space. It becomes a living prototype- a testament to how architecture, rooted in context and community, can foster resilience, sustainability, and a renewed sense of belonging in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
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