The Green Dream

Local materials, eco-friendly practices and a modern vernacular language, places these five firms on top of our list

- Ridhi Kale

RAINING GREAT IDEAS

WHO Biome Environmental Solutions is a Bangalore-based, multi-disciplinary firm focussed on ecology, architecture and water conservation.

WHEN The architectural practice began as Chitra Vishwanath Architects in 1991 and Rainwater Club in 2000. The two entities merged in 2008 to form Biome Environmental Solutions.

ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE “Our designs are largely built with earth sourced from the site or construction debris, harvest water, treat waste on the site and manage their energy through passive construction and active energy generation. They are part of the ecology, and are economical and logical,” says Anurag Tamhankar, director and senior architect. Their designs also take into account the role of water. “Our designs focus on how the buildings generate water and treat waste within their built space rather than negatively impacting other ecosystems,” explains architect Chitra Vishwanath. That’s why the firm offers simple solutions such as roof top rainwater harvesting and recharging and, natural and low-energy systems like the root zone treatment (a Biome design) placed on the terrace.

SPECTACULAR EXAMPLES At the Govardhan EcoVillage, a project in Maharashtra, the firm introduced the use of stabilised earth block for construction. “Now many architects as well as locals have embraced this method, thereby reducing the use of fired bricks,” says Vishwanath. In fact, Vishwanath’s own home, San Souci is designed on similar lines. Then there is a school called Atelier. “Here the whole building can be reused either in its individual elements or by repurposing the materials for a different design,” explains Tamhankar.