Project by
Sanjay Puri
Sanjay Puri Architects
Sanjjay Puri Architects, led by Sanjay Puri, creates context-driven, sustainable designs that evolve with their environment. With over three decades of experience, the firm blends climate responsiveness, innovation, and cohesive spatial narratives, delivering projects that are both functional and perceptually engaging, reflecting a commitment to thoughtful, site-specific architecture.
In the desert landscape of Nokha, Rajasthan, the Nokha Village Community Centre emerges as a curvilinear structure that rises gracefully from the northeastern edge of the site, looping toward the northwest to create a north-facing courtyard that frames the expansive arid horizon. Conceived as a memorial to Padmaramji Kularia, the project reimagines remembrance as a space for collective learning, community engagement, and cultural continuity.
Spanning 9,000 sq. ft., the main spiral structure seamlessly integrates architecture with landscape. Its inclined roof transforms into a usable garden with gentle slopes, offering vantage points for informal gatherings and panoramic views of the surrounding desert. Beneath this green canopy lies a compact museum at the lower eastern end and a children’s digital library to the west, symbolically connecting heritage with education and knowledge. These spaces act as vital anchors for the community, offering opportunities for engagement, learning, and inspiration across generations.
Responding thoughtfully to the harsh desert climate, the southern edge of the building is embedded within a grass-covered earth berm, providing effective thermal insulation that reduces heat gain during summer months when temperatures frequently exceed 40°C. The north-facing courtyard doubles as an amphitheatre for music, performances, and communal events, further reinforcing the building’s role as a cultural and social hub. Locally sourced sandstone screens wrap the ovoid library, filtering sunlight and casting intricate, shifting shadows throughout the day.
The library serves schools across 144 villages in the Nokha district, many of which lack access to such facilities, while the museum is softly illuminated through skylit recesses carved within the berm, creating a serene and contemplative environment. A linear amenity block along the northern approach accommodates a cafeteria, toilets, and storage, ensuring functionality during large gatherings and events.
Through the integration of roof gardens, shaded courtyards, sustainable local materials, and rainwater harvesting systems, the design achieves both environmental and social sustainability. What began as a memorial has evolved into a vibrant, living community space—a place of learning, recreation, and belonging that fosters connections across villages, restores dignity, and cultivates pride in rural life, bridging tradition with contemporary needs.
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