2024 Winner
Category - Architecture - Commercial
Hitarth Majithiya & Netra Bafna
Terra Firma Architects
Terra Firma Architects, based in Ahmedabad, is a dynamic architecture and design studio known for creating contextually appropriate, climate-responsive, and innovative spatial experiences. With expertise spanning urban-scale architecture to custom furniture design, the firm is driven by a passion to challenge norms and redefine how spaces are perceived and inhabited.
Hitarth Majithiya, Principal Architect at Terra Firma since 2018, leads the practice with a strong emphasis on technologically sensible and ecologically sound architecture. A graduate of CEPT University with global exposure from Politecnico di Milano, Hitarth brings a deep sensitivity to context and sustainability, blending his academic insights with real-world application. He also teaches at CEPT, further enriching his practice with academic rigor.
Netra Bafna, Co-Founder, is an award-winning architect and skilled visual artist, known for her methodical design process and expressive sketches. A graduate of CEPT University and ETH Zurich, Netra brings international experience and has been recognized with multiple honors, including the Kohler Scholarship, Distinguished Student Award, and accolades from the National University of Singapore.
Together, they steer Terra Firma with a commitment to designing timeless, sustainable spaces that resonate with people, place, and purpose.
Area: 800 sq ft
High above the bustling streets of Ahmedabad, perched on the terrace of a residential structure, Terra Kota Studio quietly claims its place—not as a bold addition, but as a thoughtful intervention. Designed by Terra Firma Architects, the studio isn’t just an office space; it’s a response to context, climate, and canopy.
The project reimagines the underused rooftop as an 800 sq. ft. studio that merges architecture with nature, leaving the rest of the terrace open to the sky and the possibility of future growth.
A Workspace Among Tree Crowns
From the very beginning, the design respected what already existed—both structurally and naturally. Anchored within the original column grid of the home below, the studio wraps around the golden crowns of Peela Gulmohar trees, visible from every northern window.
The site’s quiet, semi-urban setting becomes an essential part of the experience. It offers a space to think, to design, and to disconnect from noise—a perfect pause in the rhythm of city life.
Climate-Conscious Form and Detail
One of the defining features of Terra Kota Studio is its off-centric sloping roof, rising taller on the southern side to accommodate maximum solar panel exposure while perfectly framing the northern views of foliage. Below this simple gesture lies a highly intentional spatial organization.
The structure is finished with corrugated metal roofing insulated below, and concrete lintel bands that visually frame the entire composition from afar.
Studio as a Place of Pause
The entry sequence itself is an architectural moment—one must cross the planted terrace to reach the door. The path through green becomes a spatial reset, blurring the line between office and garden, inside and outside.
This rooftop studio is more than its square footage. It’s a quiet manifesto for small-scale, climate-sensitive, and emotionally intelligent design.
Your Studio. Your Story. Your Spotlight.
Have you designed a space that speaks to context, climate, and creativity—just like Terra Kota Studio?
Then don’t miss the chance to showcase it. The VOX Architecture Ideas 2025 competition is now accepting entries from architects and designers across India. Whether it’s a workspace, a residence, or a public intervention, if your design makes a difference, this is your platform.
🔗 Submit your entry now for the VOX Architecture Ideas!
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