For the Bangalore-based architecture studio and construction practice Made in Earth Collective, the name of the firm encapsulates its spirit, promoting design with as little impact on the environment as possible. The core four of the firm – Shruthi Ramakrishna, Jérémie Gaudin, Agnimitra P Bachi and Ajinkya Unhale – share a relentless passion for construction with natural materials, notably earth, using ecologically driven building techniques. The results reveal the team’s unbridled strive to push boundaries in residential and commercial projects around Bangalore and beyond.
One of the recent projects by Made in Earth – Little Green Cafe in the heart of Bangalore City – is a culmination of the values of ecology, authenticity and health held near and dear to Made in Earth and shared in common with the firm’s client Green Theory. Sustainable building techniques are at the centre of the design of this unassuming yet thoughtful space that feels like the antithesis of the busy city surrounding it, where local, unpretentious materials are used to weave a holistic narrative and where everything is mindfully repurposed and designed as a sustainable solution that is ‘green’ at its core.
The design team complemented the earthy tones of the structural walls with the usage of old teak wood and cane for shelving, furniture and shutters.
Within the café’s interiors, natural materials bring a distinct touch of the café’s native context through the usage of resources and technique available locally. Using natural plasters made of clay and lime mixed with natural pigments as the primary construction elements, the design team complemented the earthy tones of the structural walls with the usage of old teak wood and cane for shelving, furniture, shutters and outdoor ceiling. The team used chemical free grey clay paint for the café’s ceiling and local black kadappa stone and mixed wood for the flooring. All materials within the café were recycled and upcycled, with a passive cooling system put in place as an alternative to mechanical air conditioning.
For a café that is green in more than just its name, Made in Earth ensured that thoughtful construction was achieved through an equally thoughtful design process that considered the use of natural materials in their most honest of expressions. True to the founder Shruthi Ramakrishna’s words, “Each material in its natural form, with as minimum transformation as possible, comes together to give a comfortable, healthy, and uniquely crafted surrounding.”
Made in Earth
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A passive cooling system was put in place as an alternative to mechanical air conditioning.
