The Crystal Hall, a big but small home, is an essay on light, nature & history. It integrates sustainability, reuses material, and uses disadvantaged local talent.
It has the world's first residential windmill towers, proprietary use of two layers of high-performance recycled glass with a rainforest of non-invasive vegetation species within, thermal insulation technology & rainwater utilization — thus creating a glocal (global + local) building.
Glass —which can be recycled endlessly without loss of quality or clarity, recreates bioclimatic conditions that help tackle climate change while using modern materials that are culturally, emotionally and ecologically conscious. Despite its use of state-of-the-art technology, the total cost of $22 per square foot makes it one of the least expensive buildings of its genre anywhere.
The building follows a zero-waste policy and is a perfect example of socially responsible architecture. Everything was handmade - providing employment to the poorest indigenous people of color while preserving the skillsets of neighbouring artisans. It has become an ecological magnet for wildlife like peacock, mongoose, snakes and sometimes even a deer or two.
Bio The architect graduated with an Honors Degree in Architecture from IIT Kharagpur. An international associate of the American Institute of Architects, he also runs IDeA World Design School in Bangalore which is among the oldest private run design institutes in India, having educated over around 9000 students in the past decades. He is an architect with a social conscience which has led him to specifically seek out and employ people from the indigenous and poorest sections of the society.
His buildings focus on sustainability, reduction of carbon footprints and recycling
Other prizes • 2018, Emerging Icon Award, Bangalore, India • 2012, 28 Persons of the future, India • 2018, Best Design Education Award from Business Times, Bangalore, India • 2021, Finalist, SBID (Society of British and International Interior Design) Furniture Award, Britain • 2021, Selection Winner, Iconic Awards by German Design Council, Germany • 2021, Finalist, World Architecture Awards
