Studio Advaita

By Editorial Staff - 3 March 2025

One of Studio Advaita’s key objectives is to reconnect marginalized communities in northeastern India with the country as a whole, leveraging architecture to enhance a sense of belonging. Founded in 2013 by Rasika and Prasad Badave, the practice operates from Mumbai and Pune (another major Maharashtra city).

Public buildings – and schools in particular – have a vital role to play within this forward-looking framework. The studio has developed two school complexes in the villages of Sher and Joram, both situated in Arunachal Pradesh, in the northeastern corner of India.

The Sher School is positioned on a sloping site, nestled in a landscape full of trees and traversed by a natural stream. Classrooms are housed in different volumes that are interconnected via a network of porticos around a generous central courtyard. Pupils primarily conduct their daily activities within this communal space – the foundation of community relationships. The complex’s façades are adorned with characteristic concrete fins, angled in relation to the floor-to-ceiling windows to let natural light filter in, while at the same time providing effective shading.

The design of the Joram School is another example of how architecture is able to adapt to the surrounding natural context. In this case, the classrooms are arranged in a linear sequence along the edge of a slope; the flat area of land below was intentionally left clear for pupils to have outdoor play space. Rather than a conventional entrance hall, the design features multiple narrow access points. This feature echoes traditional local village layouts, as does the principle of constructing houses on elevated ground and using the space below for festivals and other community events.