Sans-studio

09/02/2026

We are hiring!

Looking for enthusiastic young architects eager to work with alternative construction technologies in the mountains.

If you're interested, please send your portfolio to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

Location: Dehradun, Uttarakhand

dehradun jobvacancy architecturestudent architectureinternship sustainablearchitecture sustainablearchitects vernaculararchitecture

24/10/2025

Winter internship 2025

24/10/2025

The cottages follow a pure rectangular geometry, ensuring better seismic resistance, as simple forms perform best during earthquakes. The airlock vestibule serves as a sacrificial connection between the two units — a deliberate fracture point designed to absorb seismic movement. It is built using polycarbonate sheets to minimize structural damage.

Traditional roofing of poplar wood, willow twigs, and earth layers has been used, a system known for its high insulation and breathability, suited to the region’s cold, arid climate.

Project: Amida

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24/10/2025

Two cottage units are accessed through a shared airlock — an enclosed vestibule that serves as a thermal buffer. In cold regions, such spaces form an effective passive thermal strategy, preventing cold air from rushing indoors each time the door opens. The shared entry not only reduces heat loss but also creates a quiet threshold between the outdoors and the private living spaces.

Project: Amida

Project team:





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24/10/2025

During winters, when temperatures plummet well below freezing, water in uninsulated pipelines can freeze easily, often leading to burst pipes and damaged fittings. Traditionally, local communities in such terrain used dry toilets — a waterless system consisting of a chamber located below the toilet to collect excreta. Given the region’s arid climate, liquid and solid waste need not be separated. The cavity wall is designed to trap odour and prevent moisture from seeping out.

Project: Amida

Project team:





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13/10/2025

13/10/2025

Lime stabilized rammed earth

13/10/2025

Last rammed earth workshop of the year.
The weather is perfect, so is the vibe.

14/08/2025

A Trombe wall is a passive solar design strategy that uses the sun’s heat to create a natural convection current. It has two sets of vents—one near the floor and another near the ceiling. Sunlight heats the air in the cavity between the wall and its glazing, causing the warm air to rise and flow through the upper vents, while cooler room air is drawn in through the lower vents. This gentle circulation, driven by temperature differences, helps warm the space without mechanical systems. The wall is usually painted a dark colour to maximise heat absorption.

Project : Amida

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14/08/2025

The units are built with load-bearing adobe walls, locally called piu—sun-dried bricks made from local soil mixed with natural fibres. At 18 inches thick, these earthen walls have a high thermal mass, absorbing the sun’s warmth by day and releasing it into the rooms through the cold night. A Trombe wall system further enhances this passive thermal design, capturing and storing solar heat. Each unit is carefully oriented for maximum sunlight and uninterrupted valley views. In winter, when temperatures plunge well below –20 °C, this stored warmth becomes an essential comfort.

Project : Amida

Project team:





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14/08/2025

You’ll rarely see a local without a hat and sunglasses—essentials against the fierce midday glare. Dust trails along the valley floor, carried by winds that never seem to rest. Stark, sunburnt, and silent, the landscape is broken only by the turquoise thread of the Spiti River. Even the most hurried traveller slows here, as if the valley itself insists on quiet contemplation.

Project : Amida

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05/06/2025

The remoteness of location, scarcity of resources and hostile weather conditions has shaped the culture of this insular valley. The resultant collective social pattern manages it's resources frugally and efficiently. This is reflected in all aspects of culture including the vernacular building practices. The predominant construction technique here is rammed earth (khyang) and adobe (piu). These techniques utilise the only element available in the valley in abundance i.e. earth.

Project : Amida

Project team:





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