Discover Third Space, a multifunctional hub in the heart of Rajasthan
Third Space by Studio Saar is a multifunctional creative and learning hub in the heart of Rajasthan, uniting the community through ‘openness, accessibility, and inclusivity’
Studio Saar’s latest completion, Third Space in Udaipur, India, is an unusual commission. A project for local not-for-profit organisation Dharohar, this is a building that combines many uses and purposes, conceived to offer several affordable resources to the Rajasthan city in one fell swoop.
Third Space is a place for learning, working with makers to create extra-curricular activities for the area supporting the preservation of crafts; it is a leisure centre offering a range of diverse, hands-on activities, such as a maker's space and Tinkering Lab; it hosts a performing arts and exhibition programme; it creates flexible space for people to gather, relax and spend time in its several cool, open-air courtyards; and it provides the community with a variety of areas for social wellbeing, retail and co-working to boot.
Take a tour of Third Space by Studio Saar
To define the brief, the Anglo-Indian studio, headed by Ananya Singhal and Jonny Buckland, worked closely with Dharohar – a philanthropic institution funded and managed by the Singhal family, owners of Secure Meters, an Indian multinational smart metering and energy management business, of which Singhal is joint managing director.
As a result, the design draws on the non-profit’s key principles of ‘openness, accessibility, and inclusivity’. Additionally, Singhal explains, ‘we wanted the building to be of its place, and fitting to the Indian vernacular’. The project’s intricate detail throughout, and features such as the inverted stepwell that connects the underground parking levels and the public plaza above, speak to that.
The centre is composed of a series of open and enclosed spaces held within a permeable volume wrapped in a perforated façade made of marble and steel –offcuts of the former material were used in the floor, and offcuts of the latter, in screen partitions inside.
More environmentally friendly gestures in the construction include the use of waste marble-rubble and lime mortar from nearby mines (Udaipur is known for its marble quarries) in the masonry walls and flooring; marble dust replacing 10 per cent of the cement, and 20 per cent of the sand/aggregate in the concrete mix; passive cooling systems throughout; and native trees and other plants at multiple levels, which help users connect to the outdoors while also contributing to the restoration of local wildlife and flora.
‘We want it to be a place where people are not afraid to come in and are curious to try things,’ says Singhal. ‘We want to inspire collaboration and introduce people with the same interests to each other.’
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
An exhibition by Studio Saar titled ‘Craft, Community, Connection’ will be on show at the Crafts Council Gallery in London, 7 – 15 June as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2024
A version of this article appears in the July 2024 issue of Wallpaper*,$ available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk Space
Furniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
By Ali Morris Published
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and place
Locanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
LVMH watch week 2025: everything we know so far
Our guide to LVMH Watch Week 2025, taking place in New York and Paris, starting 21 January; keep an eye out for our updates
By James Gurney Published
-
Nine emerging Indian architecture studios on a mission to transform their country
We survey the emerging Indian architecture studios and professionals, who come armed with passion, ideas and tools designed to foster and bolster their country's creative growth
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
STO.M.P on the architecture studio's work, love of craftmanship and 'the cinematic details'
We zoom into Indian architects STO.M.P from Madurai, exploring their growing portfolio and cinematic sensibility
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar Published
-
Indian architectural studio Social Design Collaborative on its open and inclusive approach
Social Design Collaborative from New Delhi on creating its big, collaborative ideas for all
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Indian studio Mitti is all about 'progressive architecture, sustainably delivered'
Mitti Eco Constructions from India's Tamil Nadu works with recycled and natural materials to produce forward-thinking designs
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Dhammada Collective brings participatory design and cultural preservation to the fore in India
Dhammada Collective, in India's Bhopal, combines participatory design with cultural preservation to foster sustainable growth
By Suneet Zishan Langar Published
-
Earthscape Studio: an Indian architecture studio of elevated simplicity
Based in India's Coimbatore, Earthscape Studio places craftsmanship, sustainability and a refreshing site-specific approach at its heart; resulting in designs that appear simple but unexpected, and elevated
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie Stathaki
The top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
An Indian mud house and more natural architectural wonders from Sketch Design Studio in Rajasthan
Sketch Design Studio in Rajasthan, India does wonders with the simplest ingredients
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar Published