The academic design studio aimed to investigate the city of Bundi, situated in the state of Rajasthan, to gain insights on the local housing patterns, climatic conditions, geographical positioning, water scarcity issues, material availability, and the city’s abundant heritage, including baoris, bunds, stepwells, and lakes. The studio aimed to develop a housing design that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities of Bundi.

The housing pattern predominant in Bundi Town consists primarily of a nine-square grid layout, featuring houses with an open courtyard. This design allows for various functions of the house to be accessible from the courtyard. This architectural concept is derived from the importance of the courtyard, which serves as a central hub for each house. The design ensures that every unit’s courtyard is connected to one another through semi-open spaces, creating a hierarchy of open and semi-open areas. This interconnectedness is further enhanced by providing different levels according to contours to resemble the idea of stepwells in the interior streets, which are formed by connecting all the courtyards.