The International Architecture Award-winning, Flying Elephant Studio pursues a design approach that involves solving the issues allied with the program, context, material, and site using whole to a part design strategy that stances from the urban context to detail; conversely from minute details of a single unit to functionality of the user in the whole.
The versatile genre of projects that are accomplished by the Flying Elephant design team, led by Rajesh Renganathan and Iype Chacko, ranges from Urban development to Industrial units to Institutions to Residences. Developing sensory experiences and a sustainable built environment combined with a sense of urbanity eventually, steering towards social interaction and healthy community spaces is what keeps design fulfilled. Various publications such as FuturArc, Domus, Elle Décor, and others have featured their projects.
1. International Institute of Information Technology Student Centre | Flying Elephant Studio
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Type: Student Hostel
Year: 2012
The Student center adjoining to the IIIT- B campus comprises numerous functions along with a large student residence, such as lounges, common facilities, and social spaces. The form of the building block is in accordance with the site and context, designed considering the open spaces as the focal point for the students for interaction. The spatial experience of the student center is articulated by a grand staircase into a semi-public upper plaza, hyper public lower plaza, and below it to the parking.
2. International Institute of Information Technology- Academic block Extension
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Area: 6500 m2
Type: Institution
Year: 2010
The IIIT-B extension is designed to accommodate the Research and Development incubation labs, academic facilities, and student residences that spill out to an interior transitional street with a perforated roof allowing ample sunlight and breathing space.
3. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Science City
Location: Patna, Bihar
Area: 30,000 m2
Type: Exhibition and learning center
Year: 2017-18
A.P.J Abdul Kalam Science center is proposed in a dense urban fabric on a contoured wetland. The key design features of the bio-diverse public park are the use of passive techniques, biotic wastewater treatment, traditional agricultural practices and to make the science city sustainable and to convert the wetlands into a knowledgeable exhibition center. It is designed to minimize the potential environmental adverse impacts due to the development.
4. National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management
Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Area: 13,935 m2
Type: Research Institute
Year: 2011
The design of the NCSCM is achieved with a top-down approach, starting from the whole block on-site and then subtracting the mass as per the existing site conditions to connect with nature and provide open breathing space to the user. The inclined axis divides the block into two parts, creating open spaces, circulation axis, and retaining the existing trees on site.
5. Azim Premji Foundation School and District Institute
Location: Yadgir, Karnataka
Area: 7000m2 (Built-up Area)
Type: School and Institute
Year: 2012
Designed for socio-economically weak students, the APF School and District Institute enclose the two courtyards which function as a playground and amphitheater. Few design decisions are taken into consideration with the harsh temperature and rain, providing the terracotta jaali wall. The use of indigenous construction materials such as Tandur flooring, Terracotta blocks and cladding makes it efficient.
6. Divya Shanthi Campus | Flying Elephant Studio
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Type: School
Year: 2004
The numerous functions of the campus benefit not only the prerequisites of users and the existing buildings but also the surrounding economically weak community by providing them with optimism and hope. It houses various facilities such as the children’s home, teacher training center, primary healthcare unit, library, and dining hall, which supports the existing school campus. It is designed such that there is visual connectivity towards the outside while interactivity and connection on the inside with the school.
7. Rishi Valley School
Location: Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh
Type: School and Institute
Year: 2009
The Flying elephant studio focuses on the user’s needs and site context which led the landscape design to have a visual expression in the form of a Rainwater harvesting system. The program consists of a girl’s dormitories located surrounding the courtyard and each dorm on two sides allowing cross ventilation and natural light into the room.
8. Healthcare Centre
Location: Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Type: Healthcare Institute
Year: 2011
Located in the rural, agricultural land of Tamil Nadu, the primary health care center caters to the community of the village with a clinic. The butterfly roof with a water channel at the center helps collect rainwater and provides it to the healthcare center. The temperature being harsh in summer requires a passive technique, so a buffer space within the built center is created to keep it cool.
9. 800 Jubilee | Flyingelephant
Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Area: 5500 m2
Type: Commercial Building
Year: 2015
A high-end commercial space consisting of retail shops and offices in the suburb area of Hyderabad invites a crowd of people living in Jubilee hills. A void of the courtyard on the third floor creates an atrium for social interaction as well as light and ventilation. A water wall and pool at the street level regulates the inside temperature keeping it cool.
10. Pavilion House | Flying Elephant Studio
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Type: Residential Building
Year: 2012
The concrete-framed outhouse includes a garden and a pool on the ground floor and multifunctional bedrooms which also function as a spa. There is a connectivity link between the prevailing house and the outhouse. The level of privacy, light, and ventilation can be controlled by the wooden louvered sliding doors adjoining the pool.
11. 2DC817 Studio House
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Area: 220 m2
Type: Residence + Studio Space
Year: 2001
The design explores skin- a façade element of the studio and residence for a family of three. The lower basement levels function as studio workspace while the upper floors accommodate the living and bedroom spaces. The multi-layered skin or the wall of the house facilitates all the requirements of a wall above which it has a visual connection with the outside.
12. Farmhouse | Flying Elephant
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Area: 20234 m2 Site Area
Type: Residence
Year: 2013
The exposed concrete retreat home designed for a family keen on horse riding includes living spaces on the ground floor with a direct connection with nature allowing ample light and cross ventilation. The terrace consists of a roof garden and a water pool with an expansive view of the Nandidurga hills.
13. Schulich School of Business | Flyingelephant
Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Area: 23225m2 Built-up Area
Type: Institute
Year: 2011
The proposed design of the school includes an academic building, hostels, and common facilities. As a part of future development, there will be a research lab and a high-end hotel for future studies.
14. Mango Processing Unit
Location: Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
Type: Industry
Year: 2004
A large span structure usually needs a truss roofing system, which is high maintenance; to avoid this curved roofing system is used instead. The harsh summer temperatures are regulated with the help of passive cooling systems.
15. Food Processing Unit | Flying Elephant Studio
Location: Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu
Type: Industry
Year: 2000
The use of suspended roofing with a truss structure on the exterior helps reduce maintenance. The use of indigenous material for roofing such as terracotta tile cladding is cost-effective and sustainable. To maintain ambient temperature, a double skin roofing technique is employed.
