As they look back, the architects have both said they were constantly conscious of how delicately the project’s heritage had to be managed. One of India’s most prestigious schools, also referred to by the name of Eton of India, Mayo College was established through Richard Bourke, the sixth Earl of Mayo at Ajmer in Rajasthan, in 1875. He was ruler from 1869 until 1872.

It was a politician in the Bharatpur Agency, Lt. Col. FKM Walter, who suggested that in the Bharatpur Agency Report on May 28, 1869, “to ensure to the sons of aristocracy in India a liberal and enlightened education to enable them to keep pace with the ever-advancing spirit of the age.” The idea was then to create an institution with an educational program specifically designed, especially for sons of nobles and royals from India.

Bikaner House

The principal college structure was built with an Indo-Saracenic style (often called Indo-Islamic architecture, incorporating Gothic elements) following the original plans drawn up by the architect Major Charles Mant. Following his formal adoption of the methods to construct the school, Lord Mayo invited the royalty and nobles of Rajputana to build and maintain the boarding homes for their students.

Work cut out

Basics Architects had their work to do, according to Vinod, who is a graduate of the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and the University of New South Wales, Sydney, where he received his bachelor’s degree in architecture as well as a master’s degree in construction management respectively. They were required to repair and plan adaptive reuse for several heritage buildings, including eight boarding houses, as well as new structures and infrastructure within the campus’s 187-acre.

The short

The directive given by management of the Mayo College management, comprising the principal at the time, Dr. Pramod Sharma, as well as Bursar Dinesh Bhatnagar, required the improvement of modernized living areas for students, according to Vinod. Practical as well as “aesthetically appealing structures also had to be added to enhance the campus environment.”

The structures, which were in a state of decline, were required to be restored to be functional boarding houses that had student-friendly areas.

Jodhpur House 

Alongside Vinod and the architect’s team, which included Ranju as the founder and principal architect at Basics Architects and alumna of JNEC Aurangabad, as well as the architects Nishant Kumar and Harkishan Dagar were required to devise a strategy to get rid of encroachments as well as unnecessary structures while keeping their original “essence” of the actual designs.

The architects conducted their first site visits in May 2004 when they began the construction of Ajmer House. The most important thing they learned was the necessity for a cautious approach to bring the structure back to its former state.

Time-consuming

The campervan was located in The Mayo College guest house on campus, close to the site of the project. To ensure efficient supervision and coordination, the architects took a close look at the structure. “Due to shifting patterns in usage and aging, over time, some buildings had fallen into disrepair requiring significant restoration efforts,” claims Ranju.

The objective was to create standard and better living conditions for staff and students as well as more organized and functional areas within the buildings.

The rooms were tiny. The numerous encroachments that were made on the original structure created an issue. It was essential to address these issues to preserve the building’s historical characteristics.

The classrooms were cramped, insufficient, dark and dim, not ventilated properly, and badly organized. Electrical and plumbing systems were inoperable. “Numerous rooms had been constructed by encroaching upon verandahs or balconies, and annexes were created by extending the original building,” Ranju says.

Research extensive

Extensive background research was completed before beginning the design process. The architects needed to dig through the records of the past in the Ajmer House and archives to find out information about the house’s initial construction and its previous use.

“This helped us comprehend its heritage value and the changes it had undergone over the years,” says Ranju for the purpose of attempting to recreate everything as authentically as possible.

Following the completion of the first hostel, Basics Architects signed an eight-year contract to refurbish the hostels that are not in use, such as Jodhpur House, Colvin House, Rajasthan House, Bharatpur House, Kashmir House, Bikaner House along with Tonk House.

Even though the firm was given each year a request to redesign each house, the architects had created all the plans and documents ahead of time to manage the construction effectively.

Why is it eight years? It’s because construction was carried out during the school’s summer break, creating an enormous challenge since the work had to be finished within a short timeframe. The cost of projects varied, and the company was required to stick to a budget to get the results they wanted every year.

Focused areas

In a construction project that’s this large and complex, the architects must be aware of a variety of crucial aspects, such as keeping the historical significance of the building and ensuring that the historical value of the building was not negatively affected through the renovation process.

Second, the original design was required to stay in place while mixing the modern elements harmoniously. Structural integrity, as well as security of the older structures, had been examined and fixed, and the latest construction standards were complied with.

“Lastly, we prioritized adaptability and functionality, creating spaces that catered to present-day needs,” Says Ranju.

Return to the Drawing Table

It took some time for architects to get clients on board, involving many back-and-forth discussions, mostly due to the issues encountered in the process of adaptive reuse of the buildings as well as the necessity to meet the specific needs of facilities. “These complex issues often required innovative methods to find solutions that were suitable without causing major structural changes to structures. The communication was transparent and enabled the architects to overcome the obstacles and come up with practical solutions,” says Vinod.

The comfort factor

After the restoration, in which optimal use of space was prioritized, The houses could be able to accommodate 64 students. They had two separate dormitories, as well as double-sharing rooms that had bathrooms and change rooms attached to provide a comfortable and private living arrangement.

The common areas for studying and recreation were increased and opened to encourage “a sense of community” between the students. A greater amount of natural light and ventilation throughout the building ensured an enjoyable and healthy living space.

Each house is treated differently.

The design that was used for all current structures was unique, taking in the distinct tradition of each kingdom they were a part of. Each home was inspected by a different approach, utilizing customized strategies to limit structural alterations and ensure cost-effectiveness.

In order to ensure uniformity, accessibility, space allocation, and access to facilities across the buildings were standardized. “It helped create a cohesive and functional environment that met the users’ needs uniformly,” Vinod adds. Vinod.

Artisans from the local area have old abilities.

Local artisans also were a major part of the construction process as the intricate stonework on the building’s exteriors needed to be recreated. Because all the stones used in the initial construction were obtained locally from stone mining sites located in and around Ajmer, Stonemasons were roped in to identify the particular stone quarries and replicate the patterns and colors of the stone used in the original construction. In some cases, masons would work for hours on replicas of the rock the latticework (jaalis).

Jaalis made of steel, too, were replaced by exact replicas of the stones.

Five key sustainable elements

According to Singhi, the elements that are sustainable within the structures include:

1. The installation of solar heating units within every boarding house to replace the electrical heating systems.

2. Water conservation measures were put in place with the installation of water-saving, low-flow faucets and toilets inside the structures. Pits for rainwater harvesting were also constructed.

3. Natural ventilation and the flow of light are guaranteed by reworking existing windows. New ones are added as often as feasible to improve the amount of natural light and reduce the need for artificial lighting in the daytime.

4. Sustainable materials, such as recycled, reclaimed, or locally sourced materials, are used whenever feasible to decrease the carbon footprint of manufacturing and transport.

5. Systems for harvesting rainwater are in place to refill the water table through the recharge of groundwater.