Author: Kumud Balwant Shahi
Site Location: Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
Institute: Lokmanya Tilak Institute of Architecture & Design Studies
Advisor: Ar. Niladwuti Chattopadhyay
Description
The Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) in Gujarat is home to the Agariya community, traditional salt farmers who migrate to the vast saline desert for nearly eight months each year (October-May) to harvest salt. During the monsoon (June-September), the Rann floods, forcing them to return to their native villages with their families and belongings.
Life in the Rann is defined by extreme climatic conditions and a severe lack of basic infrastructure. Temporary shelters provide minimal protection against intense heat, strong winds, and unseasonal rainfall. Women face significant challenges due to inadequate sanitation, while children’s education is frequently disrupted by seasonal migration. Although the government’s Rann Shala initiative, mobile classrooms operating from buses has improved educational access, its limited coverage leaves many children underserved. Water scarcity further intensifies these hardships, with potable water supplied by tankers only once every 30 days.
This proposal envisions a network of climate-responsive, deployable architectural interventions and permanent structure that address the community’s essential needs through adaptable housing, education, sanitation, healthcare, and shared community spaces. Designed to respond to the dynamic desert landscape, the project aims to enhance the resilience, dignity, and quality of life of the Agariya community while respecting their seasonal migration and traditional salt-farming practices.
Programmatic Objectives is to create a prototype for 26 Agariya families which includes:
Water Systems – Rainwater harvesting tanks.
Family Dwellings – Modular living units adaptable to different family sizes.
Community Space – A shaded gathering zone for social and cultural activities.
School Module – Beyond a classroom, a shared space that enables children’s education, women’s empowerment .
Clinic – Small first-aid and maternal health facility.
Dry Community Toilet – Gender-segregated, eco-friendly toilets with waste composting.
Drawings
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