Hathi Gaon Amer: Unusual Design Strategies You Need to Know

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Do you know that captive or ferrying elephants have a shorter lifespan than those in the wild? Well yes, and that too by over 30+ years! Shocking, isn’t it? See, elephants are social creatures; they just can’t survive without a herd, without vegetation and yes, water! In fact, elephants need over 300 liters of water each day! While they can get some of this in special sanctuaries and biodiversity areas, for the ferry elephants at Amer Fort, it was a serious struggle. Water is like gold in Rajasthan, and with the scorching heat and mostly just cacti around, it was a tough situation. But thankfully, the Hathi Gaon project stepped in to help!

Now, Hathi Gaon is a full-fledged design project by RMA architects with focus on elephant homes, water retention, mahout living spaces, bathing spaces and what not! And it’s finally helping Amer’s elephants breathe a sigh of relief by giving them safe spaces to relax, play & just be themselves. Plus, the project has the capacity to hold 30 million liters of water, roughly twice the water needed, that too in Rajasthan!

So from where did the architect bring this water? How did he circulate it on site? How did he create a natural habitat for the elephants? Which trees did he grow? Well, well, well! I’ve put together a detailed case study that answers all those questions for you! Let’s start, shall we?

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Top Insights

• RMA (Rahul Mehrotra Architects) from Mumbai designed the Hathi Gaon project for over 100 elephants, their mahouts and other areas like bathing spots, elephant hospitals, etc.
• Despite its location in a hot & arid Rajasthan, the Hathi Gaon project can store up to 30 million liters of water due to the architect’s rainwater harvesting & tiered circulation strategies.
• The Hathi Gaon project uses quite a vernacular material palette of locally sourced clay, Kotah, sandstone & timber.

Hathi Gaon Rajasthan Project Overview, Key Facts & Details 

So back then, in 2006, the Government of Rajasthan, along with the ADMA hosted a sponsored competition to develop an elephant’s center. The brief was simple; Architects had to submit a housing-cum-utility plant for 100 elephants & their mahouts, some 1&2-bhk residences, mud bath spots, elephant hospitals, etc. Then, RMA (Rahul Mehrotra Architects, Mumbai) won the competition & began executing it near Amber Fort, Jaipur. 

Now, Rahul Mehrotra is one of India’s leading architects, urbanists & educators with offices in Mumbai and a work base in Boston. He’s best known for context-specific, sustainable & culturally-rooted designs, but has quite a plethora of minimal & modern projects like the Green Cube House, for example. 

Thus, Mehrotra believes in breaking free from rigid ideas about color or shape. Even at Hathi Gaon Amer, his priority wasn’t on adopting western design trends. Instead, it was all about honoring traditional Rajasthani practices, restoring the landscape, and promoting water conservation. And guess what? This fresh perspective earned him the following impressive accolades:

• International gold medal prize for sustainable architecture by the University of Ferrara, Italy.
• INDE designs (Hathi Gaon consultants) received the prestigious HUDCO award (2016) under the Landscape Planning & Design Category

How Was Hathi Gaon Amer’s Design Strategy Different From Other Animal-Housing Projects? 

Did you know that Hathi Gaon’s site was once an over-exploited sand quarry? Well yes! Thus, the place was pretty much a barren wasteland—no trees, no water, no natural cover, nothing! So, Mehrotra literally had to create a stable, base site first.

For this, he first created a series of water bodies to collect the extra run-off in the sand quarries. And eventually, people used them for drinking, bathing, cooling, humidifying, everything! Then, he launched a big tree-planting effort to put in local trees and cacti. This really helped to stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and bring back the ground structure. So, unlike other projects, the architect had to do some serious leveling and preparing before he could even get started!

How Did Rajasthan’s Climate Influence the Hathi Gaon Design? 

As you all might guess, Rajasthan has quite a merciless, hot & arid climate with high temperature & low rainfall. Like, the day temperatures range from 30°C to 50°C in summer, and it’s nearly impossible to day without hydration. Plus, the precipitation is limited & the air, a bit heavy with all the desert dust. Hence, the design had 5 major climate challenges – low rain, high evaporation, poor air quality, heat stress, dryness & desert dust storms.

But here’s how the Hathi Gaon architect solved them in his design:

• Water Harvesting & Storage: The architect simply converted the existing sand quarries to water dams & reservoirs. This helped in two ways. First, the elephants & their mahouts got a stable, reliable water source during the dry season. And two, the water helped reduce the ambient temperature & dryness around the housing clusters. 
• Vegetation & Reforestation: Since the site hardly had any existing trees, the architect launched a tree plantation drive himself. Thus, he planted cacti near the compound walls & other indigenous trees near the clusters for more shading & cooling.
• Clustered Layouts: Finally, the architect organized the mahout homes around the shared courtyard. Trust me, it helped create a comfortable climate, boost circulation & balance humidity rightly. 
• Utilizing High-Thermal Mass Materials: Last but not the least, the architect used locally-sourced stones, perhaps Kotah or sandstone, for the walls. This basically helped raise the thermal mass and balance the day & nighttime temperature fluctuations rightly. 

Note: So, even though Hathi Gaon’s clustered layout promotes efficient land use & resource sharing, I observed some conflicts last time! Like, people have a lot of differences in opinions, lifestyle & privacy. Plus, some people simply neglect their shared community responsibilities, which leads to disputes at times.

The Hathi Gaon Amer Site Study & Mapping

So as you see, the Hathi Gaon is situated very close to the Amer fort, roughly 15 kms north of Jaipur & 1.4kms from NH248. And technically, this site was a neglected sand quarry at first. Hence, the architect had to first prepare & level the site to make it construction-ready.

Here’s a list of some more site constraints & challenges for easy analysis:

• Accessibility: Hathi Gaon is super easy to get to, which is great. Like, you have the NH 248 & the main Kunda bus-stop at a walking distance of approx 840 meters from the site. Even the Main Naradpura Bus-stand is only 3.8km away, the Jaipur Railway station is 16km & the Jaipur airport is 20 kms far. So yes, public transport isn’t an issue.
• Ecological Restoration: One of the biggest site constraints at the Hathi Gaon project was the ecological restoration. Like, the existing site had turned all barren & undulated. So, the architect had to stabilize the soil, excavate it a bit & promote water circulation to restore the natural growth.

Note: I’ve personally observed that there are some underwater routes, all finished with gravel & mortar, for the elephants to plunge in once a while. 

A Sneak Peek Into Hathi Gaon’s Site & Area Distribution Details:

So as you see, the Hathi Gaon project has a pretty sorted site distribution program. Like, out of the 351,250 sq.m site area, over, 19348 sq.m is reserved for the open spaces. This eventually includes spots for elephants to roam, bathe, graze, and, of course, play areas for the kids.

Next comes the built-up areas. So, the Hathi Gaon has over 8619sq.m of built-up space which includes the houses, elephant shelters & sitouts. The bungalows typically consume an FSI of 1.2-1.76, while the high-rise clusters consume an FSI of 1.8. Also, the cluster courtyards, often used for playing, drying & evening conversations use over 13631sq.m area.

And we can’t forget about parking. There’s about 3,557 square meters for that, which includes spots for two-wheelers and places to drop off and pick up elephants. Pretty neat, right?

The Hathi Gaon Amer Site Plan & Details 

So, as you see above, the Hathi Gaon Rajasthan has a pretty simple, straightforward yet rectangular site plan. Like, the architect placed the houses for the elephants & their keeper (the thans) towards the eastern, elevated zones for extra shade & wind. In contrast, the other built areas – fodder stores & vet centers, are along the southern edge as a buffer. 

Apart from that, the Hathi Gaon site plan has the following salient features: 

• Cluster form buildings for more courtyard, community & natural landscape vibes.
• Pre-dam reservoirs to eventually help with the water flow control, speed & levels
• A semi-shaded, informal plaza for the folk performances & other revenue generation
• Roughly 6m wide pathways for pedestrian, elephant & mahout movements & circulation
• Limited physical access to visitors; like just around the gallery zone. So, visitors can view the drinking & bathing elephant pools without disturbing the residents.
• Wetlands & local vegetation at the lower levels between the plaza & elevated visitor’s gallery. 

Surprisingly, you can even see paved stone or RCC pathways all along the site. I personally feel that it creates a flat base for the elephants, reduces weed & grass overgrowth & directs water to the landscaping area.

Plus, there are some local trees, cacti, and thorny bushes that provide a bit of shade here and there. It all comes together nicely!

Note: Despite Rajasthan’s unforgiving hot & arid weather, I personally felt a really cool microclimate due to the water, mountains & trees there. There was good natural ventilation & adequate passive cooling!

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What’s the Spatial Configuration (Design Process) & Planning of the Housing Units Like? 

Take a look at the zoning diagram above. Can you make out the pedestrian entry & exit points? Are they connected to the main pathway, or do they open in the court? Well, as you see above, most of Hathi Gaon’s structures are inward looking, which means they open in the central courtyard. Thus, they offer better privacy, cooling & ventilation.

Now, keep in mind that Hathi Gaon Amer was designed as a low-income housing project. So, the main homes are even smaller, just around 200 sq.feet for the mahout & his family. Plus, the architect built them in areas where there was no natural landscape to save the leveling costs. Also, you’ll notice that there’s a cluster of over four homes around a central courtyard for more interaction & community vibes. Oh, and there’s even a little window for the elephants that opens up to the courtyard! This makes it easy for the mahouts to connect with their elephants and feed them.

Coming to the elephants! You see, the elephants have a separate entry & exit from the back of the house. So, they don’t really interfere with any household chores & kids playing areas. Plus, this zoning helps keep the elephant poop & fodder smell away!

Then, if you see the cluster-level zoning, you’ll observe how all of them are designed along the water body, court & the forest. This eventually helps the elephants relate to their natural habitat, boost circulation & increase humidity. 

What’s So Special About Hathi Gaon’s Housing Unit Plan? 

Just as you see above, Hathi Gaon’s housing units are a cluster of 4 houses. Each one has a separate court, a kitchen, washroom, the mahout’s room & the elephant’s room. Also, all the WC & kitchen vents open on the external phase. And then, on the first floor, you have the ‘barsati’ which simply means a habitable room on the roof. Plus, there’s space for the elephant fodder too.

You know, elephants are super social animals. They really don’t like being cooped up in one spot all the time. That’s why the amount of built space is way less than the garden area. Most of the time, elephants just go into their rooms to sleep or chill after their rides around Amer. Plus, the cluster setup creates some nice community spots. The big central courtyard is perfect for gatherings and chats, while the smaller courtyards are great for playtime and meals!

But first, let’s check why the houses are built in clusters:

• Lower construction Costs: Cluster layouts don’t need that much cut & fill, land levelling & surveying. Plus, they reduce the overall cooling, cross-ventilation & maintenance costs drastically.
• Promotes Views & Open-space: Clusters keep things organized, so you don’t end up with a messy layout. They help maintain open spaces and offer awesome views all around.
• Environmental Conservation: Cluster layouts, especially those in the Hathi Gaon project, helped preserve the natural site topography as it is. Thus, the architect could have open grazing & viewing areas along the steeper contours on the north & the homes & vet clinics on the flatter land. Plus, all the extra surface water runs down to the wetlands below and reduces impervious surface coverage drastically. 

Note: All of Hathi Gaon’s cluster housing units have minimum exposure to the southern side. Like first, they all have a dense tree buffer for shade & there are lesser openings along that side. This helps reduce the solar heat gain & preserve the cooler northern winds rightly. 

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What Are the Features of the Hathi Gaon Section? 

So, the Hathi Gaon Amer’s housing section is pretty sorted. Most houses have a G+1 structure with a small, habitable family room on the roof. There are exhaust vents right in front which drag & throw out the warmer air from the living rooms. Then, there are large – human waist to above head level windows that bring the northern air in & boost circulation.

Now, about the roofs: the architects went for thin metal sheets to help with insulation. Plus, the mahouts eventually store most of the elephant feed up there, which keeps things cooler. So, it’s not just functional; it’s pretty clever too!

Note: While thatch does insulate & cool down the roof sections, I’ve observed that it might get tiring for the mahouts at times. Like, they’ve to climb up & arrange the fodder each time. And even get it down weekly to save it from the insects. 

Which Materials Did the Ar.Mehrotra Use for the Hathi Gaon Design? 

Despite it’s seriously low funding & time-intensive material sanction & procurement bids, Ar. Mehrotra used a plethora of regional & locally-sensitive materials in the Hathi Gaon project. Some of them are:

• Earth & clay as a major component in earthen plasters & wall finishes
• Locally sourced stone – Kotah & Sandstone for the load bearing walls & structural elements
• Local timber for doors, windows, lintels, pavilions, etc. 

What About the Services & Utilities for the Elephants at Hathi Gaon? 

So, the elephants at Hathi Gaon needed 2 major services – water & vegetation. Out of that, water was a must for bathing, drinking & wound washing, while vegetation was a must to mimic their natural habitat & keep them calm. Let’s see how the architect thought of that on site: 

1. Water Acquisition & Circulation

Well, to understand the water storage and circulation, we first have to check out how much water an elephant actually needs. Turns out, they drink over 300 liters a day!

So, if you do the math for 100 elephants, that’s 30,000 liters just for one day. And if you multiply that by 365 days, you’re looking at a whopping 10,950,000 liters a year! That’s a serious amount of water, right?

With this in mind, the architect came up with three key strategies:

• Collecting water through rainwater harvesting & storing it in bore wells
• Building a self-sustained water system to collect, recycle, treat & supply water on site
• Setting up a tiered system of three water bodies—pre-dams, drinking reservoirs, and bathing units—to make sure the water is divided and used properly.

Thanks to these strategies, the architect managed to store over 30 million liters of water, which is almost double what the elephants at Hathi Gaon need in a year!

Note: Personally, I also think they might have a layering system to reduce water seepage & evaporation. Like, they might have a compacted soil layer for the foundation, a waterproofing solution to reduce leaks & a local stone or earthen bank for aesthetics & filtration. 

2. Vegetation & Forest Cover

So, the architect focused on creating a tropical habitat for the elephants, just like you see in jungles. So, they set up landscaping all around the elephant areas, especially the bathing spots, to give them some nice cover. Plus, they stuck to using native plants. Hence, Khejri or Jand (that’s Prosopis cineraria), Indian coral trees, and Ficus were probably at the top of the list. Trust me, it all blended perfectly with the natural look of the Aravallis!

But that’s not all! Besides recreating the elephants’ natural homes, the architect had some solid reasons for planting those trees:

• To reduce the reflected ground radiation & cool the surface
• Stabilize & fertilize the soil & prevent erosion
• Provide shade to help cool roofs, walls & windows
• Boost humidity by releasing moisture & dew at dawn.

FAQs

Conclusion

So, which ones of the above Hathi Gaon design strategies did you love the most?  Was it the water conservation efforts? The local materials used? The cozy community layouts? Or maybe you just loved that it’s a unique space made specifically for elephants and their mahouts? No matter what stood out to you, we know for a fact that this project has provided immense relief to over 100 captive elephants – with the right water, vegetation and shelter. That too in a hot & arid state like Rajasthan.

Curious to learn about such master-architect projects? If so, you might want to check out our in-depth case studies on the Aqua Tower and the Bharat Bhavan Bhopal.

Image Credits:

• Banner Image: Photo: Anipixels.com – https://www.anipixels.com/photo/captive-indian-or-asian-elephants-chained-up-at-hathi-Gaon-elephant-village-jaipur-rajasthan-india-2022-00004703 

About Me

Ar. Ruchika Deshpande

Sr. Content Writer & Strategist at Archwhispers ~  More PostsBio ⮌

I'm an architectural writer with a passion for demystifying design. For over 5 years, I've been using SEO & architectural expertise to create content that not only informs but sells & inspires. Basically, I like to break complex concepts to bite-sized pieces & conversational dialogues for the masses. So be it architectural expertise, graphics, digital content curation or even SEO optimization, I bring it all to the table!

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