Facets / Studio UF+O

Architects: Studio Urban Form + Objects
Area: 3,500 m² (38,000 ft²)
Year: 2024
Photography: Niveditaa Gupta
Lead Architects: Prachi Parekh, Vineet Vora
Design Team: Prachi Parekh, Vineet Vora, Aishwarya Gaitonde
City: Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Country: India

Facets, designed by Studio Urban Form + Objects, redefines industrial architecture in Jodhpur’s Basni Phase II by blending climate responsiveness with cultural intelligence. Conceived as a 3,500-square-metre mixed-use facility for an electrical switches company, the project integrates warehouse, workplace, and experience center functions within an architectural language grounded in regional materiality. Its brick-clad volumes, shaded terraces, and recessed openings reduce solar gain and harness natural ventilation to moderate indoor temperatures by up to 5°C. Rooted in local craft traditions and Vaastu principles, the building centers on a sky-lit courtyard that doubles as a contemplative and social space. Beyond environmental and functional success, Facets also celebrates human labor and skill, transforming the industrial typology into an expression of collaboration, craftsmanship, and climatic sensitivity.

In the industrial landscape of Jodhpur, Facets stands apart from the ubiquitous steel sheds that dominate India’s manufacturing belts. The project by Studio Urban Form + Objects challenges the conventions of industrial design, proposing a new architectural language that respects both environment and people. The architects envisioned a building that would not only serve its utilitarian purpose but also evoke a sense of place, rooted in the desert climate and the local culture of making.

Composed of interlocking brick volumes, the structure engages directly with the challenges of heat and light in Rajasthan’s arid context. Terracotta bricks, hand-cut and sourced locally, form a robust yet breathable façade that moderates thermal gain. Deep recesses, overhangs, and shaded terraces contribute to a cooler interior microclimate, reducing dependence on mechanical cooling. The resulting envelope embodies a precise understanding of passive design, proving that energy efficiency can be achieved through material intelligence rather than technological excess.

Cultural sensitivity guided the spatial organization as much as environmental logic. Within the parameters of Vaastu and height regulations, the architects introduced a courtyard that becomes the symbolic and functional heart of the building. This open core not only enhances daylight and ventilation but also provides a meditative pause within the industrial rhythm. It reconnects workers to the sky and landscape, creating moments of rest and reflection uncommon in such settings.

Equally significant is the process of making that gave Facets its character. The project’s demand for complex geometries, such as a doubly curved brick wall, encouraged on-site experimentation. Local masons—unfamiliar with such construction—developed new methods guided by simple tools of string and nails. Their adaptability transformed the design process into a collaborative exchange between architects and craftsmen. Through this engagement, the building acquired an additional layer of meaning, embodying the dignity of manual labor.

Facets thus becomes more than an industrial facility; it is a testament to the power of collaboration and contextual design. By intertwining craft, climate responsiveness, and cultural insight, Studio Urban Form + Objects offers an alternative model for India’s industrial future, one where architecture restores human presence and environmental intelligence to a typology often stripped of both.