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The concept for Chaya emerged from a clear and compassionate brief by a client deeply involved in animal welfare. The aim was to move beyond conventional sheltering—to create a space that heals, educates, and coexists, to RESCUE, TREAT, and REHABILITATE orphaned and traumatized domestic animals, birds, and mammals offering free medical support. Through collaborative ideation and contextual understanding, the design was developed as a network of species-sensitive, minimal interventions embedded within nature. A thoughtful architectural INTERVENTION Supporting animal wellbeing, educating people, restoring ecosystems, and shaping enduring futures. The architecture of Chaya is designed as a responsive and compassionate environment that supports animal healing and human learning & empathy.
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Located within Ahmedabad’s urban fabric, adjacent to a natural lake & green zone, the site is accessible & ecologically responsive. The design aligns with the terrain’s contours & existing waterbodies to create a self-sustaining ecological network. Ahmedabad’s hot, dry climate shaped the use of passive cooling strategies, shaded built forms & drought-tolerant landscaping. The cottages arranged in the layout encourage learning welcoming researchers, students, visitors, supporting training in animal care, ethics & behaviour. The overall environment fosters empathy, meaningful engagement, interaction between people, animals, nature. The project seeks to weave social & ecological values into urban fabric. We researched & ideated thoughtful solutions addressing current needs & future expansion
The built structures use local, sustainable materials like stone & thatch, offering natural insulation & thermal comfort in Ahmedabad’s harsh summers. Organic forms & efficient construction (low carbon footprint) ensure environmental sensitivity & cost-effectiveness. Each shelter is carefully planned with sloping roofs that enhance rainwater drainage & natural ventilation. The entire site has been carefully contoured, ensuring that rainwater is directed into a percolation well adjacent to the pond. Indigenous flora supports biodiversity. This comprehensive planning approach creates a harmonious relationship between built form, natural elements & animal welfare, fostering a sustainable & compassionate environment for both animals & humans.
The design emerges from a deep understanding of the client’s values and the emotional gravity of the program, an animal Welfare shelter through architectural empathy, ecological clarity & spatial dignity. The brief highlighted urgent challenges such as lack of appropriate shelter, insufficient veterinary support, food, water scarcity, unhygienic conditions, unsafe enclosures, visitor-induced harm & a general absence of accountability in existing animal care settings. Designed as a minimal, responsive campus in Ahmedabad’s harsh climate, it supports animal healing & human learning. Built using local stone, thatch & efficient passive strategies, the layout is composed around a stepped pond & gentle contours ensuring thermal comfort, rainwater harvesting & biodiversity. Shelters are zoned by species & detailed with mesh façades, sloped roofs & trap thresholds, addressing functional needs while supporting safety, visibility & coexistence. The cottages, inspired by nests, are clustered around a central learning space that encourages exchange & awareness. Each structure is purpose built. Native drought-tolerant landscape & built-in ecological responses, like percolation wells, shape a low-carbon, regenerative environment. Chaya focuses on purpose, resilience, and emotional integrity. It is a space that fosters empathy, nurtures an evolving ecosystem engaging visitors meaningfully. We envision a future where care is inclusive and health extends to all living beings.
This project reflects our long-held dream to offer animals a space rooted in dignity and healing. The architects understood our values and translated them into a meaningful place—simple, humane, and enduring. It not only shelters, but also educates and sensitizes, helping shape a more empathetic future. It reflects a shift from mere functionality to emotional and ecological responsibility—where architecture becomes a gentle facilitator of healing and coexistence.
Founded in 2002, tHE gRID Architects is a Research based design studio in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, founded by Bhadri Suthar along with her spouse and partner Snehal Suthar. They actively contribute to the design fraternity by serving as visiting faculty and jury members at various architecture and design institutions. Their work reflects a deep sensitivity to human-nature connections, resulting in environments that are meaningful, and guided by ecological awareness. Through research and innovation, they aim to enrich and inspire future generations. The studio works across architecture, interiors, landscapes, and furniture. Their approach draws from vernacular knowledge and engages with contemporary architectural practice. In addition, the studio engages in experimental projects, research and design explorations. The future of architecture lies in empathy, humanity, purpose and a deep connection between people, nature, and the built environment, and collective responsibility
