Situated in Ranchi, a city in eastern India, Ishatvam 9 is a residential building designed by Sanjay Puri Architects on a small plot of 1800 sqm. Most of the plot frontage along the main road is occupied by an existing petrol pump leaving just a driveway for access with a square shaped space beyond which is buildable upon.
Photography: Dinesh Mehta
Most of this city has existed with low rise development over the last few decades. However, the last few years have witnessed rapid urbanization and in response to this the governing rules which earlier allowed buildings of only 15m height and a buildable area equivalent to the plot size have been changed to allow 50m height as well as a buildable area 3 times the plot size.
Photography: Dinesh Mehta These changed rules necessitated building a 15 storeyed building. Most of the city?s inhabitants have been used to living in individual houses with private gardens and open spaces. As a result of this, the few high rise residential buildings that have been constructed in this city still remain partially unoccupied due to the lack of private open spaces in them.

As a response to this need, the apartments have been designed to occupy a complete floor opening out on all sides with each room extending into twenty feet high, double height decks. Each of the internal spaces thus extends and into private sheltered open spaces.
Photography: Dinesh Mehta
Temperatures in Ranchi vary from 31ºC average in the summer months and 12ºC in the win...