American sociologist Ray Oldenburg developed the concept of the 'third place' in the 1980s—a term that has gained significant popularity since it was coined. In his book The Great Good Place (1989), Oldenburg refers to the third place as one that is not home (first place) or workplace (second place), the two usual social environments. These settings, such as cafes, libraries and parks, are meant to harbour warmth, human interaction and a sense of community. Fundamentally, the third place acts as an anchor for society, nurturing human connections in playful spaces where social status takes the backseat and conversation is the main activity. Despite many places today being advertised as third places, they often do not suffice. With their latest project in Udaipur in Rajasthan, Studio Saar envisions a new learning and cultural centre as a ‘third space.’

Studio Saar, an Anglo-Indian architecture helmed by Jonny Buckland and Ananya Singhal, has conceived the project for Dharohar, a non-profit organisation working with schools and volunteers to provide extra-curricular activities in the region. Aptly titled Third Space: The Haveli of Creativity, Curiosity and Community, the centre fosters discovery and exploration for all ages through quality education programmes, informal learning, socialising and performing arts. The project, reminiscent of the region’s architectural heritage of havelis (traditional mansions), can host nearly 2,000 visitors a day and present them with a diverse range of activities, workshops and resources. “Third Space is the first learning and cultural centre for the city of Udaipur. Working closely with Dharohar our aim was to create an accessible, open and inclusive place beyond the home or school,” Ananya Singhal, Managing Partner of Studio Saar, tells STIR in an exclusive conversation. “For the design of the building, we drew inspiration from the architectural heritage of Rajasthan and reimagined it in a contemporary form, bringing multiple uses into a single coherent building that—we hope—will bring joy to the community for years to come,” Singhal adds.

Established by Buckland and Singhal in 2019, Studio Saar is committed to creating sustainable solutions for society through cross-cultural exchanges of ideas, methodologies and technologies. Their offices are located in Somerset, England and Rajasthan, India, working to reimagine vernacular traditions in a contemporary context. Studio Saar’s oeuvre aspires to deliver innovative, relevant and diverse creative interventions in tandem with solutions rooted in people and culture. Speaking about how these tenets align with those of Dharohar and reflect in the Third Space, Singhal shares, “As a practice that is guided by the goals of improving the urban fabric for the society and ensuring that everything we do has a positive impact on the environment, both in the short and long term, this project aligns tightly with our philosophy. Openness, accessibility and inclusivity are the key principles employed in the designing of Third Space that resulted in a free, unrestricted space which ignites curiosity, creativity and a sense of community for visitors, volunteers and staff.”

The entrance space of the new centre is flexible and caters to a wide array of functions. The area can accommodate performances, community gatherings, a cinema, performing arts theatre, an interactive science and technology exhibition, tinkering and making spaces, workshops and co-working spaces, a library design, a café design, a retail space and a lookout tower to enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The multi-functional courtyard—also a staple in traditional havelis—weaves the entire centre’s circulation together and provides clear routes to all the learning and activity areas. Upon entering the site, one also encounters the baori, a free-to-use vast open space, an ode to the step wells of Rajasthan and Gujarat. “This is a free public space containing a series of seemingly random cubes forming steps to run and jump from, or simply sit and relax on and is surrounded by a ticket office, café and a shop on the periphery,” the Indian architect explains.

The inspiration for the building design, the traditional haveli courtyard houses, permeates through the entire project lucidly. The central courtyard design is surrounded by cloisters and shaded external circulation space, all alluding to the vernacular architecture of the region. Intricate jali screens adorn the facade design of the building, providing soothing ventilation and bridging the indoors and outdoors. Another traditional intervention featured in the project is the gokhra, small cantilevered niches in the facade. These ornate pockets serve as wind catchers and enhance the passive cooling of the structure while also shapeshifting as booths for reading, meeting and relaxing. A steel deck runs around the courtyard as a viewing platform for visitors to observe the activities, climbing wall and performance area below. Native trees and vegetation complete the structure at multiple levels—helping the visitors with wayfinding and uplifting the overall ambience of the centre.

“The biggest challenge was being able to bring so many activities into one coherent space. To overcome this, we decided to place more focus on the ‘in-between spaces’ such as the entrance, the corridors and courtyards,” Singhal notes. “Given the complex challenges, we worked on the spaces with the ‘patterns’ of A Pattern Language (1977) by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa and Murray Silverstein in mind. This mindfulness allowed us to look at the sequence of spaces we were creating and bring some order to the whole experience of Third Space," he adds. The repository of activities, programmes and curriculum is connected to 80 hectares of hills being transformed through a reforestation project by Dharohar and Studio Saar. Through the project, the biodiversity of the area will be revived. The integration of the built environment with the natural landscape will augment the possibilities of learning and reconnecting the community with its ecosystem.

In terms of material choices and design expression, reducing waste and prioritising sustainability were the primary goals of Studio Saar’s team. This culminated in the reuse of the marble cut-offs from the facade screens as flooring and the metal offcuts refashioned into chainmail for doors and partitions. Waste marble rubble and lime mortar sourced from nearby mines are used to build the masonry walls and marble dust replaces some of the cement and sand content in the concrete mix—forming a concoction with a whiter finish that reflects more effectively under the sun. Wherever possible, the design team opted for local materials and locally produced elements that respond to the region’s harsh climate. All heavy materials were sourced from within 500 kilometres of driving distance from the site; local sourcing aided in reducing the carbon emissions produced by the transportation of raw materials.

The roof, contrived as a playscape constituting spaces for parkour and skateboarding, features a woven bamboo canopy offering solar shading. The architects resorted to bamboo as a low-carbon, more cost-effective and biodegradable alternative to aluminium. Since the material requires regular renewal, local weavers will be employed in the process of maintenance—a two-pronged solution that creates steady local employment and preserves a traditional craft.

The need for ‘third places’ in urban environments is critical given the proliferating and recurring patterns of isolation that loom over cities today. Third Space is brought to life with the goals of accessibility and inclusivity in mind—a place that harnesses connection, curiosity, creativity and collaboration. In doing so, Studio Saar in close partnership with Dharohar, carefully injected Rajasthan’s cultural heritage into the project while also preserving its contemporary relevance. The thoughtful interventions link the centre further to cultural identity and a sense of camaraderie, striking a captivating balance of sustainable architecture, vernacular know-how and local craftsmanship—presenting the visitors with an opportunity to come together and become life-long learners, all the while being surrounded by their rich heritage.