Sonali Rastogi, with partner Manit Rastogi, co-founded the renowned architecture firm ‘Morphogenesis’, which was in World Architecture 100’s list. It holds a place as one of the largest architectural firms in the world, and it has projects across the country. Recipients of over 100 awards, what truly sets Morphogenesis’s projects apart is the firm’s emphasis on open space, daylight and sustainability.
Sonali Rastogi told us that one of her greatest inspirations lies in the words of Glenn Murcutt – “to touch the Earth lightly”. Instead of focusing solely on beauty, she believes in understanding the life cycle, function and evolution of the design, parameters that are sometimes overlooked in architecture. These beliefs can be observed in the firm’s philosophy, known as SOUL: Sustainability, Optimization, Uniqueness and Livability, with all four of the aspects being important characteristics in each of their projects.
One of Morphogenesis’s most recent projects was the Forest Essentials factory, which was completed last year. Abiding by their philosophy, the firm decided to position the factory at a place that aligns with the brand’s values. Since Forest Essentials is an ayurvedic skin brand, it was imperative that the location they chose had a rich abundance of plants, clean air, limited population and of course, a breathtaking view.
The team found that Rishikesh housed all their requirements. The terrain of the site was hilly, but this soon posed to be a problem when they discovered a pre-made foundation sitting on the hill, abandoned. Instead of blowing up and defacing the hill, they decided to use the premade foundation.
Another blatant problem was the lack of roadway, as the roads ended a few kilometers off the site. The team had to dig up parts of the hill in efforts to build a complete road. However, instead of disposing of the plethora of stones they uncovered in the road making process, team Morphogenesis decided to use it in the construction of their project; the rocks we see on the exterior of the factory are actually a part of the hill itself!
Morphogenesis, as mentioned, puts a large emphasis on the sustainability of a project, and they didn’t shy away from introducing a large array environmentally-friendly and sustainable features they could in this project either. From Solar Panels that provide renewable energy even during cloud cover, to a meticulously crafted sloping roof that collects water from the region’s frequent rain showers, it’s safe to say the factory barely infringes on the local environment.
While the factory is sustainable environmentally, it’s also sustainable socially, as it acts as an employer and a community centre for a nearby village. The construction of the project was 100% local, with all materials used to build the site sourced locally, and even the workers being from the village in the area. Mrs. Rastogi shared with us her belief in sourcing workers locally, as opposed to hiring migrant labourers; people who live in the surrounding area are fine-tuned to their environment, and thus know ways to build structures best suited to the terrain and region’s climate, as opposed to a migrant labourer, for whom the geography is alien.
