B. Arch Students at Tambdi Matti Workshop

The Manipal School of Architecture and Planning (MSAP), MAHE, organized a two-day hands-on workshop celebrating Tambdi Mati (red earth) of the Konkan coast, marking Women’s Day through a focus on sustainable and indigenous building practices. The workshop aimed to introduce students to native mud construction techniques while fostering vertical integration among B.Arch. students from Years 1 to 3, in alignment with Council of Architecture guidelines.

The workshop was conducted in collaboration with the Tambdi Maati Foundation, Goa, led by architects Ar. Tallulah D’Silva and Ar. Ahana Gulwady Rao, as part of a broader initiative on natural building and environmental stewardship in the Konkan bio-region. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between MAHE and the foundation, enabling future academic and research collaborations.

The first day began with an experiential site walk around Manipal Lake, encouraging students to observe natural systems and material cycles. This was followed by hands-on exercises involving mud mixtures, block making, and dry arch construction, enabling participants to understand material behavior and structural principles.

On the second day, students explored brick-making using natural additives such as cow dung, jaggery, and lime, followed by arch construction using natural mortar. The sessions emphasized learning through tactile engagement and experimentation. The workshop also included an insightful talk by the resource persons on sustainable practices and ecological design approaches.

Overall, the workshop provided a meaningful platform for experiential learning, highlighting the relevance of traditional knowledge systems and natural materials in contemporary sustainable architecture.