THE LABYRINTH HOSTEL
AHMEDABAD, 2026
Conceived as a re-imagination of student housing, this project, fondly called The Labyrinth Hostel, challenges the conventional hostel typology by transforming it from a collection of rooms into a dynamic environment for collective living. Organised around a vibrant communal core, student rooms occupy the periphery while a series of staggered voids visually and physically connect multiple levels, encouraging interaction, exchange and a sense of belonging.
The ground floor extends the institution into the public realm through open communal spaces and stepped seating that creates dialogue with the neighbourhood. Responding to Ahmedabad’s hot and dry climate, a double-skin façade with perforated metal screens filters sunlight, enhances privacy and improves thermal comfort, supported by passive cooling strategies.
A restrained yet youthful material palette creates durable and engaging spaces. More than accommodation, the hostel becomes a social ecosystem where architecture nurtures community, collaboration and the everyday experiences of student life.
Photographer: Rahul Jota
