The Quest Learning Observatory is a 15,000 square foot carbon-neutral hub for education and social innovation in Kengeri, Western Bangalore, designed as a living argument that ethical practice and spatial ambition can simultaneously inform each other.

Developed by Busride Design Studio in collaboration with Good Earth, the project was co-led by Asawari Bhagwat and I, from design concept through to delivery, contributing to spatial planning, material specification, and the sustainable design strategy across the full building.

The spatial concept is rooted in the rhizome and anti-scale: an open, non-hierarchical organisation of space that resists the fixed hierarchies of conventional institutional buildings. The architecture draws from the natural cycles and cultures that have thrived through adaptability and renewal, translating those principles into a building that learns from its own environment.

Materials were chosen as part of a cradle-to-cradle approach: sun-baked bricks made from site-excavated mud, interiors crafted from reclaimed timber sourced from the Alang Ship Breaking Yard, carbon craft tiles, and fly ash concrete. Intricate Jaali patterns in clay tile punctuate the building's surfaces, rooting it in craft traditions while serving structural and climatic purposes. Exposed services follow rhythmic patterns throughout, and metal scaffold terraces extend from the facade as flexible spaces for gathering and exchange.

The building houses a series of distinct environments designed around how people actually learn, make, and connect. The Future Sensor gallery surfaces emerging innovations and career possibilities. Qudio offers a multifunctional workspace with resting pods and media studios. The Kaos Cafe hosts events and informal exchange. The Makers Garage is a hands-on space for early-stage entrepreneurs. Chilipililoka — an iridescent green zone — invites engagement with the natural environment. The Sonorium, filled with interactive musical instruments, is dedicated to listening and creative practice.

A permaculture garden incorporating raised beds and food forests surrounds the building, with tree species selected from climatic data and solar analysis optimising energy generation across the site.

Quest Learning Observatory was featured in The Design Collective and in The Architects Diary in 2024, covering the work I contributed to as co-lead designer.