Ancient Indian Home Built with Marble Scraps

Nestled in Rajasthan, India, Thar House stands as a 5,000-square-foot marvel of regional architecture. Designers Dushyant Bansal and Priyanka Sharma crafted this home using local marble off-cuts mortared with lime, and marble dead stock for flooring. The design evolved to preserve old khejri trees, resulting in two volumes connected by corridors. One volume houses the living room, while the other contains the kitchen and sleeping quarters.

The western-facing wall of Thar House is intentionally high to block highway noise and harsh sun. Designers revived ancient techniques, teaching local masons to create lime plaster with marble dust and other natural ingredients. This approach ensures the home ages gracefully, akin to historic warehouses with exposed stone walls.

Bansal and Sharma later established Studio Raw Material in Jaipur and Makrana, focusing on furniture and decor from stone off-cuts. Their work, including the Khokhar series, draws from architectural and vernacular techniques learned during Thar House's construction. They also use materials like sunn-hemp paper for lights and tapestries inspired by local flora, emphasizing regional constraints as a source of comfort and creativity.