coverage
skin system
completion
warranty
Designing for a climate that
punishes compromise.
Raichur sits in the Kalyana Karnataka region — one of the driest, hottest districts in the state. Summer temperatures routinely exceed 40°C. Solar radiation is among the highest in peninsular India. Every material decision affects whether students can concentrate, stay comfortable, and remain in the building for an eight-hour academic day.
Architect Gayathri Shetty of GNA, Bangalore, faced a brief demanding energy efficiency without sacrificing the natural light and spatial openness integral to the firm’s design language. The double-skin HPL louver system answered both.
Six design constraints.
One facade system.
The brief forced simultaneous resolution of thermal load, solar glare, natural light, acoustics, structural independence, and installation feasibility — each solvable in isolation, but solving all six with one material decision is what made this project significant.
Extreme thermal load
Raichur’s hot-dry climate generates intense solar heat gain on south and west exposures. Uncontrolled, interior cooling costs become prohibitive and occupant comfort breaks down.
Glare vs. natural light
The brief required natural light as a core element. Blocking solar radiation entirely would eliminate daylight. The facade had to filter — not eliminate — a precise geometry problem.
Acoustic performance
Learning spaces require acoustic discipline. External noise must be attenuated so the interior functions as an educational environment.
Structural independence
The louver system needed to stand fully independent — no load transfer to the glazing behind it. This placed exact engineering demands on fixing and substructure design.
Offsite feasibility
Raichur is not a tier-1 construction market. Panels needed to be pre-cut and assembled in full-size units before site to minimise specialist labour dependency.
20-year durability
An institutional building is a permanent asset. The facade material had to retain colour, structure, and stability across decades of UV, thermal cycling, and monsoon exposure.
Why Fundermax
Max Exterior HPL.
Architect Gayathri Shetty specified FunderMax Compact Laminate — décor 0161 Light Afro from the Max Exterior Range — because it was the only material that could hold a three-dimensional louver geometry, survive Raichur’s conditions without degrading, and deliver the warm woodgrain aesthetic the design required.
ACP was ruled out — it cannot form structural louver fins without fabrication compromise, and its PE core creates long-term delamination risk under thermal cycling. Timber was rejected on maintenance and fire grounds. Fibre cement’s weight-to-depth ratio made the substructure cost-prohibitive.
FunderMax panels were pre-cut and assembled into full-size louver units offsite, then transported for fast mechanical installation — critical where specialist facade labour is limited.
Bangalore, est. 1993
Designed to provide a sense of peace and tranquility for the students inside, and to meet shade requirements — the material selection was of utmost importance.
Architect Gayathri Shetty
Gayathri and Namith Architects (GNA), Bangalore
National and International Award Recipients
Seen from every angle,
the detail holds.
Click any image to view full resolution · Photographs: Gayathri and Namith Architects (GNA) · Raichur, Karnataka · 2013
Technical performance summary
| Performance criterion | Design challenge | Solution delivered | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal transmission (U-Value) | Extreme solar gain in 40°C+ climate | Double-skin open-ventilated system. Low thermal conductance prevents heat bridge into the cavity. | ✓ Achieved |
| Solar heat gain (G-Value) | South and west exposures, maximum direct radiation | 3D louver geometry intercepts direct sun angles while allowing diffuse daylight through inner glazing | ✓ Achieved |
| Natural light quality | Maintain daylight without glare | Louver pitch and depth calibrated to filter, not block. Glare eliminated without loss of visual connection to landscape. | ✓ Achieved |
| Acoustic attenuation | External noise into learning spaces | Double-skin with ventilated cavity provides acoustic mass and decoupling between exterior and interior | ✓ Achieved |
| Structural independence | Louver facade must carry its own load | MS plate substructure welded independent of glazing. Panels riveted to MS only. No load transfer. | ✓ Achieved |
| Installation feasibility | Limited specialist labour in Raichur | Panels pre-cut and assembled offsite. Onsite work reduced to structural fixing — fast, low skill-dependency. | ✓ Achieved |
| Long-term durability | UV, thermal cycling, monsoon — 20+ year life | FunderMax Max Exterior EN 438-6 compliant. Acrylic-PUR surface. 10-year exterior warranty. | ✓ Warranted |
Specifying HPL for
similar conditions?
Start with these resources. Our India team covers specification support from design stage through installation.
Your project has its
own demanding brief.
Whether it’s thermal performance in a harsh climate, a complex fixing geometry, or a facade that needs to perform as well in year 15 as day one — our India technical team supports architects from specification through installation.
Fundermax India, leader in architectural products for interior and exterior applications without losing out on the aspect of sustainability of the complete system.
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