Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Shipra Singhania (35) from Mumbai and her mother-in-law Sunita Sanghi (60) from Rajasthan bond over several commonalities — one of them being a deep love for their roots and nature.

Their getaway home in Alwar, Rajasthan, tucked away in the village of Barh Kesharpur, is a testament to the duo’s shared passion.

Designed keeping sustainability at the core, and polished with eco-friendly principles, the home has come to be a space where the family reconnects not just with nature but also with each other, away from the hustle of routine city life.

As Shipra recounts in conversation with The Better India, “everything happens for a reason”.

Her true strengths were tested when she was on the precipice of a project, she says. Going on to recall how in 2020, a client approached her for an agro-tourism space he wanted to have on his farm.

“I’d been practising as an interior designer since 2014 through my firm Sketch Design Studio, but this project compelled me to deep dive into natural building and the whole domain,” she notes.

She adds that once she saw the potential of this sustainable architectural space, there was no going back. “I decided to build a second home for my family using these principles of sustainability. It would be our weekend home.”

The 2,000 sq ft dream that took a year to build was finally ready in 2021, and the family couldn’t be more excited to step into their version of paradise.

Eco-friendly scaffolding put to the test

To understand how Shipra’s natural building techniques needed to be fine-tuned to the climate of Alwar, it is essential to get a lay of the land. As one of the most recent of the Rajput kingdoms, Alwar’s scenic landscape comprises forts and stone buildings that incorporate local sandstone as the main material.

The average temperatures of the city soar to 41 degree Celsius and........

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