Ajrakh is a 4,500-year-old textile block printing style practised by the Muslim Khatri community who came here from Sindh, Pakistan, around the 1600s. Their leading master craftsperson, a pioneer in reviving natural dyes, commissioned this building both to house his workspace and to disseminate knowledge about his craft. Its plan draws from local vernacular desert dwelling typologies, with layered spaces from public to inner private courtyards. Two main volumes, oriented north-south, flank an open court for drying fabric and congregating. The first holds the entrance, office, shop, and audiovisual space. The second houses the printing workshop, storage, wood-fired stove, and textile wash area. Large doors with operable recycled wood louvres afford light and ventilation. Harvested rainwater is pumped intermittently through the floor slabs to stabilise temperatures year-round. Crucially for this region, the structure is earthquake resistant. Buyers, tourists, researchers, designers, and other artisans frequent the facility, boosting community revenue.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
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