Compartment S4 brings "warmth and craftsmanship" to cowshed in India

Indian studio Compartment S4 has completed a cowshed in Maharashtra, using a palette of brick, stone and bamboo to elevate its utilitarian spaces into a "humane, climate-responsive habitat".

Named Gaughar or Cow House, the project sits within a 340-acre fruit orchard in the coastal town of Dahanu, and replaces a dilapidated shed with a series of open, airy spaces that prioritise the comfort of both staff and cows.

Cow shed by Compartment S4 — Compartment S4 has completed a cowshed in Maharashtra

Rather than demolishing the existing structure, Compartment S4 retained its steel frame, which was painted red and infilled with walls of locally-sourced black basalt stone and brickwork punctured by large archways and perforated sections.

This reconstruction was guided by a new layout based around hygiene and the everyday routines of the cattle and their caretakers. The studio created alternating enclosed and open spaces that allow for easy circulation, ventilation and daylight.

Interior view of Gaughar in India — It replaces a dilapidated shed with a series of open, airy spaces

"The layout balances operational efficiency with animal comfort, creating a system where architecture quietly supports the daily rhythms of care, movement, and agricultural activity," Compartment S4 co-founder Kishan Shah told Dezeen.

"These sheds are designed as breathable structures, with indoor resting areas extending directly into outdoor paddocks so that cows can move freely between shaded and open environments," he continued.

"Together, these gestures redefine the Gaughar as a humane and climate-responsive habitat, where architectural form, animal wellbeing, and ecological systems are closely intertwined."

People walking around brick cow shed by Compartment S4 — The red steel frame is infilled with walls of locally-sourced stone and brickwork

In order to instil a sense of what Compartment S4 described as "warmth and craftsmanship" into the otherwise utilitarian spaces, various locally crafted elements were incorporated into its design.

Bamboo ceilings were made in collaboration with artisans from the Dang region, while openable windows are infilled with sections of block-printed ajrakh fabric.

Traditional jali screens informed the perforated brickwork sections on the shed's gable ends, and matka – clay pots used for storing water – were a reference point for the water troughs in both the sheds and shaded areas of the surrounding paddock.

"Much of the inspiration came from vernacular agricultural structures and traditional material practices that naturally respond to climate," said Shah.

Red steel and stone structure of the cow house by Compartment S4 — Bamboo ceilings were made in collaboration with artisans from the Dang region

"Elements such as arched masonry walls, porous brick jalis, and bamboo ceilings draw from regional knowledge systems while being adapted to the scale and needs of a contemporary cattle facility," he continued.

"The textiles bring colour, familiarity and cultural memory into the working environment, helping instil a sense of ownership among the people who manage and care for the cattle every day."

Cows at the Gaughar by Compartment S4 — The design prioritises the comfort of both staff and cows

Elsewhere in India, architecture practice Studio Saar recently completed a dairy farm in Rajasthan, using a palette of reclaimed steel and rubble that was all sourced from within a 30-kilometre radius of the site.

The photography is by The Space Tracing Company.

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