The Jackfruit Processing Unit and Community Centre was designed by atArchitecture, a Mumbai-based architecture, landscape, and urban design practice. The government-funded plant is located in Gulpani Nokat village in Rongara Subdivision, within the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, India. It forms part of a farmers’ cooperative, serving both as a space for production and movement of goods and as a community centre for an isolated population. The facility addresses user needs, climatic conditions, and the realities of its remote location while providing an affordable intervention with value-added benefits.
Community and livelihood impact
The initiative is built around participatory development and skill-building, creating a local value chain that supports job growth and both farming and non-farming livelihoods. It works with two main groups: producer groups and a processor group. There are approximately 200 producer groups with 20 farmers each, who grow fruit and vegetables. The processor group is a cooperative made up of 50 farmers, responsible for value addition and market linkage. The state government funds capacity building, while AFISI, a local development organisation, provides training, business planning, and supply chain support.
The project generates around 100 new jobs and improves the income of more than 4,000 farmers, 60 percent of whom are women. A key objective is to reduce the large seasonal wastage of ripe jackfruit in the Garo Hills, by converting the fruit into products such as tinned fruit, chips, pickles, and flour.
The facility brings production, processing, storage, training, and gathering into a single location, strengthening its role as both an economic and social hub. The processing unit promotes sustainable agricultural practices, while the community centre hosts ethnic, cultural, and recreational events for farmers and their families. The building also serves as a place of refuge during floods or disasters.
Site planning and layout
A transverse plan is used to separate movement flows and create an efficient intersection for shared facilities. The building is elevated above the ground and aligned with road level, leaving the floodplain undisturbed and allowing the site to function during the monsoons. Its four wings accommodate the processing of goods, staff access, a community hall, and the production area. Circulation is planned so that the movement of goods and people remain separate. A centrally located admin office supports passive surveillance and circulation is organised to maintain openness throughout the building. Public-facing spaces are visually transparent and the community hall opens towards the surrounding farmland. Deep verandas form part of the circulation and provide shaded transitional spaces.
Structure and construction
Sustainability is central to atArchitecture’s philosophy, with an emphasis on minimal construction. To keep construction costs low, the superstructure is made of prefabricated steel components that are economical and light, as well as easy to transport and install. The concrete base is built by local craftsmen proficient in reinforced cement concrete (RCC) construction — they also supervised the entire construction. This collaboration combines local skill-building with efficient project delivery.
The overall approach highlights the replicable nature of the model through affordability and the ease of assembly.
Environmental strategies
The project promotes sustainable agriculture practices. The building is designed to harvest rainwater and is powered by solar energy. Its slim footprint and orientation minimise heat gain from the west, allow north light to enter, and facilitate cross-ventilation.
The envelope includes polycarbonate facades that introduce daylight while contributing to climatic performance. The double-skin construction provides thermal insulation and passive cooling, with an outer layer of JSW steel sheeting installed over a ventilated cavity and an internal lining of fibre-cement boards. Deep verandas act as shaded buffer zones and support passive ventilation.
