Park Ticket Counter, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
2 Min Read
0.47 tons
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
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COmpleted
Overview
A carbon-negative building in a public park
The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) chose Agrocrete® for the ticket counter at Central Park, one of the city's public green spaces. The compact 43 sq ft counter was completed in 2025, with the blocks left exposed so every visitor can see what it is made of. It stores about 0.47 tons of CO₂ and avoided about 1.2 tons of emissions compared with conventional construction.
The brief
Durable, low-maintenance civic architecture
VMRDA commissioned the counter as part of its public infrastructure work in Central Park. A park building has a demanding brief. It has to be durable and low-maintenance, stay comfortable for staff working long hours outdoors, and sit well in a landscaped setting. As a public authority, VMRDA also wanted the building to reflect a commitment to sustainable, context-sensitive development.
Why Agrocrete®
A material that speaks for itself
Agrocrete® blocks are made with agricultural waste, so the counter's walls store carbon instead of adding to it. Left exposed, the blocks show their natural texture and modular pattern, which lets the construction itself become the design. They also give up to 3.5x the thermal insulation of conventional walls, helping keep the small room comfortable for staff through Vizag's warm months.
The design
A simple form with a shaded overhang
The counter has a simple, efficient form designed for its outdoor park setting. A shaded overhang shelters the service window from sun and rain, and a clearly framed opening makes the counter easy for visitors to find and use. Set within Central Park's landscaping, the small building blends into its surroundings while still standing out as a statement about responsible material choices.
On site
Exposed Agrocrete® blockwork, no plaster
The counter was built with Agrocrete® blocks laid as exposed masonry, with no plaster or render. Leaving the blocks as the finished surface cut a whole stage from the build and removed the most common source of maintenance on small outdoor buildings: cracked and stained plaster. The result is a crisp, durable building that needs very little attention once it is in use.
The results
A public showcase for low-carbon building
Every visitor to Central Park now walks past a carbon-negative building. The counter is simple, durable and comfortable for staff, with no plaster to crack and no paint to renew. For VMRDA, it is a practical way to lead by example, showing residents and other public bodies that sustainable materials fit easily into everyday civic architecture, at any scale and on any budget.
Carbon impact
About 0.47 tons stored, 1.2 tons avoided
The VMRDA ticket counter stores about 0.47 tons of CO₂ in its walls and avoided about 1.2 tons of emissions compared with conventional construction. The numbers are small because the building is small. The point is visibility: a public authority showing, in one of its city's busiest public spaces, that every new building can store carbon rather than emit it.
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