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Architects: Spacefiction Studio
- Area: 10000 ft²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Vivek Eadara
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Manufacturers: Bay Windows, Clarus, Daikin, Eternia, Venezian Coats
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Lead Architects: Baba Sashank, Vindhya Guduru, Anish Michael
Home: When does a house become a home? What can a house do more than just provide shelter? Does the feeling of a space rely on tangible elements (furniture, decor, etc)? Or the feeling of a space is defined by the intangible (light, volume, wind, etc)? These fundamental inquiries into the nature of a home; the smallest built component of any society; formed the genesis of this particular project.
A home can be interpreted as a collection of memories. Experiences make memories. There is all kinds of architecture around the world with different functions, but everyone returns to their house to nurture their soul or ātma. The multiplicity of experiences created through awareness of nature, both on the inside and outside, can be a source of this nurture.
More House: A house should be ever-changing, like life. The otherwise static, stagnant insides are filled with islands of nature, which thrive in the abundance of light raining from above. You see this green and light from everywhere within; when you open an internal window, through a half-opened door, walk over the topmost bridge looking down or as a reflection on the marble; almost like a game of hide and seek. The trees grow with you, the shadows dance on the walls throughout the day and seen from within, the clouds glide over you.
The internal hidden vegetation forms a microhabitat for various visitors like the butterflies and small indigenous birds, which flutter around the hanging creepers of the house; confused by the calm, amidst the dusty, urban chaos. The easterlies and westerlies breeze through the generous, strategic openings. Carnatic vocals sung occasionally by the lady of the house, resonate all over, amplified inside the large, hollow belly of the house. The stillness of the space forces one to choose calm over chaos and serenity over stress.
A metal veil covers the western side, the only visible part of the facade. Strategically placed planters embrace this skin, immersing it in greenery. This secondary skin, while protecting the insides from the harsh western sun, also acts as a privacy barrier, providing relief to the eyes of the passerby from the chaotic, characterless and barren urban setting.
Spaces: The house is raised to accommodate the services below. The two bedrooms are located on the roadside which further buffer the heat and sound entering the house. Another guest room is located on the terrace. Barring these, the rest of the spaces, including the kitchen, are all openly planned in the large, central, triple-height volume. The ground floor steps down in levels as we approach the roadside, creating a double-height, outdoor gathering space enveloped by the metal facade, hidden from the prying eyes of the passersby.
Materiality: The shade of lime-finished walls, concrete ceilings, marble floors and doors are all picked from the same family so that the inert muted insides flow seamlessly, irrespective of the materials. There is no stark contrast between any two materials that may bring about a glitch in the visual flow, making the transitions between spaces easier on the eye and the mind.
