Reminiscent of a Jenga-like block game, this 5-storey residence in New Delhi is made of 3 materially diverse, interlaced and cantilevered cuboids that exude an illusion of floating between a pergola on the roof and a pool at the entrance… The striking façade - comprising a wooden-tile clad guestroom cube; a porous river stone gabion meditative square and stone-slab-faced monolithic block (at the rear) – acts as a visually and texturally intriguing triumvirate. This sprawling 13,000 sq ft home designed by Delhi-based Anagram Architects is meant for 2 kindred brothers and their families; a break away from the usual traditional large joint family set-up. Hence, the design follows this brief to the tee by creating plenty of common spaces for social interactions, while carving out specific areas for individual family privacy. Making optimum utilization of space and functionality, a home theatre sits amidst other basic services in the basement; parking and gardens occupy the stilt floor, whereas living, dining and family rooms feature on the upper ground floor. Bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms feature on the first, second and third floors besides communal spaces such as terraces, verandahs and gardens allowing for camaraderie and intermingling among all members. In terms of eco-friendliness, the home is acclimatized to extreme summer and winter temperatures by making it not only energy efficient but also featuring inherently sustainable elements into its volumetric configuration. The 3 cubes facilitate thermal stacking by harnessing natural light and ventilation, while openness to gardens, terraces and verandahs at different levels creates a green and naturally cooling environment. Further, with the residence oriented towards the south, the layer of stone slabs acts as a brise-soleil on the monolithic block. Moving to its simple and minimalistic interiors, the house resonates with just the right balance of a cool and warm vibes. Deep wooden tones complement the glass and steel material palette, while community spaces bring in the outdoorsy feel making for a seamless indoor-outdoor connect. Not surprisingly, the diligence and details that have gone into its making have justifiably earned the firm the All India Stone Architecture Awards 2014 and the Architecture+Design & Cera Awards, ‘Residence Design with a Difference’, Commended, 2013. Click here to view images of this award-winning house on indiaartndesign.com
Related Articles -
residential architecture, residential interior design, interior architecture, material play, volume play, cuboids, pergola, cantilevered forms,
|