A GLIMPSE OF ONGOING PROJECTS- VIVEK RESIDENCE AT ERODE

VIVEK RESIDENCE AT ERODE

The house took its cue from the surroundings of the site. The design was dictated by the climatic conditions of the region. The design is interpretive of a vernacular aesthetic by implementing the traditional elements with modern treatment.

The living areas open to a wooden deck that continues into a wrap around verandah overlooking a lush internal courtyard garden. Almost all the spaces on the ground and first level visually flow into it.

The spatial flow takes into consideration the family’s requirement of segregating public and private space. The ground floor has living, kitchen, dining, puja, home theatre, parent’s bedoom, guest room while the upper level has bedrooms, hometheatre and an open terrace. It was a conscious decision to design a contextually sensitive and sustainable design by maximizing local materials, use of clay tiled roofs to keep the house cool, large overhangs to protect against sun and rain, and cross ventilation to keep the house breathing at all times.

The office area in the ground floor is treated as a floating space surrounded by lily pond all around. Elements such as sloped Mangalore tiled roofs are used for the vernacular feel. Large overhangs tend to protect against the harsh afternoon sun.

From the elevated position, the terrace takes in views of the surrounding  green farmlands and offers the occupants a chance to monitor the surrounding property. Rooms arranged around the double height atrium

Interiors is dominated by the courtyard areas which are overlooked by the internal circulation, surrounded by green patches of lawn with stepping stone walkways that create the appearance of outdoor space.

The alternating light and shadow form an integral part of the design scheme and act as a dynamic relief on the blank white walls. The monotonous plain white interior walls are broken with stone cladding with selective walls for highlighting certain spaces.

The central courtyard is the pivot of the house, with the living , dining and family rooms all interacting with it. The courtyard-garden is at the core of the home and all rooms on the lower and upper level look into it. The puja court at the centre creates a majestic feel with a tree planted on the slab top of the puja room. The bay windows overlooking the waterbody with seaters by the window enhances the aesthetic feel of the user.

The overhanging roof is cladded with terracotta tiles and steel members are placed for additional support to the roofs. The space around the waterbody can be used as gathering space for informal occasions and events maybe arranged. 

A GLIMPSE OF ONGOING PROJECTS - VINODH RESIDENCE AT COIMBATORE

VINODH RESIDENCE AT COIMBATORE

A GLIMPSE OF ONGOIGN PROJECTS - SELVAKUMAR RESIDENCE AT NAMAKKAL

SELVAKUMAR RESIDENCE AT NAMAKKAL

The design of the residence was in response to the climatic conditions and depicts an atmosphere that’s serene and warm. The site is preceded by road on one side. The primary idea was to create thermal comfort inside the house and to build a low cost house. We had to come up with a sustainable solution which could also enhance the spatial quality of the space. The house comprises of formal living, foyer, kitchen, dining and a court with puja. The mezzanine floor consists of the children study area, family living and the first floor with the hometheatre, master bedroom and an extra bedroom.

Light is given special consideration. This open courtyard in-house, which viewed from every corner of the house provides ample of natural light allows cross ventilation.

The open to sky courtyard creates an efficient airflow providing a comfortable microclimate that influences all the spaces of the house. The courtyards are covered with pergolas of interesting patterns. Considering the size of the plot, the planning was introverted, with alternating cut outs creating interesting light and shadow play inside the house while keeping the house minimal on the exterior.

The green spaces inside the house breathe life into the house and implements the concept of inside-out. The materials used were picked from a palette of glass blocks, exposed brickwork and concrete. The cost of the house was to be kept minimal hence exposed brickwork was opted, as well as adds up to being a sustainable design. 

A GLIMPSE OF ON-GOING PROJECTS- JOHN BRITTO RESIDENCE AT UTHANDI

The site is surrounded by road on one side and a building on the other. The main entry to the site is from the road preceding the site.

This project was approached by a “play” as you design theme, where the requirements had to be met within the existing site, hence it was designed using the play of levels. The level play in this project facilitated in meeting the occupants’ needs in creative ways. The form of the building was kept minimal yet playful with the use of materials and parametric façade screen, depicting the playfulness of the house on the exterior as well. It was designed to strike a balance in the composition of the solid and void.  

This house consists of the formal living, dining and kitchen in the ground floor with the family living in the mezzanine overlooking the formal living through windows. The vertical connectivity between the spaces was maintained visually throughout the house. The first floor consists of the master bedroom and children’s rooms. The master bedroom is connected to the office space at mezzanine level which is further connected to the gym on the second floor. The central courtyard is a double height space covered with pergola with the staircase extending over the different levels below. The circulation within the house alternates between two sets of staircases connecting the immediate mezzanine levels. The play of levels, with alternating staircases and the light and shadow patterns create a lively atmosphere in the interiors.

Due to space limitations the swimming pool was placed on the top, designed as an infinity pool accessed through the terrace. The terrace was landscaped and informal seating has been provided. A deck space has been created on the top by the swimming pool.

The façade consists of huge openings with parametric pattern. These patterns tend to break the verticality of the building and tends to alter the vertical feel of the building visually. The house is provided with French windows to allow light into and cross ventilation. 

A GLIMPSE OF ON-GOING PROJECTS - JESUDAS RESIDENCE AT UTHANDI

JESUDAS RESIDENCE AT UTHANDI

The design of the house was mainly influenced by the client’s brief. The client’s family is quite casual yet strongly rooted to the Tamil culture and language. The house proposes an exciting dialogue with the public street as well as the buildings surrounding it. The planning has been demarcated intentionally based on programmatic use of the space as either public or private spaces. The ground floor mostly has public spaces such as the living room, dining, garden area, parking space which can be used as a gathering/party space with provision for barbecue station, as well as the office space while all the living spaces are planned in the first floor, mezzanine and second floor. The ground floor has been planned with the intention of having it as a stilt floor, mostly demarcated using glass partitions and open planning. The first floor consists of the living room with a bedroom for the client’s parents, prayer room for them with a garden surrounding it which acts as a buffer zone with provision for walking. The first floor accommodates the kitchen as well as the dining with a cantilevered deck for informal seating.

The second floor consists of the home theatre, master bedroom, childrens’s room and study area.

A cantilevered concrete overhang marks the entrance to the house and creates a sheltered outdoor space with a void in the ground floor. Allowed the social areas to be well lit.
The use of slanting walls, combination of exposed concrete and plastered walls tend to depict the playfulness and the casuality of the family. The design was carefully done to strike a perfect balance between the implementation of traditional elements such as the thinnai, courtyards, open courts and the sculptural, modern form in the exterior. The combination of a slanting walls and a curved wall in the exterior with straight walls in the interior blends smoothly across the design.

Vertical connection between the spaces and visual transparency within the house is one of the most important feature that brings the people closer and enhances the bonding between the three generations. Weaving the internal and external spaces by creating green pockets and providing cut outs to allow the light to flood into the house. The house is naturally well lit.

Staircase is one of the most important element in this house, which acts as a sculpture by itself, the stairs tend to change as separate layers and divert from each other at angles rather than a typical staircase ,extending along the central core volume hence connecting the different levels.

So the three floors are connected through two double height spaces, these double height spaces serve as connectors between the floors and permit interaction, so that the occupants are never divorced from the floor below. The connectivity between the floors was one of the main aspects expected by the client as his father tends to be curious and likes to look around the house, each bedroom has been provided with its own spacious balconies to view the road.

Angled in different directions with volumetric variation, the house is designed almost entirely in exposed concrete creating a sculptural presence. Each of its internal spaces have a unique identity with open, enclosed and semi-enclosed spaces, constantly changing in relation as one moves within the house or within each of its rooms. The planning ensures cross ventilation for every space within the house.

A GLIMPSE OF ONGOING PROJECTS - DR. BALAMURUGAN COMMERCIAL AT TIRUNELVELI

DR. BALAMURUGAN COMMERCIAL AT TIRUNELVELI

The plot is a corner plot enveloped by the main road on the shorter side and a lateral road along the longer side. The site being linear and situated by tall buildings influenced the form of the commercial complex. The form was developed as a stacked configuration of offset of boxes due to the shape of the site and to maximize the builtup area while enhanacing the aesthetics of the design.

In a context like this the strategy of the design was almost an attempt to visually grab the attention of viewers by making the façade look different. The planning of the commercial complex was such that two entries were provided, one from each road, leading to the different levels of the complex. The entry access was designed such that the different floors could be independently accessed by separate ramps and stairs with the central service core placed at the rear side of the site. It consists of a basement, ground floor, first floor with an exterior staircase and ramp access, second floor and third floor accessed through the service core and the fourth floor consists of provision for a rooftop restaurant.

Each floor was designed as staggered blocks with sharp edges projecting outwards as cantilevered structures to create visual interest for the commuters on the road. The façade of the third floor was to be treated differently hence it is to be cladded with CNC panels with a perforated design to make the entire block look dazzling.

The design was a typological departure from the rest of the commercial buildings in the town. It was done as a formal abstraction for intergrating the building design with its neighbourhood.

The commercial complex design had to be dramatic and eye catching. Due to its rigid form and the limitation placed due to site restrictions, the play was done mostly with the inclined façade and sharp edges to create interest and the façade was treated with materials such as CNC panels, metal deck, exposed concrete and steel.

A GLIMPSE OF ONGOING PROJECTS - BHUVANESH AND SURESH RESIDENCE AT KARUMATHAMPATTI

BHUVANESH ADN SURESH RESIDENCE AT KARUMATHAMPATTI

A simple house tucked away from the urban buzz , located in Karumathampatti is iconic in

representing the vernacular design features. It was designed as a contemporary

reinterpretation of vernacular courtyard house featuring a series of living areas and

bedrooms arranged around the central courtyard. It was designed in response to the local

climate and architectural heritage, the design was based on the traditional Chettinad house

features. It seeks to reinterpret the courtyard house’s relationship between the internal and

external spaces. The traditional axial order has also been reorganised to create experiences

of free wandering and views between the landscape and living spaces.

The design was a simple gesture to embed the building with the surroundings, in relation

with the context of the site. The planning was such that it has uninterrupted flow of

movement and views throughout the living areas. The house opens onto the views of the

the beautiful green surroundings and the townscape with the temples in clear view from the

house. The ground floor accommodates the living areas along with a yoga room for the

family with full height glass windows which overlooks a lily pond just outside, connecting

the interior with exterior. The view of the lily pond enhances the serenity of the living room

and yoga room with a clear view. The absence of built up forms around the site further adds

onto the uninterrupted views from the house. The central space has a large courtyard with a

provision for puja room, surrounded by patches of lawn with stepping stones as entry

access. A staircase extends along the central volume of the house with a huge cut out at the

centre. These cutouts and green courts tend to become the common thread tying the

spaces , as the user perceives them constantly creating an interesting alternating pattern of

light and shade. The predominant white facades of the exterior are broken with selective

walls being stone cladded. The views are framed by the large windows and overhanging

slabs. Linear patterns of light and shadow are created by the pergola patterns.

On the exterior, the house gradually melts away into a composition of vertical lines as one walks

towards it. The exterior is treated in a minimalist style and it spreads across the site

emphasizing the horizontality of the form with its cantilevered slab over large span which

also equips the house as a shading device from the harsh sunlight. The implementation of

the overhanging slabs tend to lay emphasis on the horizontal axis which expresses grandeur

and stability.

GLIMPSE OF ONGOING PROJECTS- SATHISH RESIDENCE AT COIMBATORE

SATHISH RESIDENCE AT COIMBATORE

The client’s brief was pretty simple and straightforward, to abide by vastu rules in the

planning of spaces. The site being located in a gated community, surrounded by roads on all

three sides has a huge foreground which accommodates space for social interaction and a

great view. The residence is designed to accommodate people belonging to 3 different

generations, the client’s, their parents and their children. The planning was strategized to

create interesting spaces within the house as well as around the house. The interior

courtyards are designed to maximize the view and create play areas for the children.

The client wanted a garage to accommodate about like four cars, the garage was designed

such that a clear view is provided from the living room such as to exhibit his cars. The

planning in the ground floor was done as an open planning such that the spaces can be

adapted to accommodate more people.

The ground floor consists of entrance foyer, gathering space, swimming pool, kitchen,

dining, study room, play area, master bedroom and a double height living space. The living

room in the centre acts as a central connecting space which provides a view of all other

spaces. A cantilevered gym is proposed over the swimming pool, with a children’s room and

yoga space on the upper floors. An attic has been provided in the master bedroom as a

children play area to meet with the client’s wishes.

 The enclosures of the house are a composition of angles, skewed lines, slanting walls and

sloping roofs. It is designed as a contemporary expression of a residence with interesting

spaces created from the angular walls. The overhanging sloped roofs tend to cut off the

harsh sun. Though contemporary, the house has Indian elements such as thinnai,

courtyards and seaters by the windows. The form is sculpted out of concrete and large

glazed windows to keep the house well lit, the open courtyards for ventilation.