Houses | South City Residence
The issue of privacy and independence was tackled with a different approach to the modern Indian family; two identical houses were designed which were joined together through balconies and a common compound area.
6450 SF
2019
Traditionally, the Indian family system has been associated with that of a joint family; in recent times, that has changed with each unit that is a part of the joint setup developing a specific requirement of space and privacy. The client brief necessitated a house for two brothers, on two adjoining plots.
The problem was tackled with a different approach to the modern Indian family; two identical houses were designed which were joined together through balconies and a common compound area. This gave the two brothers independent houses to project their vision and maintain a connection between both spaces at the same time. With a unified facade, the two houses end up looking one. Open spaces and connection with nature has been incorporated at varied levels with two gardens in the front and back of the house. A take on modern Indian joint family living space, Twin house sets a precedent for Indian homes today.
Houses | South City Residence
Retail & Hospitality | USI, Rohini
Houses | 40/60 House
Houses | South City Residence
Tasked with building only 950 Sq.Mt. on a site that would normally have been built out to 1500 Sq.Mt. meant that the project could be designed free from the need to conform to the outer setback line mandated by city planners. To this end, an internal brief was created - that 40% of the house must be a garden and 60% of the house must look into it. Hence the name, 40/60 House.
The strategy to meet this internal requirement was to consolidate all the open area requirements into a garden to the south and west of the plot. The built portion was then arranged as an “L” around the 200 Sq.mt garden so that all but one of the 5 bedrooms look into the green area. The junction of the L was used to stack the kitchen and an internal stair that draws its light from above, illuminated by a skylight. The open stair and skylight combine to flood the entrance of the house with natural light. The resultant garden is 40% of the plot area, an unheard-of extravagance in the area, fast densified into four-storey apartment blocks.
Choosing materials sustainably is rarely straightforward. In this case, certain materials were chosen for their local availability and the ability of craftsmen to handle the materials. On the other hand, the exterior windows are chosen for their greater thermal and acoustic performance, despite the inherently carbon-intensive shipping process from Germany. The
kitchen and bathroom vanities are specified in stainless steel for longevity and sensor-based lights are used throughout the home. One of the key internal requirements of the practice is to deliver buildings that are built well and last a long time. To this end, the external materials chosen are chosen for their ability to age gracefully.
Location: Gurugram
Typology: Residential
Area: 950 SQM
Principal Architect: Amit Khanna
Completion Date: 2023
