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
Multi Apartment II
NEW DELHI
7000 SF
2010
Like many rapidly densifying parts of Delhi, land parcels in Sukhdev Vihar meant for single family homes are being replaced with apartment blocks. Typically, these are developer driven, are priced to a point and leave little room for the imagination. The economics of selling the apartments is the driving force behind making these buildings possible and in the process, the owners have limited influence over the façade and other common facilities. The intent, in this case, was to arrive at a synergy between the tight dictates of the plan and create a façade that was optimized for the new verticality of the scale.
The building was raised above the road, allowing for a parking level along the entire length of the property. Detaching the building from the party wall on one side allowed the opportunity to bring light to the stairwell, and the same strategy was used at the diagonally opposite corner of the building, where the rear is cut away to bring light to the kitchen. By placing the bedrooms on the front and rear edges, the central open dining and kitchen space becomes the focus of the house, while allowing privacy.
Much of the existing heritage in the city, be it Mughal or British, has been built with a combination of red and beige sandstone. Reinterpreted for a modern aesthetic, these are used on the façade to complement the strong cubic volumes. Vertical strips of red stone are also used in the balcony railings, giving the building its most distinctive element.