Editor’s Note: An artist residency that aligns with the sheer ingenuity that is Fine Arts. Being around nature as one of its own, the spaces are stimulating and stir a sense of grounded belonging. The bamboo screens, fire bricks, and the lily pond revere over their raw and natural existence, letting themselves merge with nature as all things should eventually. ~ Nishal Sevak(Co-Editor)
Located in Arjanghar, New Delhi, The artist residency, Farm 8 is nestled in a verdant oasis, within an otherwise densely packed urban village. Almost a decade ago, the clients, Ranbir and Rashmi Kaleka intended to use the site as an artist’s studio space for themselves. An artist’s studio perked in lap of nature and everything organic. Foundations and columns were thus cast at the time, unfortunately, the on-site work was stalled for unforeseen reasons. In 2020, with evolving needs and lifestyles, the artist-clients began using the 5-acre farm for sustainable farming and experimental permaculture practices as part of an artist collective called Farm8. The collective includes artists Ranbir and Rashmi Kaleka, the Late Vivan Sundaram, Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Jagannath and Pranati Panda, Jogen Chowdhury, Shambavi Singh, Meera Menezes, Rajiv Bhargava, Anil Chandra, Manoj Arora, Eegje Schoo, and the late Sanjeev Sinha.
An Artist’s Studio Perked in Lap of Nature and Everything Organic | Studio Array
Visit: Studio Array
Studio Array was brought in with a renewed intention of crafting an escape that would allow visiting artists to connect with the natural habitat, whilst disconnecting from their busy and demanding urban lives.
The architects, instead of starting from a tabula rasa, intentionally resolved to continue working on the half-done canvas of columns and foundations that existed on-site. Perpetuating the client’s permaculturalist ideology, the architects sought to reduce waste and retain and wrap around the infrastructure that was already built on-site years ago.
The artist’s residency therefore ‘caps’ and ‘envelopes’ the old structure while creating a structural contrast by intervening with lightweight steel, glass, bamboo, and wooden drywall construction. The residency plans to host artists from India and abroad.
A weave between the old and the new, the outdoor and the indoor, and the public and the private became the paramount idea for the architects. Emulating the experience of sitting under a tree, semi-open spaces were carved out of the existing column grid structure to offer a sense of protection, without creating enclosures.
Wrapping the old columns is a lightweight steel structure with insulated roofs sloping in distinctive directions to respond to functional and contextual demands. The modular sloping roofs are consciously maneuvered to create a myriad of spatial scales that ‘dematerialize’ the built mass.
The roofs forge a humble and passive envelope, harmonizing effortlessly with the greens around. Deviating from an orthodox sloping roof, the architects use the roof as a structural gesture to constantly elevate and draw attention to the verdant landscape outside of the built form.
Diverse volumes and scales were explored within organically planned modular blocks to blur further boundaries between the inside and the outside and create a strong functional narrative. Double-height, semi-open verandahs were woven in as extensions to private quarters.
These verandahs offer a volumetric and perceptional interest, allowing users to seamlessly traverse between private and public spheres, both spatially and psychologically. Large uninterrupted openings in the living quarters have been privatized by layering hand-woven bamboo screens, contextualizing natural materials found in farm environments.
The bamboo screens will age and change color over time, as an ode to the unforgiving aging process, mimicking and inviting nature to take over for years to follow. The brick flooring sans mortar used in the semi-open pavilions is also designed to age and desaturate with time, with the possibility of allowing grass, weeds, and the landscape to enter the built space.
Likewise, lime, wax-stained dry walls and hand-casted and hand-polished IPS cement flooring in the living quarters add a much-needed softness to the private spaces as one transitions from the outdoors to the indoors. In an attempt to glorify its natural habitat, studio Array crafts an unassuming, yet contemporary abode, gently emulating the greens it is perched within.
Fact File
Designed by: Studio Array
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Artist Residency Farm8
Location: New Delhi
Year Built: 2023
Project Size: 6458 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Rachit Srivastava
Junior Architect: Jainam Kothari
Photograph Courtesy: Edmund Sumner
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Studio Array
Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio Array
For Similar Project >>> A Striking Brick House with Hints of Traditional Design and Essence of Reformed Living
The site is located in Ahilyanagar town of Maharashtra, with a design brief of 7,000 sq feet, while the house had to be designed for the hot and dry climate, which responds carefully to extreme temperatures, intense sunlight, and low humidity. The design focuses on reducing heat gain, improving natural ventilation, and creating comfortable indoor spaces with […]
“Pravah” — A House That Breathes is envisioned as the main concept of this home revolves around a fluid, light-filled home where architecture becomes a continuous experience of movement, air, and connection. Located in Pal Gamtal, Surat, the project is a residential redevelopment on a 1,850 sq.ft. plot within a dense urban fabric. The site, […]
SapanoUday is a contemporary residence that balances material rawness with layered textures and crafted detail, aligning modern living with cultural and spatial sensibilities. Designed by Hundreddesigns, the home responds closely to the client’s routines and artistic inclinations while thoughtfully integrating Vastu principles. HundredDesigns The designers defined the architecture through a minimal palette, using exposed concrete […]
KRIPA is a residence that reflects the personality and lifestyle of its homeowner — calm, open, and rooted in nature. The project focuses on creating light-filled, green spaces with minimal private zones, encouraging openness and connection. In a time when spaces are shrinking but expectations are rising, architecture becomes the medium to bridge this gap […]
The Sculpted Sanctuary is a masterclass in modern minimalist design. The project focuses on “Quiet Luxury”. It is the idea that a space doesn’t need bright colors or flashy decor to feel expensive. Instead, it uses raw natural materials, rich textures, and sharp architectural lines. This Home Is A Masterclass In Modern Minimalist Design | […]
SIDHARTHA, is a four-bedroom modern house which is functional and aesthetic driven by the specific needs of the client. The location of the site is in a dense neighbourhood in Bengaluru, India. The contemporary urban dwelling frequently negotiates competing demands. It balances generous daylight and visual connection to the street with privacy, dust control, and […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Plants for home garden, apart from making houses look more beautiful and inviting, add health and calmness to them. Having any kind of indoor plant, a herb plant or a flowering plant adds some value to your decor and the quality of the space. Always choose plants that will flourish in your space and climate. […]