If we were to talk about a desirable, communal living space—one that is ingrained and thus, an integral part of our culture and growing up—where do we start? Perhaps we start with the stories that we have heard, the images and the thoughts we have from then—thoughts that built over time into inseparable, interconnected, and congruous narratives and many more stories. This way of life, reflected in Indian traditional house design, stimulated our senses, and we experienced and explored expression—which resonated beyond just the visual sight or aesthetics. It appealed to us at many levels.
Editor’s Note: “At The Maze House, spaces unfold as if they were chapters of a timeless tale where courtyard spaces, vaults, and verandas echo with laughter. In seamless overlapping of past and present, this house captures the rhythm of Indian life. Fluid, communal, and responsive, this space exists between built and unbuilt, memory and experience.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
Indian Traditional House Design Reflects Culture Through Communal Living Space | Misa architects
What if we were to manifest this expression through a built form? What would such a space entail? How can architecture instil a perpetual sense of celebration, utsav? Moreover, how can we facilitate harmony between the built environment and its inhabitants?
How can the built form exploit light and wind and still minimize the harshness of weather. How can we recreate the same communal feeling? The answer lies where the question originates – the Indian traditions and vernacular forms.
Architecture, for us, is not just an assembly of functional built forms. Instead, it is a home — a dwelling that houses emotions and is built with gentleness and some degree of ingenuity. And that is also true for the client.
When we start with the basics – we simply ask the client and ourselves – why, what is the purpose behind building this house? And the answer to this question leads to stories, narratives, experiences, thoughts and imagery – from where it all started. This narrative is the journey of our design evolution.
The house appears from a somewhat hidden and inconspicuous entry; the stairs to the living if missed will bring you back to where you started! As you move about, the house gives a mixed feeling. It comes across as a huge haveli with numerous courtyards and spacious rooms. Furthermore, it offers a plethora of gathering spaces, balconies, and sit-outs.
This house, as the name alludes, is created like a maze and borrows its core design philosophy from Wada – a traditional residential form from Maratha architecture. The built and unbuilt blocks of this house heighten curiosity and engagement.
It also comes across as a warm, open, inviting and discerning home dotted with a story, a narrative, an emotion at every turn and in every corner. The space speaks for the users – a multi-generational family in coherence with the surroundings.
The intricate brickwork employs new bonds and interlocking geometries lowering the construction costs. The upper floor enjoys uninterrupted expanses and humungous rooms, thanks to the concrete vaults that drastically reduced vertical elements across the floor.
The vaults add to the aesthetic and volume dramatically and bring in the north light through the day. We have kept the playfulness quotient high with maze-like placement of rooms using level differences, connected organically by courtyards and verandas which form a natural flow between the inside and the outside.
These open spaces breathe life into the house and lend a unique sense of space and even time with the changing light and sounds of birds and visitors as they pass by; and then the house gradually blurs the boundaries between public and private as we move up the floors. Your first visit here will start with an unapologetic abundance of surprise and piqued curiosity, and will end rewardingly with a satiated ‘joy of discovery’.
At a more metaphorical level, this house is a celebration and an interpretation of the “Indian” way of life. As architecture students, one of the first exercises we did was to move around and try and comprehend the way of life; the visible and invisible interactions between people and the built forms and the threshold between the natural and the built environment.
And this is what we have explored here. A house that responds to intuition, senses, memories, wandering and the inherent human quest to find answers.
Fact File
Designed by: Misa architects
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: The Maze House
Location: Shela, Ahmedabad
Year Built: April 2023
Project Size: 14000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Tarun Patel
Team Design Credits: Kranti Desai, Rahul Jariwala, Krina Chauhan, Manthan Radadia (Structure Designer),Rajiv Patel (Contractor), Pratap Suthar (Carpenter)
Photograph Courtesy: Inclined Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: Misa architects
For Similar Projects >> This Open Air Amphitheatre on a Kerala Roof Design is an Ideal Music Venue
Conceived as a dialogue between architecture and landscape in Alibag, CASAVIVA transforms the house into a sequence of spaces where nature becomes an integral part of everyday life. This Home In Alibag Is Conceived As A Dialogue Between Architecture & Landscape | SHROFFLEoN Design Brief Designed for a family seeking a calm and timeless residence, […]
Some homes begin with a drawing, and The Saffron Verandah began with an orchard. In the mango-growing landscapes of Shoolagiri, a quiet hamlet in northern Tamil Nadu, the land has settled into its own rhythm over generations. Rows of mature mango trees stretch across nearly three-quarters of an acre, their broad canopies tempering the southern […]
The house is conceived as a metaphor for the valley it inhabits. The design borrows the language of a bustling street skyline, stretching the home along a corner site so it frames the valley and its lake. Three linear bays, offset vertically and linked by corridors, open the plan to filtered western light and cross […]
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, […]
Editor’s Note: There’s a quiet clarity in homes that are shaped by real, everyday needs. Alcove feels like a thoughtful response to just that, balancing openness with comfort in a setting rooted in tradition. Moving away from a dense, older home, this residence embraces light, air, and simplicity while still holding on to its Kerala […]
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 […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
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. […]