For over 100 years, mainstream construction has relied on concrete as the material of choice, owing to its strength, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, the negative impacts of the carbon emissions resulting from its production can no longer be outrun — it is time for a timber house revolution.
This Timber House Redefines Strength And Sustainability in Construction | Architecture Discipline
New projects, especially residences, can play host to small-scale experiments with new materials and building technologies that optimise construction and carbon emissions. This sea-facing residence in the tranquil Goan village of Vagator is one such experiment. As a result, a focused and ordered home pioneers the use of mass timber in India.
Sahil Barua, the co-founder of India’s largest e-commerce logistics company, commissioned the project with a brief that specified only a set of functional requirements. This granted the architect creative freedom to interpret and design a home perfectly suited to his lifestyle.
Having spent his childhood in the Louis Kahn-designed IIM campus in Ahmedabad, the client had an intrinsic appreciation for the authentic expression of materials. The design team was able to leverage this sensibility as an opportunity to explore unconventional and sustainable materials.
The house occupies the highest point of a verdant, steeply sloped site and faces the Chapora River to the north, while opening up views of the Arabian Sea in the northwest. “The way a building touches the ground is important, as this is the level at which the user first establishes contact with the building,” says principal architect Akshat Bhatt.
The home is perched on a minimally invasive foundation of stilts and concrete retaining walls. In doing so, it preserves the site’s existing slope and vegetation. The raised ground floor minimises cut and fill on the site. Moreover, it protects the home from moisture and capillary action that could cause damage over time.
The client’s focused nature inspired the unidirectional form of the home– a single, linear block with a pitched roof tailored to Goa’s heavy monsoons. The superstructure comprises eleven glulam portal frames that define the central volume of the home.
Glulam or glued laminated timber is a form of mass timber known for its structural integrity and low carbon footprint, with strength comparable to that of steel. Mass timber is a sustainable material emerging as a viable alternative to concrete and steel, two of the construction industry’s biggest contributors to carbon emissions.
Artius supplied the glulam and enabled the swift construction of the two-storey post-and-beam beach house. The frames were entirely prefabricated in Artius’ Gurugram facility and assembled on-site in Goa, within 30 days by their lean team of nine. The process minimised wastage, enabling swift assembly with minimal damage to the site. Precision-engineered post anchors secured the glulam column-beam frame to a concrete foundation, ensuring a robust, efficient, and visually striking structure.
The approach value-engineers the home by addressing both economic and environmental concerns. Thoughtfully detailed drawings and simplified structural planning streamline the complex mass timber system, allowing smooth collaboration with engineering and manufacturing consultants. This proves that mass timber projects can match the efficiency and competitiveness of concrete construction. From conception to completion, a deep understanding of the material drives the process, enabling precise control over its use and ensuring sustainable construction.
The home’s living spaces follow an open-plan scheme within the linear block. The ground level features minimal walls and retains an untouched external envelope. A spacious living and dining area unfolds within this space, while semi-private guest bedrooms occupy the rear end of the volume.
The double-height living space abuts a large glazed opening that floods the space with light and expansive views of the surrounding landscape. A skylight on the roof’s ridge brings in light as it runs through the length of the home and helps release hot air build-up. The living space opens onto a metal deck that appears to float above the landscape. Thus, providing commanding views of the Arabian Sea.
A light staircase leads to the mezzanine floor, which comprises a gallery passageway that overlooks the living space and leads to the master bedroom. The gallery showcases the client’s extensive collection of eclectic art.
In contrast to the primary form of the home, the kitchen and dining space break out in the form of a projecting deconstructed space clad in metal. This architectural expression imbues the home with a sense of spatial delight and playfulness. The space offers views of the pool on one side and a kitchen garden on the other. As a result, it immerses you in the feeling of being suspended in nature.
The home accommodates a private wood workshop on the lower level, a glass-lined volume naturally lit by clerestory windows. It opens onto a partially shaded timber deck that acts as an extended outdoor activity space. Planters demarcate the edge of the deck, freeing it from physical boundaries. As a result, they establish an unhindered connection to the expansive outdoors.
The interior scheme allows the home’s structure to take centre stage. Negating the requirement for cladding or finishes, the mass timber frames are expressed in their raw, authentic form. As a result, they impart a tactile quality to the indoors. Black granite defines the flooring. Meanwhile, white walls serve as a bare canvas ready to be overlaid with memories over time.
Drawing from the client’s frugal ways of living, the furniture remains simple and spartan by intent. The living room features a 15-foot-long live-edge dining table made from a single timber panel. Modern pieces upholstered in leather, such as the Eames chair and a Mies-inspired daybed, contrast elegantly with the rustic furniture. The interior scheme is clutter-free, allowing for clear thinking while also letting the natural material and context shine.
The refined interior of the house belies its stark external expression of charred timber. Craftsmen use an age-old Japanese preservation technique called yakisugi to create charred timber panels. As a result, these panels offer durability and resist heat and moisture, all while showcasing a striking appearance.
This property makes them ideal for Goa’s tropical weather. Moreover, it results in a façade that reacts uniquely to natural elements and ages gracefully with time. The distinct charcoal grey façade sets the house apart from its natural surroundings. At the same time, it remains visually harmonious with them. The kitchen and dining volume are clad in zinc, offering a striking counterpoint to the charred timber exterior.
The wild, bohemian landscape of the site was the perfect environment for the client, a triathlete who prefers running outdoors to training in a gym. A 25-metre-long rectangular waterbody now runs along the length of the house, serving as an outdoor exercise pool. A large part of the site’s landscape is occupied by kitchen gardens, where the client can grow his own food. They retained most of the trees to form a soft boundary that separates the house from the public street and village. The lawn frames views of the avant-garde residence in its entirety, permitting visitors to take in the balance between the natural and the man-made.
Nestled between Goa’s tropical greenery and the sea, the house is a tranquil sanctuary for the client. As a result, it offers the perfect retreat to recharge his creative energies. It not only sets a precedent for sustainable residential design in India but also nurtures the owner’s diverse pursuits. Moreover, it merges unconventional materials with cutting-edge technology to form a minimal and progressive residence.
Fact File
Designed by: Architecture Discipline
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Location: Vagator, Goa
Site Area: 7233 Sq.ft
Built-Up Area: 8650 Sq.ft
Year Built: March 2023
Name of Client: Sahil Barua
Principal Architect: Akshat Bhatt
Photograph Courtesy: Studio Charuau
WIP Image Credits: Ranjan Sharma
Firm’s Website Link: Architecture Discipline
Firm’s Instagram Link: Architecture Discipline
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