Shadow Vines is a villa inspired by the interplay of light and shadow, nature, and space. An off-centred courtyard framed by a skylight forms the heart of the residence, letting natural light and shadows gently weave through the interiors and connect the architecture with the outdoors.
A Play Of Light And Shadow Liven Up This Home In The Heart Of Chennai | Form Sapce Architects
The site holds sentimental value for our client, Varun, a young IT professional, who, along with his wife and daughter, wished to build their dream home on this inherited plot. Their requirements included a car parking space, a double-height living area, a courtyard, an open kitchen, and private balconies — all while ensuring privacy from the surrounding closely built houses.
The client preferred a very minimal design approach without compromising on functionality. Since their requirements fully utilized the available space, we chose to keep the front façade subtle and simple fitting the locality.
The site features a wicket gate alongside a sliding gate for car parking. The stilt floor accommodates the car parking area, a pet space, and a small niche designed for seating and footwear storage. A flight of steps wraps around the seating area, leading to the first floor.
The main door on the first floor opens into a double-height living space, with the dining and kitchen areas aligned on one side, and a guest bedroom, powder room, study space, and open balcony on the other. A PVD coated framed glass aluminium sliding door separates the dining and living space giving more privacy while maintaining a play of light and shadow.
Since we had minimal setback only on the southern side, we introduced larger openings to draw in natural light.
The entire southern living wall was kept open to allow maximum sunlight to flood the space. On the northern side, with wall-to-wall construction limiting light entry, we created a roof-level cutout that illuminates the staircase.
A embossed vine CNC designed marble cladding adds more meaning to the space and a Buddha statue placed in the courtyard forming the heart of the house.
To make it more interesting, we introduced a CNC-designed glass roofing over the courtyard. As sunlight streams through, it casts intricate vine-like light and shadow patterns onto the walls, inspiring the name Shadow Vines for the residence.
On the second floor, a bridge connects the rooms, offering views of both the living area and the courtyard on either side.
The designer has placed the master bedroom and a bedroom opposite each other, each featuring a walk-in closet that leads into the washroom.
Additionally, the master bedroom opens out to a private balcony, enhancing the sense of openness and light. To keep it more private, we have used aluminium louvres to keep the space more private and contribute to the elevation.
Talking about the choice of materials for the interiors, we have played with a palette of grey and white throughout, adding vibrancy through the choice of furniture.
Veneer has been used across the house, mainly for ceilings and flooring accents. It has a greater presence in the bedrooms to create a warmer, cosier feel.
Black granite frames the doors, adding a bold contrast. Fluted glass and sliding doors are used for the walk-in wardrobes. White marble highlights the TV unit, maintaining a clean, minimal, and elegant overall aesthetic.
Despite the compact scale, Shadow Vines is designed to feel open, functional, and connected to nature. Every space is thoughtfully designed for ease of living without compromising elegance. The design evokes a quiet sense of peace, balance, and mindfulness throughout the home.
Fact File
Designed by: Form Sapce Architects
Project Type: Residential Architecture & Interior DesignProject Name: Kar Villa
Location: Chennai
Year Built: 2025
Duration of the project: 1.5 Years
Plot Area: 1280 Sq.ft
Built-up Area: 2890 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Ar. Mohammed Khalid & Ar. Rambalaji P V
Design Credits: Ar. Naveen
Photograph Courtesy: Binsan Oommen Baby
Interior Styling: Indira
Structure Engineers: Tamil Selvan
Products / Materials / Vendors: Wallcovering / Cladding – NATURE Marble, GRNITE , HPL, ALUMINUM LOUVERS / Construction Materials – CONVECTIONAL MEDTHOD / Windows – tostem / Flooring – marble / Kitchen – haffle / Paint – asian / Hardware – haffle
Firm’s Website Link: Form Sapce Architects
The Firm’s Instagram Link: Form Sapce Architects
Firm’s Facebook Link: Form Sapce Architects
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