The Sky Pulled Into The Lower Work Floors And The Earth Pushed Upwards To The Upper Levels Of Habitation In This Residence : House of Courts | Dada And Partners
Visit : Dada & Partners
This 500 Sq.m Urban plot is programmed as a sustainable live-work unit with the lower two levels as the studio space and the upper two as their family residence. The most fundamental ambition that generated this live-work typology was to pull the Sky into the lower work floors and to push the Earth upwards to the upper levels of habitation.
The urban residence is defined by the three voids that punctuate built mass to varying depths. These courts help carve out highly private open spaces and yet deeply connect the residents with the rhythm of the sun and wind outside. The east and west facing courts straddle the center of the house and fill up the heart of the home with dramatically and constantly shifting light and shade.
A lantern like, steel and glass stair hall, connects the first floor residence with the street level entrance. As one ascends through the concrete and brick clad sculptural volume and towards the upper foyer, it reveals the north facing prayer space. A precarious hanging cast-in-situ concrete ‘cross’ anchors this nebulous space. The family lounge and dining are flanked on either side by the screened east and west court. The west court, is designed as an earth-filled concrete vessel. This raised court complete with a mature Gulmohar tree, connects the upper level residence with the terra-firma.
The second floor holds the master bedroom, children’s bedrooms, and the upper family lounge with large windows opening out to the east and west courts. All three bedrooms are positioned along either of the courts and the outer face as well, allowing for ample light and cross ventilation.
The design took the early modernist brick and concrete design vocabulary and adorned it with a metal tectonic to get to a more contemporary and lighter tectonic. Throughout the residence and the office, the bespoke detailing of elements such as staircase, metal railing, concrete panel walls, brick patterns, Kota flooring with brass inlay, are focused in reviving the craftsmanship and detailing. The most commonly used finishing materials end up evoking a higher sensory experience.
The use of unpretentious early modernist material and the oscillation sun created a constantly changing scenery inside the house and momentary drama unfold in ordinary spaces otherwise designed for daily life.
FACT FILE:
Designed by : DADA & Partners
Project Type : Residence
Project Name : House of Courts
Location : Gurugram
Year built: 2020
Size : sq feet : 6000 ft²
Junior Architects : Saurabh Syal, Debdeep Dam
Principal Architect : Mukul Arora
Interior Design : Lopez Design Studio, DADA & Partners
Photography Courtesy : Lightzone India
Products and Materials : Manufacturers : Toto, thyssenkrupp, ALCOI, Dorma, Sollfege | Furniture Design : Lopez Design Studio | Home Automation System : Sollfege | Aluminum Work : ALCOI Building Systems | Steel Fabrication : Usmaan Steel works Structure : P Arora & Associates Pvt Ltd | Building Contractor : Sugan Lal Contractors | Energy and Sustainable Consultants : PSI energy | Solar Energy Consultant : Bhambri enterprise.
Products and Materials :
Manufacturers : Toto, thyssenkrupp, ALCOI, Dorma, Sollfege | Furniture Design : Lopez Design Studio | Home Automation System : Sollfege | Aluminum Work : ALCOI Building Systems | Steel Fabrication : Usmaan Steel works
Structure : P Arora & Associates Pvt Ltd | Building Contractor : Sugan Lal Contractors | Energy and Sustainable Consultants : PSI energy | Solar Energy Consultant : Bhambri enterprise.
Colour Palate :
Firm’s Website : Dada And Partners
Firm’s Facebook Page : Dada And Partners
Firm’s Instagram Profile : Dada And Partners
Editor’s Note: Some places feel rooted because they belong to their surroundings rather than trying to stand apart from them. Coffee Sangam in Andhra Pradesh takes this approach through a raw, tactile palette of brick, stone, teak, and mild steel. The random rubble compound wall extends the landscape into the architecture, while the Corten steel […]
Envisioned as a contemporary home rooted in Indian sensibilities, this residence sits on a south-facing urban plot. The design accommodates the evolving lifestyle of a multi-generational family. The project integrates architecture and interiors to create functional, climate-responsive, and emotionally connected spaces. Each level balances privacy with interaction. The design also allows flexibility for changing family […]
Editorial Note: Some homes are shaped by the memories, objects, and stories their residents carry with them. Ungana in Chennai, meaning “merge” in Swahili, brings together a well-travelled family’s collection of antiques and everyday rituals within a narrow urban plot. A double-height living space becomes the heart of the home, connecting the kitchen and dining […]
House of the Framed Atrium explores how a contemporary home can revolve around light, connection, and shared experiences. The design follows the ideas of a Living Atrium, Living with Nature, Framed Volumes, Vertical Living, and Timeless Materiality. The residence connects a sequence of interconnected spaces around a dramatic triple-height atrium. The atrium forms the heart […]
A Mock-up That Became a Home – For an architecture practice, a mock-up often helps test an idea before the team translates it into a larger project. It allows architects to work at full scale, examine materials and construction techniques, and understand their limitations. The process also gives them room to test different brick bonds and […]
The house began not with a formal brief, but with a conversation about the kind of life the clients hoped to build within it. Set between the denser urban fabric of Kannur and the quieter residential landscapes of North Kerala, the project responds to a desire for openness and connection. At the same time, the […]
“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, […]
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 […]