The client Mr. and Mrs. Khosla who come from the army background desired to have a house that talks opulence considering their past references. being travelers the clients had a huge collection of artifacts which required to be accommodated. A house where posh lifestyle and sustainability gets together. The deep plot size was a challenge in itself. The metaphor of a cocoon was used to create the entire built form.
A House Where Posh Lifestyle And Sustainability Gets Together | Forum Advaita
Visit : Forum Advaita
Editor’s note :The house reflects quite an eclectic taste through the couples’ collective artifacts, highlighting relatively simple interiors. Where, architecturally, the house in itself explores intriguing volumetric plays inside-out, forming cozy nooks enjoyed by the family. ~ Aditi Shah (editor)
The house being a southwest facing was imagined to be a largely inward looking house that offers multiple experiences within. The depth of the plot being 90 ft was used to the advantage by creating the built around the periphery and keeping the central part open. The idea was to create an oversized cocoon as an archetype where one enjoys a large enclosure within.
The length of the plot was used to enhance the experience of unfolding experiences. The entrance is planned from the southwest corner into a foyer space and one’s vision travels straight onto the diagonally opposite corner getting clues of the greens in the backyard.
Then there are a set of planes that appear to unfold the spaces in between. The light of the central courtyard makes one move towards it and arrive in the middle of the site width with sunken courtyard flooded with natural light on one side and a relatively dark seating arrangement with a beam of light from a linear skylight on the other.
The formal seating adjacent to the internal staircase is also separated by a plane with a cutout that offers framed views from the other side and also leads one to the upper level.
where the second step is shaped to be tapered to communicate the idea of opening up the diagonal route.
This further leads one towards the Bar and dining with the last plane unfolding the kitchen area. These multiple framed openings allowed the users to exhibit their belongings from travels.
The sunken courtyard has the bar behind one plane with a cutout that allows one to connect to the court space from the bar area.
The only bedroom on the ground floor towards the front side has one window opening towards the courtyard that received the natural light from the court space. The other being towards the entrance verandah.
The house is a southwest facing unit received the harsh summer sun for good 6 months of the year. In order to make it passively cool the services like the toilets and the wardrobe spaces were positioned in the front side to block the south west sun and keep the interiors cooler. As a result both the bedrooms towards the west corner on the two levels receive natural light from the courtyard space. The first floor toilets were kept at a low height to allow some more natural filtered light between the slabs through glass bricks.
The harsh natural light from south west was controlled by deepening the verandah spaces to create shaded spaces during summers and also enjoy the winter sun during the late afternoons. The openings in the toilets have also been recessed and given a form following square as the basic shape. The hollow cube of the upper level verandah in connect with the square openings of the toilets allowed us to create an expression of planes in interaction with the protruding boxes. The use of brick cladding allowed the hint of the context the house was sitting in.
Fact File
Designed by : Forum Advaita
Project Type : Residential Architecture Design
Project Name : The Cucoon House
Location : Mohali, Ajit Singh Nagar, Chandigarh, Punjab
Year Built : 2022
Built-up Area : 6500 Sq.ft
Principal Architect : Ar. Aman Sohal
Team Design Credits : Niharika, Masharaa
Photograph Courtesy : Purnesh Dev Nikhanj
Clients : Mr. Sarabjit Khosla
Structural Consultants : Sukham Raj
Firm’s Website Link : Forum Advaita
Firm’s Instagram Link : Forum Advaita
Firm’s Facebook Link : Forum Advaita
For Similar Project>>> An Artful Pairing Of Minimalism And Sophisticated Design
Layers don’t just sit here; they breathe, shift, and whisper through light. The Screen, set in the sun-drenched fabric of Solapur, Maharashtra, isn’t trying to scream luxury. It doesn’t need to. It moves quieter than that, more composed, more intentional, like a pause button carved into the chaos of the city. Spread across 4,125 sq. […]
This project is located in Ben Tre, Vietnam, and was completed in 2021. With a total area of 430m2, the project set within concrete vaults includes 3 bedrooms and one living room, each with a view of the nearby river. Concrete Vaults Form The Main Identity Of This Vietnamese Home | VTN Architects The ground […]
We conceive EMA not as a conventional architectural object, but as a living continuum of memory, ecology, and craft. Located in Malappuram, Kerala, the 1,700 sq. ft. residence, designed with thermal comfort draws from vernacular wisdom and the philosophy of the Kaavu—the sacred grove—where humans, nature, and other living beings coexist without hierarchy. Within this […]
Set within the lush landscapes of Bharanikavu in Kollam, Arcade – a single storey residence that blends tropical modern architecture with colonial and traditional elements. Designed for a businessman, his wife (a teacher) and their two daughters, this house showcases a shared interest for elegance rooted in familiarity. This Single Storey Home Sits Amidst Lush […]
Noah’s Ark is a contemporary residence designed as a calm and welcoming home with a clear planning. The client’s brief was to create a home that felt simple, warm, and timeless without becoming overly minimal or impersonal. Noah’s Ark responds by blending clear planning, honest materials, and personal elements, resulting in a house that is […]
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 […]
Nestled within a 30×40 ft plot is the compact house design in Banashankari 6th Stage, Bengaluru. This residence for the Ellappans, reimagines traditional Indian living in a contemporary, spatially dynamic form. Designed for a family of three- Mr. Ellappan, his wife, and their teenage son- the house expresses a deep connection to vernacular roots while […]
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 […]