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
Editors’ Note – This colonial house in Delhi carries an ambience of grandeur, infused with the elegance of Victorian-style colonialism. Expansive living, dining, and kitchen areas open into light-filled spaces framed by large glazing that connect seamlessly to the surrounding landscape. Inside, tropical interiors with bold geometry add a contemporary layer of comfort. The residence […]
“Hilltop House” is envisioned as a contemporary yet context-sensitive residential project that harmonizes architecture and interior design to create a sanctuary perched on a scenic elevation. The design will respond directly to the topography, climate, and panoramic views, while delivering a highly functional, comfortable, and aesthetically refined living environment. This Hilltop House in Indore Is […]
In the layered urban grain of Manjeri, the Timeless House reimagines a 1970s sloping roof residence through careful transformation. It’s a home that doesn’t shout for attention, but quietly repositions itself within its time and place, a sensitive reinterpretation of memory, material, and movement. Originally built in 1972, the house was structurally sound, featuring load-bearing […]
Editor’s Note: There’s something truly special about homes crafted with thought and care—where every corner and detail speaks to its users, becoming part of their memories. For siblings Akhila and Kaushik, Sona Reddy Studio brought this vision to life in One Summer House, a rustic farmhouse tucked within the vibrant city of Hyderabad. Designed with […]
This southwest-facing bungalow, with golden accents in its interiors, is a refined expression of contextual and climate-responsive modern architecture. The home embraces its orientation with an intelligent façade design that balances aesthetic appeal and environmental performance. With the sun’s harshest rays hitting the structure in the latter half of the day, the architects incorporated a […]
This North Facing villa opens towards the East to always soak in the cool and diffused light. Its orientation is mindful of the adjoining clubhouse and its expansive garden. The planning allows the villa’s private lawn to visually merge with it, creating a larger and cohesive space. With a connection to the open space at […]
An Urban Sanctuary Woven with Craft, Warmth, and Light Explicitly tucked into a quiet residential pocket, this home with a jaali facade is a thoughtfully layered expression of calm, character, and craftsmanship. Every surface and corner is rooted in intention — where light, material, and memory meet. The Jaali Design in this Layered Home Exudes […]
Set in the serene landscape of Nashik, the Dabholkar Residence by GDA is a home, embracing stone clad walls. Here, tradition and contemporary design exist in harmony. Designed to reflect the family’s deep connection to tradition and art while embracing the style of contemporary living, it is a space where architectural details, heritage furniture, artwork […]
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 […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]