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  • Home with Brick and Concrete Wall has an Open-to-Sky Courtyard | Groundwork Architecture

    The residence with brick and concrete wall for Mr. Mehul Patel is built on the land of 1560 sq. mt and is in the western part of Ahmedabad in Bopal. The client is a real estate developer working on various residential and commercial projects in Ahmedabad. Their brief for us was to design a house for their family of 5 people with private living areas, including formal and family living dining, kitchen, entertainment room, and four bedrooms. Beyond the functional requirements, they were keen to build a house with an open-to-sky courtyard, which could become integral to the living areas. The requirement was to use Vaastu principles to organize the overall layout.

    Editor’s Note: “Embracing timeless elegance, this abode celebrates the harmony of exposed concrete and natural brick. In the vibrant streets of Ahmedabad, these classic materials meld seamlessly, blending functionality with grace. The majestic courtyard and soaring double heights evoke a sense of grandeur while preserving the cozy comfort of home.” ~Simran Khare

    Home with Brick and Concrete Wall has an Open-to-Sky Courtyard | Groundwork Architecture

    brick and concrete wall

    In the early stages of development, it was decided that we would use materials like brick and concrete that would give a timeless aesthetic for the wall of the house.

    brick and concrete wall

    Classic Elements

    We used exposed concrete and natural brick wall as the main construction aesthetic in this context. As these are finishes that do not have an added layer of plaster on top, the architectural detailing for the design had to be simple and robust. 

    brick and concrete wall

    The main entrance to the premises is from the north, and there is parking for their three cars accessible directly from the main street.

    brick and concrete wall

    This allows the entrance to the house to remain pedestrian only with emergency access for vehicles. The courtyard is the central organizing element of the house.

    brick and concrete wall

    The entrance vestibule through the entrance porch connects to the ambulatory corridor around the courtyard. This corridor strings all the spaces together and seamlessly connects each space with the courtyard.

    brick and concrete wall

    The entrance vestibule backdrop wall cuts the courtyard from the initial visual experience. This enables an interesting surprise when one turns left onto the main corridor to discover the courtyard. This is when the Puja room located in the NE corner of the house is first visible.

    brick and concrete wall

    Soaring Scale

    The main corridor has a full view of the courtyard on one side, flanked on the left by the double-height formal living room. The location of the formal living room is the last semi-private space, after which all other functions become private in nature.

    brick and concrete wall

    A straight-flight folded plate staircase is placed along this corridor, visually connecting the courtyard and open spaces to the east through a verandah.

    brick and concrete wall

    The kitchen is in the SE corner of the house and is well-connected to the dining and family living spaces. The house’s west wing is dedicated to the bedroom with toilets and walk-in wardrobes on both floors by stacking two bedrooms on each floor.

    brick and concrete wall

    Separate light wells bring natural light into the toilets. The entertainment area with the home theatre is located directly above the family living area.

    The courtyard on the ground floor is completely visually open, allowing physical access to the courtyard. Terracotta jalis are provided on the complete periphery of the courtyard on the first-floor corridor.

    Play of Light and Shadows

    This ensures a substantial reduction of direct sunlight entering the house and creates interesting graphic modulation of lights and shadows, which is ever-changing. 

    The courtyard, along with the plants, helps bring down the temperature in the house and provides a place to enjoy open spaces with complete visual privacy.  The facades articulate differently to respond to the climate, each shaped by simple forms and materials.

    Fact File

    Designed by: Groundwork Architecture

    Project Type: Residential Architecture Design

    Project Name: Mehul Patel Residence

    Location: Ahmedabad

    Year Built: 2022

    Built-up Area: 5118.11 Sq.ft

    Principal Architect: Brijesh Bhatha

    Photograph Courtesy: Murtaza Gandhi

    Interior Designers: Studio 919 Architects

    Structure Consultants: Setu Infrastructure

    MEP Consultants: Jhaveri Associates

    Contractors: PSP Projects

    Project Manager: Darshita Patel

    Execution Drawings: Pranav Meghani

    Manufacturers:  Jai Jalaram Brick Works, Shailja Luxusprodukt Pvt. Ltd.

    Source: Archdaily

    Firm’s Website Link: Groundwork Architecture

    The Firm’s Instagram Link: Groundwork Architecture

    Firm’s Facebook Link: Groundwork Architecture

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