If we were to talk about a desirable, communal living space—one that is ingrained and thus, an integral part of our culture and growing up—where do we start? Perhaps we start with the stories that we have heard, the images and the thoughts we have from then—thoughts that built over time into inseparable, interconnected, and congruous narratives and many more stories. This way of life, reflected in Indian traditional house design, stimulated our senses, and we experienced and explored expression—which resonated beyond just the visual sight or aesthetics. It appealed to us at many levels.
Editor’s Note: “At The Maze House, spaces unfold as if they were chapters of a timeless tale where courtyard spaces, vaults, and verandas echo with laughter. In seamless overlapping of past and present, this house captures the rhythm of Indian life. Fluid, communal, and responsive, this space exists between built and unbuilt, memory and experience.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
Indian Traditional House Design Reflects Culture Through Communal Living Space | Misa architects
What if we were to manifest this expression through a built form? What would such a space entail? How can architecture instil a perpetual sense of celebration, utsav? Moreover, how can we facilitate harmony between the built environment and its inhabitants?
How can the built form exploit light and wind and still minimize the harshness of weather. How can we recreate the same communal feeling? The answer lies where the question originates – the Indian traditions and vernacular forms.
Architecture, for us, is not just an assembly of functional built forms. Instead, it is a home — a dwelling that houses emotions and is built with gentleness and some degree of ingenuity. And that is also true for the client.
When we start with the basics – we simply ask the client and ourselves – why, what is the purpose behind building this house? And the answer to this question leads to stories, narratives, experiences, thoughts and imagery – from where it all started. This narrative is the journey of our design evolution.
The house appears from a somewhat hidden and inconspicuous entry; the stairs to the living if missed will bring you back to where you started! As you move about, the house gives a mixed feeling. It comes across as a huge haveli with numerous courtyards and spacious rooms. Furthermore, it offers a plethora of gathering spaces, balconies, and sit-outs.
This house, as the name alludes, is created like a maze and borrows its core design philosophy from Wada – a traditional residential form from Maratha architecture. The built and unbuilt blocks of this house heighten curiosity and engagement.
It also comes across as a warm, open, inviting and discerning home dotted with a story, a narrative, an emotion at every turn and in every corner. The space speaks for the users – a multi-generational family in coherence with the surroundings.
The intricate brickwork employs new bonds and interlocking geometries lowering the construction costs. The upper floor enjoys uninterrupted expanses and humungous rooms, thanks to the concrete vaults that drastically reduced vertical elements across the floor.
The vaults add to the aesthetic and volume dramatically and bring in the north light through the day. We have kept the playfulness quotient high with maze-like placement of rooms using level differences, connected organically by courtyards and verandas which form a natural flow between the inside and the outside.
These open spaces breathe life into the house and lend a unique sense of space and even time with the changing light and sounds of birds and visitors as they pass by; and then the house gradually blurs the boundaries between public and private as we move up the floors. Your first visit here will start with an unapologetic abundance of surprise and piqued curiosity, and will end rewardingly with a satiated ‘joy of discovery’.
At a more metaphorical level, this house is a celebration and an interpretation of the “Indian” way of life. As architecture students, one of the first exercises we did was to move around and try and comprehend the way of life; the visible and invisible interactions between people and the built forms and the threshold between the natural and the built environment.
And this is what we have explored here. A house that responds to intuition, senses, memories, wandering and the inherent human quest to find answers.
Fact File
Designed by: Misa architects
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: The Maze House
Location: Shela, Ahmedabad
Year Built: April 2023
Project Size: 14000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Tarun Patel
Team Design Credits: Kranti Desai, Rahul Jariwala, Krina Chauhan, Manthan Radadia (Structure Designer),Rajiv Patel (Contractor), Pratap Suthar (Carpenter)
Photograph Courtesy: Inclined Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: Misa architects
For Similar Projects >> This Open Air Amphitheatre on a Kerala Roof Design is an Ideal Music Venue
“Even within the smallest green lies all the purity and freshness of Eden.” This idea became the seed for Eden Moss, a home nestled in an ecological environment and imagined as a breath of freshness, evoking the scent of mud after rain, and seamlessly intertwined with nature while still embracing comfort and contextual charm. Nestled […]
In Tiruppur’s industrial heartland, where the rhythm of textile mills sets the tone, the layered architecture in this Villa offers a quiet counterpoint. Shaped by stillness, proportion, and cultural memory, the home reflects the clients’ vision for a contemplative retreat. Set on a square plot within a gridded residential layout, the residence embraces architectural restraint […]
Nestled in what was once a coconut orchard, Sanctum serves as a sanctuary for a retired couple. Their daughter & a feline companion join them to offer a tranquil environment for everyday goings-on. The site is a 60’ x 90’ portion of land with six coconut trees. Two teak wood & silver oak trees, each […]
Tucked into the calm, tree-lined lanes of Nagarbhavi in Bangalore, Avani Residence rises as a poetic response to the chaos of the city, a vertical sanctuary where light dances, materials breathe, and space unfolds in gentle rhythms. Designed by Archemist Architects for a family of four, the residence is a nuanced interplay between constraint and […]
The designers envision Asterix Café as a flagship destination that challenges café design conventions. While coffee culture often associates with warm, pastel tones, Asterix dares to be different by embracing darkness as its defining aesthetic. Designed by UrbanNest Design Studio, the bespoke cafe is a bold experiment in creating a multi-functional, community centric space where […]
Adorn, a home filled with earthen design and the laughter of a family of four, nestles in the peaceful neighborhood of Selvapuram, Coimbatore. “On one side, it shares boundaries with cozy family homes; meanwhile, the other side opens to expansive fields dotted with tall trees.” The fresh air scented with greenery sets a calming atmosphere […]
Situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Anandvan residence beautifully embodies biophilic design, fostering a deep connection with nature through its thoughtful integration of outdoor and indoor spaces through open courtyards. Open Courtyards And A Biophilic Design Connect The Outdoors With The Indoors | R+R Architects Location The location and surroundings played a significant role in determining the […]
What if the simplest object in your home could turn into a design icon? Tectona Grandis Furniture and The Architects’ Diary come together to introduce the Chair Affair. This is India’s first-of-its-kind furniture design competition that dares architects and designers across India to rethink the most essential piece of furniture – the Chair. Beyond function, […]
In a calm and serene residential area of Mysore, a 10,000 sq. ft. site with mature mango and coconut trees set the stage for Eden Kindergarten school. One half of the land was already occupied by an existing block, while the other half was shaded by the canopy of old trees. Instead of altering this […]
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 […]