Light-filled spaces with a neutral palette and privacy to the interior spaces was all what our clients briefed us on. Located in a quiet residential neighbourhood this two-storeyed home spans 2100 sq.ft. and was executed amidst the madness of the lockdowns. It is envisioned as a bare canvas articulating a concrete block with strong connections to the landscaping and accents of exposed brick that is carried into interiors as well.

Residence Articulating a Concrete Block with Strong Connections to the Landscaping and Accents of Exposed Brick | Creative Concepts Designers

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No two concrete surfaces look or feel the same, which speaks about the honesty of the material that possesses a subtle beauty to the facade.The corner windows create an interesting play of volumes & voids on the exterior translating a similar language in the double height volume on the interior.

The design intent was to create a clutter-free & function driven home for our clients with varied personalities.This four bedroom haven is designed as a perfect mix of ethnic and modern materials that come together where the family feels at home.A few challenges encountered due to the pandemic led to a making spontaneous design changes to create a warm & welcoming atmosphere.

Ground Level 

The porch & the entrance are cladded with exposed brick complemented by concrete walls to create a sense of harmony.The heart of this home is the exposed brick wall at the double-height sunken living space bringing in texture and warmth as you walk in.The double height living area forms a visual connect to the upper floors featuring a raindrop like chandelier highlighting the volume created.

The ground level is designed with a sense of fluidity even with the distinct partition installed to establish spatial arrangement.This openness allows room for conversation, whether the family is dining or cooking in the kitchen or lounging in the living area.The living space houses furniture sourced from Magari,Gulmohar Lane and Lap & Dado along with customised pieces from StudioMade show textural and material diversity.

The live edge dining table from Freedom Tree, a contemporary looking Puja cabinet from The House of Things and a dining console from FabIndia all in earthy muted tones follow the same design language.The living and dining decks act as an extension to the respective spaces adding a contrast with lush green landscaping by Sorrel against the concrete walls The open kitchen was planned to be purely functional as per our clients requirements inclining towards a neutral palette with the black framed windows as a contrasting element. 

The First Level 

This level hosts the master suite, guest bedroom, a study area and the laundry room. The master bedroom is designed to flood the room with daylight with a muted pastel palette providing a serene atmosphere.Light coloured wooden look-alike tiles,distressed wooden furniture and double layered drapes make it a cozy and inviting space.

The U-shaped walk-in closet with hints of greenery through the clerestory features reflective glass cladded sliding doors to create an illusion of a larger volume with his and hers closets on either side.The guest bedroom is a simple and chic room with pastel drapes,a black metal bed from Gulmohar Lane and the floral cladded wardrobes that come together effortlessly.Keeping the material palette clean and simple, the combination of wood & metal is always a winner! The study area is partitioned from the corridor space with a custom metal & glass partition designed to be purely functional with a large wooden desk as per our clients requirements.

The Second Level

This level comprises the two sons’ bedrooms that we designed in its simplicity maximising the light and ventilation from the corner windows.The interiors were conceptualised to have an understated and casual vibe keeping in mind the users personalities. The entertainment area that leads in to a beautiful terrace garden,covered with a wooden pergola perfect spot in the home to host family & friends!

FACT FILE

Designed by : Creative Concepts Designers

Project Type : Residential

Project Name : The Lockdown House 

Location : Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Year Built : 2021

Duration of project : 1.5 years

Plot Area : 2400 Sqft

Built up : 4200 Sqft

Project Size: sq feet :  Carpet Area : 2100 Sqft 

Project Cost Appx : Construction Cost : 1.25 Cr

Principal Architect : Harshitaa Mocherla 

Team Design Credits : Harshitaa Mocherla & Sandhya Mohan

Photograph Courtesy : Yash R Jain

Drawings :

Material Palette of the project :

Color Palette for each area :

Products And Materials : Finishes | Wallcovering and Cladding – Local Carpenters & Contractors  | Construction Materials – Exposed Brick, Exposed Concrete & Ash Fly Bricks with M-Sand | Lighting – Orange Tree Lighting & Custom made Lighting  | Doors and Partitions – Mikasa & Custom made partitions | Sanitaryware – Kohler  | Facade Systems – Exposed Brick by Studio Tyto | Windows – Fenesta  | Furniture – Gulmohar Lane, Fab India , Freedom Tree, Magari, Lap & Dado, House of Things, Ikea, Studio Made & Custom Made furniture by CCD | Flooring – Indulge Floors, Chennai IN  | Kitchen – Tristar Kitchens  | Paint – Asian Paints  | Artefacts – Nicobar, Fab India, Westside Home & Personal Collection  | Wallpaper – Asian Paints  | Hardware -Thahir Hardware

Consultants for the Project : 

Civil – Hayaghreev Homes  | Interior Designers – Creative Concepts Designers  | Landscape Architects – Sorrel Gardens, Chennai  | MEP & HVAC Consultants – Creative Concepts Designers | Structure Engineers Hayaghreev Homes  | Lighting Designers – Creative Concepts Designers

Basic Insights of your firm and the project :

1.  Please share with us challenges faced by you during the process of design ideation till execution of the project. We are sure there might be many and you would have overcome it successfully. 

This project began towards the end of 2019 and when the first lockdown hit, we faced a lot of challenges with labour and frequent changing of teams. This lead to a lots of miscommunication and quality check. Moreover due to travel restrictions we had to re select a lot of materials like tiles & furniture to hand over the project on time for our clients who had a deadline of moving in on or before April 14th 2021. Collobrating with some colleagues in the field really helped us work towards are timeline.

2. What is that one design element in the entire space which has your heart.

Concrete being an extremely versatile material, creates a raw and monolithic expression to the building. It forms  simple yet striking volumes designed to create a contrast against nature and the lush landscaping. The juxtaposition of the exposed brick and exposed concrete adds texture & contrast to the otherwise smooth facade creating drama and warm welcoming environment. 

The double height living area is another favourite that is designed to foster visual connectivity to the upper levels and also brings in a bright interior to the bridge on the first level as well. The space looks out to lush landscaping through the large windows bringing in the freshness of the outdoors. The rain-drop like cascading  chandelier is designed to fill the volume and adds vibrancy to the space.

3. Please share a few sketches of the project

4. Design Style which is followed by the project

Minimal – Stripped to its core function,neutral colours, simple forms and reusing the same materials throughout the project.

Materials used in their true form that will age beautifully over time along with the building.

5. Inspiration for this project

Bauhaus school of thought – The idea of simplistic design with no decorative details and the design favours function. Key characteristics – Open Floor plan, Cubic shapes & Flat roofs 

Firm’s Website Link : https://www.c-c-d.in/

Firm’s Instagram Link : https://www.instagram.com/concepts_c/

Email Id (For any inquiry) : [email protected]