search
  • The Brick House| Studio Ardete

    Text description provided by the architectsLocated in a modest residential neighborhood of sector 20, Panchkula, The Brick House, with a plot size of 42’ X 82’, overlooks a woody park towards South and South-East across the road on the front, and shares its boundary with a lawn on the South-West, offering picturesque views of nature along two major frontages. The family consists of a couple in their fifties and their elderly mother. They wanted three bedrooms, a decent kitchen with a separate cooking area, and a large common space with living and dining. As the client was reconstructing their home, they were clear that they wanted to have unbound access to the lawn, which happens to be one of the perks of the site’s location and orientation. They wanted to make the lawn a part of their day-to-day routine.

    The Brick House | Studio Ardete

    visit : Studio Ardete

    The space requirements given to us could all be accommodated on ground level; therefore, it posed a challenge for us in terms of how to introduce massing and induce the interplay of volumes to create a provocative exterior. Concept – Owing to the brief and in response to the site context, the intuitive thought process which also felt like the most obvious one, was to let nature be the guide in designing the spaces and to let it penetrate the built environment. Paying an ode to Ando’s philosophy, “We borrow the space from nature upon which we build”, we tried to bring in green wherever we could, create green amidst built wherever the space demanded, and capture its essence where we could do neither.

     Upon approaching the South entrance of the house through a short traverse along the lawn, one is greeted by a generous verandah which is pushed into the line of the building, decked up with flowery planter pots that the owner’s wife insisted on keeping, along with a swing set to enjoy evening teas on, breathing in the green of nature. The verandah leads to a voluminous living space that at first glimpse would make one wonder whether they are indoors or not since it sits cradled in the lap of two courtyards that let a gush of light in. The living area is cocooned deep into the house away from the lawn to be protected by the harsh sun from the southwest.

    The interior composition of the spaces was envisioned as an attempt at bringing about the convergence of habitat and nature. The living space is the center of the house where most energies reside, receives serenity of nature from the lawn on the south and vitality from sunlight that enters through courtyards on the east and west. The view of the green outside is sincerely captured and put conspicuously right beside the most frequented space so that it becomes the subconscious background to the life playing inside.

    The master and guest bedrooms have been placed along the South wall overlooking the lawn, making the user feel a constant connection with nature. The mother’s bedroom faces the South-East wall overlooking the park across the road. The courtyard on the east of the living is a green court lined with glass on three sides that visually and physically connects the bedrooms to the living space and instills a sense of fluidity. The courtyard sits deep into the living room to ensure mutual shading of the spaces adjoining it. The courtyard on the west of the living house’s dining which further leads up to the kitchen, spice kitchen, and a service area towards the rear. The sequencing of spaces was derived from the functional patterns of the household activities. A secondary access point has been given to the service zone to avoid disruption from house help.

     The cognitive confluence of courtyards enhances the space by bringing in light, a hope for all life. They rise to attain double-story height, masoned with pigmented wire cut bricks, the color, and texture of which give an inherent feeling of being ensconced by the cozy soil. About a quarter of the total height of the courtyard’s wall is lined up with brick jali. The depth of the courtyard ensures that only reflected light enters during noon and jali lets in diffused light during dawn and twilight hours and so, the rhythm of light is made to dance along the tune of the brick’s music throughout the day to achieve a pacified state of thermal well-being.

    The palette of the interior scheme was kept muted with specs of colors and textures of stone, walnut wood, and bricks, that are vicariously derived from the earth, to imbue in the air, a feeling of being amidst the certainty and security of nature. The spaces have been composed in a manner that retains the traditional Indian vibes of the furnishings that the client prepossessed. The warm white of the walls becomes a perfect backdrop to block printed tapestry and hand-drawn sketches made by the owner’s wife. The light walls compliment the gray flooring and red bricks, to which a perfectly balanced touch of green is infused by the plants that adorn the courtyard. The richness of walnut wood of doors and gold of brass pots add earthy elegance to the whole setup and transport you to faraway villages of India.

    The green landscape of the site surroundings leads us to choose a color and texture palette that would make the building stand out and yet, be not too loud as to subdue the peaceful setting. To manifest an interactive relationship of the built envelope with nature, an element common to both – ‘Brick’ was chosen, whereas to solidify it, ‘Concrete’ – in its raw form; brick red all the while being the contrast and gray being the pacifier, to nature’s green. In keeping with Ando’s quote, “The Sun never knew how great it was till it hit the side of a building”, the two materials also enhance each other with mutual grace when lit up. The frontage of south-east and south-west opened two adjacent sides that would become the dominant face of the house visible to onlookers. This gave us a canvas to work upon.

    The volumetric staggering derived from diverse spatial characteristics of the living room; courtyards and verandah, cohesively conclude to form a facade that makes even the light wonder where to hit it from so that light itself may stand out rather than the building. The graceful jail feature of traditional Indian architecture is woven into the brick masonry which equipoises the plain and tactile nature of concrete. The main door facing east is accentuated by a defined concrete frame that subtly contrasts with the brown walnut wood. The facade is ribboned with a sleek window that enhances the horizontality of the building and being a shy foot above eye level, also takes care of privacy from the front. From reminding one of the homes of their childhood, reminiscent of exposed bricks and aangan to standing proudly amidst the modern city houses, it also preserves the cultural identity of the past. The Brick House thus, truly makes a person feel belonged.

    FACT FILE

    Designed by : Studio Ardete

    Project Type : Residential

    Project Name : The Brick House

    Location : PANCHKULA, INDIA

    Area : 239 m²

    Year : 2021

    Photographs : Purnesh Dev Nikhanj

    Lead Architects :  Ar. Badrinath Kaleru & Ar. Prerna kaleru

    Firm’s Website Link : Studio Ardete

    Firm’s Instagram Link :  Studio Ardete

    Firm’s Facebook Link  : Studio Ardete

    Source : Archdaily

    For Similar Project>>>  THIS RESIDENTIAL SPACE OUGHT TO TELEPORT US TO A MOROCCAN STYLE HOME, HAVING A SIGNIFICANT CONNECT WITH NATURE

    This 4000 sq ft House Design Unfolds Calm Lifestyle | Avani Mudra Design

    “Viraam,” a 4000 sq ft house design that embodies its literal translation: “a pause.” The vision is to create a sanctuary for relaxation, introspection, and to escape from the constant demands of daily life – an urban void for personal retreat. This 4000 sq ft House Design Unfolds Calm Lifestyle | Avani Mudra Design Reimagining […]

    Read More

    This Indian Contemporary House Design is a Tranquil Retreat | DESIGNEX

    The facade of this Indian contemporary house design strikes a careful balance between solids and voids, with sculpted forms that reveal the inner workings of the space. The design plays with light and shadow, creating visual depth and intrigue from the exterior. The form resembles a cuboid that has been scooped out, while the outer […]

    Read More

    This 5 Storey Building Takes Inspiration From Haveli | SJK Architects 

    This 5 storey building takes inspiration from ancient haveli architecture. “Hailing from north India, the family held deep nostalgia for haveli, large residences with communal courtyards called chowks, projecting balconies called jharokhas and intricate brick or stone lattice screens called jaalis, vernacular to many western and northern regions of India,” said SJK Architects partner Vaishali […]

    Read More

    This Residence Embraces Tradition with Stone Clad Walls | Gaurav Deore Architects

    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 […]

    Read More

    This Load-Bearing House Embeds Original Integrity with Contemporary Design | Studio Kosha

    This remodelling project aimed to revitalise a load-bearing house while respecting its original integrity and adapting it to contemporary needs. The design approach prioritised minimal structural intervention, allowing the existing framework to guide spatial reconfiguration. Careful consideration was given to preserving the load-bearing walls, which formed the backbone of the original construction. Openings were strategically […]

    Read More

    This Modern Approach Redefines Indian Temple Architecture | Karan Darda Architects

    Redefining Indian temple architecture, the relocation of the existing shrine due to a new residential project presented an opportunity to design a space that seamlessly integrates tradition with contemporary needs. The given 400 sq. ft. site was envisioned not merely as a shrine to Lord Datta, a local deity, but as a vibrant community space, […]

    Read More

    This Compact House Design is Rooted in Tradition | Design Matters

    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 […]

    Read More

    This Multi Generational Home Blends Aesthetics & Functionality | Design Consortium

    This multi generational home is a testament to the ability of the design practice to blend aesthetic appeal with practical functionality. Keeping environmental sustainability and the welfare of the community at the forefront, Bhowal designed a home that was truly ahead of its time. His visionary approach and the Design Consortium’s expertise in providing a […]

    Read More

    Farmhouse Designs in India: 15 Inspiring Styles To Know

    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 […]

    Read More

    50 Best Pillar Design Ideas And Inspirations For Indian Spaces

    Pillar design is a cornerstone of architectural elegance, seamlessly blending structural support with aesthetic appeal. Our blog, “50 Best Pillar Design Inspirations,” celebrates this essential element, showcasing a variety of styles from classical Doric and Ionic to contemporary and avant-garde innovations. Whether you’re an architect, interior designer, or a design enthusiast, these pillar design inspirations […]

    Read More
  • Simple And Classic Home Wrapped In A Feel-Good Vibe | INNOVER BY SAKSHI GEHANI

    Villa KD45 Residence | Studio Symbiosis