Red Brick Studio was approached to build a weekend home for a couple (and their dog!) with a brief that suggested the weekend house be simple yet sophisticated, non-indulgent, and something that prioritises function over form. As a response to this, the Oblique House came about. The slope house attempts to be honest, bare, and minimal to the point of being almost frugal. It was created to serve its primary function of creating an intimate space considering the complexity of the terrain and beautiful views of the Uksan Lake.
Editor’s Note: “Red Brick Studio’s Oblique House is a minimalist retreat home with a view of Uksan Lake. Designed with sustainability in mind, this design is nestled into the slightly sloped terrain, leaving the slightly flat land free for an orchard. The building employs poured stone rubble and fly ash masonry while integrating natural materials with passive cooling and open planning.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
This Slope House Is A Functional Retreat Amidst Nature | Red Brick Studio
With the recent increase in second-home tourism, the studio wished to create a positive environmental impact by minimizing ground impact and maximizing site potential while lowering the energy value of the built mass using contextually appropriate technologies & materials.
The site had an interesting topography, starting with a flat patch upfront which starts steadily sloping down eventually reaching the edge of the lake.
Going against the conventional practice, the studio proposed to reserve the flat part for the orchard the client wished for, set the house on the sloping part of the site, and use the natural topography to tuck away the majority of the house from the view at the entrance.
The planning of the house is akin to a simple cruciform plan, where the central arm along the slope is embedded in the ground and the other is stilted and sits lightly on the ground.
The central mass; built out of poured stone rubble walls; emerges from the ground taking one gently down the landscaped basalt steps to the red entrance door.
It also has a slight tilt in plan, which not only opens up the views of the living room towards the lake but also aligns the bedroom towards the setting sun.
Steel columns stilt the rest of the house, preserving the sloping land underneath. Exposed fly ash masonry walls envelop this block, with strategically placed openings framing the picturesque hillsides around the lake.
As opposed to the rather hard and bare exterior, the interiors of the house are a welcome contrast. Natural lime plaster renders the insides, keeping the interiors cooler during the hot summers. Meanwhile, its breathable capacity ensures that moisture doesn’t remain in the walls. Additionally, a skylight at the center of the house bathes the stairwell with natural sunlight.
Custom-designed metal french doors, manufactured by the studio themselves, open completely to connect the spaces to the outdoors. The white walls and black floor create a neutral backdrop. Thereby, highlighting the pops of color in the furniture and artwork, all crafted by the client herself!
The design team mindfully kept the landscape very raw, choosing hardy native trees and wild grass over more manicured options. Additionally, the studio hopes that with time the vegetation takes over the bare built mass, architecture slowly recedes and lets nature itself receive all the attention.
Fact File
Designed by: Red Brick Studio
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Oblique House
Location: Kamshet, Maharashtra
Year: 2024
Built Up Area: 1614.59 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Ankur Kothari, Tamanna Arif & Anil Poduval
Photograph Courtesy: Hemant Patil & Sohaib Ilyas
Structural Design: Himanshu Tulpule
Contractor: Mahesh Mainmar
Fabrication: Ashok Chouhan
Manufacturers: Saint-Gobain, TATA
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Red Brick Studio
The Firm’s Instagram Link: Red Brick Studio
Firm’s Facebook Link: Red Brick Studio
For Similar Project>> This Aesthetic Courtyard House With Lush Landscape Design Offers A Calm Aura To The Users
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 […]