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
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