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
This contemporary courtyard house is designed within constraints that often give rise to the most creative solutions. This residence, nestled in a landlocked plot flanked by development on three sides, represents a unique architectural intervention that turns limitation into opportunity. The client’s vision was both unusual and ambitious: to create a twin house under one […]
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 […]
In this modern luxury home, courtyards spill into living spaces, and the lines between inside and outside dissolve into a seamless whole. This 17,800 sq. ft. bungalow in Anand, by Hiren Patel Architects, blurs the boundaries between landscape, architecture, and interiors, creating a home where nature isn’t just the backdrop but an integral part of […]
Nestled in the foothills of the Shivalik range, the Himalayas is our latest project, Ekasham — a private residence refurbishment and redevelopment project, spread across an area of 2177 sqm. The monolithic home, through its volumes, composed of old and new structures, merges into a singular silhouette evoking the presence of a monolith from which […]
Ishaar is rooted in the belief that architecture should not just be seen, but deeply felt. Drawing from brutalist principles and natural tactility, the holiday villa is designed as a sensory retreat, where material, sound, light, and temperature shape the guest’s experience. Set amidst rural farmland, the villa dissolves into its landscape through a choreography […]
“Vishram Vaadi Nu Ghar” means a serene retreat amidst mango and chikoo farms, crafted to reflect the client’s vision in their mother tongue Gujarati. Vishram is a serene ground-touch structure offering breathtaking views of the Purna River and is a thoughtful example of countryside house design. Nestled amidst lush Amba and Chikoo Vaadi, the design […]
This single-story sustainable home in Ezhupunna blends traditional Kerala architecture with tropical, eco-friendly design. Inspired by the “kullakadavu” concept, a central pond encourages family interaction while enhancing the landscape. This Ezhupunna Home is Rooted in Eco-friendly Design | Judson Associates Architects & Interiors Despite being near lakes and beaches, adding a pond improves year-round moisture […]
In the heart of New Anjar, a small town tucked into the arid landscape of Kachchh, Gujarat, sits one of those modest houses designed with a quiet sense of clarity. Built for a Muslim family spanning three generations, the home isn’t trying to make a bold statement from its street-facing façade. Instead, it leans into […]
The house showcases a modern three-story residence exemplifying contemporary architectural design through its clean lines, geometric volumes, and a balanced interplay of materials. The facade skillfully combines textured tile cladding, smooth plaster, and contrasting color blocks in neutral shades of gray, black, and earthy rust, adding visual depth and dynamism. Expansive glass panels framed in […]
House of Silhouettes is located in Navratan, Udaipur. The plot is a corner one facing north and west 60’x40′ with a built-up area of 6500 sq.ft., designed in contemporary modern architecture as an independent house at three levels, including terrace. House of Silhouettes Reflects Contemporary Modern Architecture | Shaunak Singh and Associates This contemporary residence […]