Saraansh – Nitin Varsha House | URBSCAPES
House is a summary of one’s beliefs and values. So is Nitin Varsha House. Situated in the eastern part of Ahmedabad, the house sits on a square plot with two shared walls, allowing views to the corner opening. With road on two sides, the house open ups to allow light to the opposite corner.
The clients wanted a modern house with natural finishes. Local stone, brick, concrete wood was the obvious choice. These materials allowed a lot of flexibility to create variations within them to bring out cheerful spaces for the young and sporty family. Nitin and Varsha played a vital role by giving their smallest requirements of storage, a utility to involvement in the final selection. Their involvement was crucial indeed.
The materials allowed a great permutation of patterns possible. Each day in the design process gave an opportunity to explore these materials and create a spatial envelope for them. As days passed by, each pattern became an element to explore. The memory associated with making of each pattern holds a space on the stair landing in form of “Saraansh – the summary”.
The house welcomes with the wooden gate, built in a traditional way with the brick jali compound wall, allows peeping inside the house with a curiosity. The granite finished floating ramp lifts one up to the verandah through the landscape. The main entrance draws attention to the double height foyer with cobbled floor creating a sense of inside-out.
The Living spaces open up to the deck outside allowing a wider vision by extending till the plot boundary. The brick wall acts as the backdrop to the formal-informal space with different bonds on it depicting the functional datum. The space unfolds to the dinning space and to the kitchen with a stair in the middle.
The concrete clock embedded in the wall scatters the digits along with the fix dials. The scars on the valsadi tead wood table, reminds the story of the recycled wood and the great workmanship of the carpenter.
The platform keeps floating by hugging the wall, allowing the floor to extend. The store and utility space attached the kitchen providing the essential needs. The cooking space opens up to the verandah outside allowing them to participate in the street life, and creating possible kitchen extension during parties.
The stair divides the two wings of public /private on lower floor and unites the two sleeping area on upper floor with a reading space and lounge. The stair explores wood with metal railing flowing to the first floor library space. The wooden louvers adjust the light required for reading and cutting off the view to the road.
Master bedroom with black Kadappa stone, opens up to two balconies on either side and a dress/toilet cube on the other side. Valsadi teak, Pinewood and concrete make up the ceiling with LED track lights. The bathing space explores Madras Kadappa stone in various finishes, opening into the balcony covered with lush green bushes for privacy, and tries to break through the mindset of closed bathing areas in dense urban context. The balcony is an extension to the bedroom in the real sense.
With transparent parapet, the balcony overlooks the street allowing view, and cutting harsh sun to the sleeping area. It acts as a climatic buffer from outside to inside – a verandah in true sense.
The son’s bedroom on the other wing explores Andhra Grey Kotah Stone with various finishes based on spatial need, with a backdrop of brick wall with different brink bonds forming datum lines.
The exposed brick wall here works as a stage for the young engineer, with bricks jutting out to hold small LED lamps. An alcove with wooden seat cantilevers out from the bedroom floor, extending the habitable space. The bathing space here explored exposed concrete as finish, avoiding the conventional tiles. Concrete, wood, stone, and glass create the envelope overlooking the double height of the service yard below.
The house summaries the wishes of the family, their beliefs and values. House Nitin Varsha is in true sense their Saraansh.
Fact File:
Project:Saraansh – House Nitin Varsha
Client: Nitin, Varsha, & Sunny Vyas
Design Firm: URBSCAPES
Principal Architect: Narendra Mangwani, Nidhi Parikh
Design Assistance: Jay Bhanushali, Avni Kanani, Prabhuti Desai, Mansi Pitroda, Khushboo Anandpura.
Photography: Kartik Rathod, Prabhuti Desai, Khushboo Anandpura.
Status: Built (2014-2017)
Area: 4000 sqft approx
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Building design: Ar. Krunal Panchal
Contractor & Engineer: Bhavin Panchal
The way we design spaces that people inhabit goes beyond mere functionality. It requires an intentional sensitivity to how each detail shapes the overall experience and interaction with the surrounding ecological context. Nestled in the suburban periphery of Nashik, the project occupies a 3700 sq. ft. plot located at the dead-end of a street, adjacent […]
Kerala style homes have courtyards surrounded by rooms on each side. Traditional Kerala-style homes have a central courtyard known as Nadumuttam surrounded by rooms. These homes promote natural light and ventilation according to the region’s climate. These homes, due to the feature of courtyards as their core spaces, offer beautiful opportunities for social gatherings. This […]
In a time when design is often reduced to trends, Yaahvi’s light design stands as a reminder of tactility, tradition, and craftsmanship. Founded by Nikita Bansal, who journeyed from Assam to the global design stage, champions a philosophy where contemporary aesthetics meet age-old Indian craftsmanship. In this exclusive interview, Nikita reflects on her early influences, […]
India, a nation bustling with innovation and a constant drive for progress, is increasingly embracing an unconventional yet incredibly promising architectural trend: container architecture. We are witnessing a fascinating transformation, as discarded shipping containers, once traversing the high seas laden with goods, now find new life as dynamic, sustainable, and surprisingly sophisticated living and working […]
This bungalow style house influences the site context and can be visualised in multiple facades of sharp edges & cuboidal form. Her,e salient features like U-Projection are an expression of the bench on a level one. The house divides itself into three bays. On the ground floor, where first bay acquire all public activities like […]
Imagine yourself on the terrace of your hidden mountain retreat, drinking a fresh cup of coffee as you admire the sunrise emerging from behind the rolling hills across the valley. This serene atmosphere is exactly what Hello Wood’s latest project, the Console House, is designed to offer. The Console House showcases modern architecture design while […]
As cities continue to grow and evolve, there is a growing desire to incorporate elements of rural living into urban design. By embracing rural living principles, cities can create more eco-friendly and sustainable spaces. Rural living is not just about wide-open spaces and rolling hills. It’s also about community, sustainability, and a connection to nature. […]
Located in the thriving city of Ichalkaranji, this is an example of luxury residences is a seamless blend of timeless elegance and modern sophistication. The striking exterior, adorned with brick and natural stone cladding, exudes warmth, character, and permanence. These rich textures create a visually captivating façade, harmonizing tradition with contemporary design while making a […]
Throughout history, stone has embodied permanence, artistry, and raw beauty in architecture. From the grandeur of Roman amphitheaters to the earthy elegance of modern villas, stone remains a beloved material for its strength, sustainability, and aesthetic richness. As design trends evolve toward natural materials, eco-conscious decisions, and biophilic design, stone has found new expressions — […]
The space adopts a biophilic office design and climate-responsive approach, creating a workspace that reimagines urban interiors by deeply embedding them with nature. The style is earthy, minimal, and modern with a strong contextual sensitivity to its location. Also, a lush canopy surrounds the bare-shell site on the first floor, allowing for abundant daylight and […]