PUBLISHED IN IFJ_MAY JUNE_2021

98

the indian review of world furniture, interiors and design

volume 18 . issue 03 . may - june 2021

“Architecture is really about well-being. I think that people want to feel good in a space.”

ZAHA HADID

focus : villas

industry forum : bath spaces

high flier : ar. jude d ’ souza

STEPPED CUBE HOUSE, AHMEDABAD

Prashant Parmar Architects (Shayona Consultants), Ahmedabad Design brief and aim To build a home that offers privacy and security.

How this was accomplished Located in a densely populated neighborhood, the compact plot of 42-ft. by 62-ft. was exposed to residential development on three sides and a road. The home consists of a drawing room, formal living space, dining space, kitchen and four bedrooms with an elevator, serving the space.

Several factors affected the plan of the home; that it must follow the sun path that moves from the front (in the eastern direction) to the rear side (in the southern direction), air flow from the south to north, Vaastu, extreme heat during the summer, density of residential development and a large common wall on the north.

The parents’ bedroom is situated in the northwest corner within minimal interiors and connects with a semi-covered private garden

with a pergola. A staircase and elevator on the northern side maintains a decluttered space, and a stone-clad wall with a mural maintains interest.

The first floor is a private space with a lounge and terrace garden.

The master bedroom on the southwest is connected to the terrace garden and features a walk-in closet and ensuite. The top floor brings in natural light and ventilation through the skylight, and the private terrace garden is separated by a screen wall with a circular cutout. This allows free airflow from the southern side, and is covered with pergolas, artificial lawns and natural planters.

MAY-JUNE

FOCUS

Articulated as a three-story home, the floor plates are stacked resembling a cuboid, with integrated solid volumes and natural steps. The roof transforms into the terrace garden, and the compound wall creates the effect of a flat background from which the cubes protrude. The southeast corner of the site was chosen for natural light and airflow.

Dividing the house into nine sections in accordance with Vaastu, the entrance is marked from the northeast shaded by a verandah.

The double-height puja area is in the northeast corner, and a skylight in the central brahmasthan allows in natural light. The drawing room is connected to a small gazebo in the front garden, while the dining area is connected to a semicovered verandah and a water body on the southern side. The rear contains the utilities and staff room.

82

83