SWATANTRA RESIDENCE
The residence is an intricate play of design and function that found its inception in the client’s passion to create a home for three generations of his family. The client’s mandate was simple and humble; a concrete residence where all spaces remain interconnected like one’s family but also embodies the client’s appreciation of art and design. The project is conceptualized as an inward-looking house where the plan opens at the inner core with triple height courtyard and is an extensive exploration of concrete and art.
The ground floor is spatially designed to accommodate major public areas with a cut-out that itself shifts across the floors, providing green elements and a visual connection to all the spaces. The balconies do not merely provide access to the outer views but include the outer scapes as an element of design itself to the interiors. The pre-existing trees around the site are used to maintain a level of privacy from outside but at the same time provide a freshness of greens to the spaces inside. The upper two levels provide an increased level of privacy for all the family lounges with bedrooms designed solely for the family members. The double-heighted balcony with its screens adds another dimension to the floor. The terrace level is kept as a complete recreational floor with amenities like jacuzzi, halls, open seating areas and such.
Throughout the house concrete is the main element and material used, serving as both, a canvas and the primary art as well. From adding bold pigments to the material to even textures on the surface, the versatility of concrete is clearly visible with every design choice made. Even the furniture, artwork and lighting are carefully designed to accentuate the spatial experience.
The residence revolves around the greens not only in its aesthetics through design elements but operation and functionality as well. From using solar panels on the roof to a rainwater harvesting system in place, all not only complies with the daily needs of its inhabitants but helps the environment thrive as well.
The front elevation provides a true image of its interiors, with Jali and circular cut-out, creating an interactive exterior that arouses a hint of curiosity among every passerby. Well-known architectural concepts like minimalism, brutalism and modernism are reinterpreted and amalgamated into a design that breaks the norm of residential projects in the city to create a building that speaks for itself yet remains a private home to a family.
