City: BENGALURU

 NAME OF THE PROJECT: MANOJ JAIN RESIDENCE

The idea of a second home in the context of growing economic conditions is more of a reality today. These homes in some cases serve as getaway spaces from the bustling and chaotic conditions of the city. Usually they are located far away from the city or on its edge. These conditions allow for the investigation of emerging conditions, as the idea of a house as long term or even lifetime investment, signifying permanence, is changing and reflects the uncertain and temporal conditions.

The week end home for Mr. Jain, a young business man who wanted a place where his family of 3 and friends could spend time during weekends or on holidays. The brief arrived at after several deliberations with the client was fairly simple, it needed to be free from the encumbrances of a conventional city home or the traditional farm house and also called for generous outdoor gathering spaces. The site conditions and the program were ideal to explore this emerging scenario, located on the edge of the city in a residential enclave surrounded by green belt areas. The site measured 527m² defined by roads on two edges along the east and the south. An existing club house catering to the enclave defined the other side of the road on the eastern edge.

The idea revolved around the notion of pavilions and outdoor rooms which would encourage sensitive engagement with the context. Taking cue from the existing trees lining the western and the northern edges, an intimate open to sky space was defined by the programmatic envelope along the eastern and the southern edges. These included spaces for sleeping, dining, toilets, access stair for the upper levels, where the need for multipurpose space was accommodated. These spaces were further resolved as identifiable spaces (pavilions) allowing the project to take on the character of inhabited landscape rather than conventional home where these spaces engage with the open to sky spaces and the surroundings. These un-built spaces are further modulated in terms of section as stepped courts or bermed gardens encouraging informal gathering spaces. The entry to the pavilion is along the southern edge leading one along to the kitchenette in the north through an informal lounging space or access the private sleeping space and access to the upper level in the southwest corner. This organization also creates an interesting relationship between outdoor room and the garden on the eastern edge. These two spaces are connected by a lounging space with collapsible doors on the either side which when opened forms a continuous space. The upper level multipurpose space, primarily used as an entertainment space is totally detached, supported with four independent composite wood and plywood columns rising to 5 meters in height this space opens out to views along the east and west directions.

The constructional logic explores the idea of temporality with an experimental angle. Here materials like plantation timber, plywood, bamboo and industrial roofing sheets are combined with conventional masonry technology to create assemblage which engages with nature. The contrasting centers in the house express the different uses and methods of making the different parts. The lower level is defined by bamboo columns and lathe and plaster walls strengthened by split bamboo grid work. The roof is plantation timber beams supporting industrial roofing. The upper level box has timber frame work and wall system similar to lower level. Simple plywood paneling and window systems define the east and the western edges of the multipurpose box. The framing system is also the architects continuing research into sustainable practices using bamboo, plywood and the local hard woods which are durable but susceptible to warping, how the resolution of these characteristics and incorporating the local and traditional skill sets of carpenters, masons etc could be the origin of architectural expression rooted to the times.

Usage of materials like bamboo, plantation timber, plywood etc. suggests an attempt to address ecological concerns. This light weight and renewable technology is user friendly, easy to construct and ideal for earthquake and hurricane prone areas. The look and feel of the project helps to bring to focus the fact that these alternate materials need not be looked upon as poor man’s timber but can be exploited in areas of application like urban houses, resorts, farmhouses, dhabas, interiors of restaurants etc.

 NAME OF THE PROJECT: Rohan Ashima

This is a row house project built on a 3.5-acre land parcel. The development comprises 41 four-bedroom residences and 20 three-bedroom residences.

Site Planning and Circulation

Almost all houses are oriented along the North–South axis, except for the ones facing the pool. A central pedestrian spine runs through the development, linking all the internal streets, open spaces, and recreational facilities. Importantly, there is no vehicular movement at ground level. Residents park their vehicles in the basement directly under their respective units and access their homes via a flight of steps leading up to the entrance foyer.

The ground level is fully pedestrianized, with thoughtfully designed water bodies, timber decks, and landscaped pathways enhancing the experience.

Open and Recreational Spaces

The primary open space is organized around an existing Tamarind tree, under which a timber deck has been constructed. A swimming pool is aligned on axis with the tree.

The clubhouse is centrally located along the main pedestrian spine and is elevated 8 feet above the ground, allowing for movement underneath. A reflective pool flows beneath the clubhouse, part of the continuous water spine.

The party hall and gymnasium are placed on the first and second floors of the clubhouse, offering expansive views of the landscaped spine due to their strategic placement.

Residential Design and Typologies

Residences front a narrow internal street, inspired by traditional Indian streetscapes. Some rooms bridge across at the second-floor level, contributing to a sense of enclosure and scale.

At the rear, residences open into private gardens, which then lead to shared common greens. A level difference between these two zones provides privacy and acts as a subtle barrier.

4-Bedroom Units

Typically sit half on the ground and half in the basement.

Named Ashima (or Aseema, meaning “without boundaries”), the design reflects openness by removing internal walls and using split levels to provide spatial definition and privacy.

Planned as interlocking volumes, each unit includes a sky-lit central courtyard that brings natural light deep into the home.

Living and dining spaces open both to this internal court and to the rear garden.

A staircase along the court leads up to a terrace with metal pergolas.

First-floor bedrooms have access to terraces and balconies that overlook the common green.

The top bedroom, with its curved roof and clerestory lighting, also opens to a terrace at the second-floor level.

The facades are layered with balconies and pergolas, providing depth and articulation.

3-Bedroom Units

Are stacked vertically: the ground floor and part of the first floor form the lower unit, while the remaining first floor and the second floor form the upper unit.

The lower unit benefits from garden access, while the upper unit enjoys a sky-lit court and terrace.

NAME OF THE PROJECT: Integrated product development organization for Dr. Reddys

BUILT-UP AREA: 50000 SqM

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT: 

This is a Pharmaceutical research institute for Dr. Reddy’s. All the research activities from all different centers were brought under one roof in a campus of 100 acres housing 750 scientists.

Locating the building was important. A site was identified in the campus facing the golf course forming a bowl with water body at the center of the bowl.

Using the advantage of the slope in this land, a basement was created at the lower level. One half of the basement opened at the ground level towards the golf course and the water body.

Activity spaces like dining, library and recreational zones faces the amphitheater. Also a reflective pool is created in front of the dining at lower level.

ORIENTATION

Structures are oriented with larger exposure towards the North/South and the least exposure towards the west.

Store and wash areas act like Buffer Zones against radiation towards the East and West.

Store and wash areas act like Buffer zones against radiation toward the East and West.

AIR MOVEMENT

The Structure opens up in the North/South direction, allowing breeze to move through.

These spaces are designed to act as wind catchers/wind tunnels using Ventury effect.

LANDSCAPE

Taking advantage of the existing landscape, greenary is brought inside the building making it an integral part of the built environment.

VISUAL AXIS

The structure responds to the axial vista, overlooking the Lake and Greenary.

Views are captured right through. One gets glimpses of the ‘Vista’ as one walks through the structure.

A large amphitheater is carved out along the slope towards the Northern side. The amphitheater was envisaged to hold a large gathering of the entire company.

Though there were several different types of labs, it is made to feel like one large laboratory by providing transparent glazing as walls.

Though the depth of the building is about 60m, there is abundant natural light inside through continuous skylights in between the labs.

There is an attempt to bring in natural light to all the working areas.

Skylights run through on top of the corridors bringing in light to all the labs.

LEARNING THROUGH INTERACTION

Spacial hierarchy of interaction spaces from individual work areas to formal discussions rooms to informal meeting places—culminating into an Amphitheater—uniting the whole development as a entity.

There are breakout spaces in the ground and first floor level.

The dining in the basement level opens out to a water body.

A large amphitheater was formed next to the water body.

Breakout Spaces are strategically placed at the junction of the corridors. These breakout spaces are looked at as creative zones where there is scope of ides to be born out of interaction.

These breakout spaces with coffee vending machines and colorful graphic panels open to the inter court on to one side and over look the green spaces to the North and South sides.

SERVICES

All the services except the AHU’s are placed at the basement levels whereas the AHU’s are placed at the terrace level.

 

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT FACULTY HOUSING

The program put up a requirement of twenty four number 2000sq.ft. apartments with covered car parking for select IIM-B faculty members. This was to be developed as Phase 1, with adequate consideration for possible future expansion.

The site allocated within the sprawling campus connected two roads on either sides and sloped from east to west. Towards the north-east was the existing faculty housing while towards the south-west there was a children’s park with an open well at the western corner. The site derives character from a number of large rain trees towards the west and some tall vertical trees towards the north and south of the site.

The design brought forth a row housing scheme oriented in the north-south direction, on either sides of a pedestrianised linear plaza, approached through entrance courts that lie in the soft shade of the existing rain trees. The topography of the site was played up to it’s maximum advantage and the plaza, which acts as a vibrant community lung space, was planned in two levels. While the lower level doubled up as an emergency vehicle movement path that linked the two existing roads on either sides of the site, the upper level, towards the north, housed the car parking beneath it and gradually stepped down from east to west. Keeping in mind the natural slopes offered by the site, the surface run-off was directed to the existing well, and the rainwater from terraces and balconies were collected and re-used for non-potable purposes.

The units were designed as interlocking volumes stacked one above the other, with the entrance lobby and guest bedroom facing the plaza whereas the living and dining areas face a rear garden. A sub-urban house feel was conceptualized with contained personal spaces and an introspective nature, yet, with a connect to the outside. The lower residence steps down from the foyer to the living areas with a court that becomes a link inbetween, while the skylight above the staircase brings in ambient daylight and reflects it to the other areas. The upper unit steps up from the lobby level to the common areas with a central sky-lit court in the centre that acts as focal feature. The staggered volumes facilitate double height ceilings that allow a vertical transition of spaces – from common areas at the lower levels to private bedrooms that are tucked away on upper mezzanines. The spaces are articulated in terms of volumes and at every level they maintain a visual relation with the whole. The interior furnishing of the residences were left to the occupants to be furnished according to their taste.

Externally, the massing is expressed as an engaging composition of seemingly random white cubes with scooped out volumes that translate into balcony spaces and terraces.

Salient Feature of the Project

Name & Location : Brigade Courtyard, HMT Layout,
Cost of Project : (INR) 45 Crores
Built-up area : 2,60,000 sq.ft
(In case of Public Building minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Description of Project :

To fit 180+ apartments on a narrow 2 acre linear site and yet provide a sense of openness and connection to nature and light formed the basic requirement. The brief required the design to achieve the required built up area within a low-rise, G+3 scheme. Various density studies were explored to achieve this built up area. The maximum yield was obtained by arranging two wings of apartment blocks along the length of site, separated by a linear open space. At the narrowest parts of site, these two wings came close to each other and even a G+3 structure would have been overbearing, besides creating undesirable apartment facing proximities. This then birthed an architectural response using a section that stepped backwards as it rose, creating landscaped terraced buffers. This in tum generated various apartment terrace types.

The design challenge was how to effectively tackle the require4 dense nature of the project for the users, without compromising on the builders economic requirements. Each apartment unit is hence designed with its own landscaped terrace or sitout space. This series of varying landscaped terraces form a successful landscaped buffer between adjacent and opposite blocks ,thus making each apartment unit behave like an individual house in itself. The idea of private landscaped terrace and sitouts is achieved by means of interlock of apartment units, each one uniquely designed and positioned across this four storey complex. Once an apartment block was designed, minor iterations and juxtapositions made the conjoined series of blocks still present unique, seemingly non-repeating fagade runs. Thus a series of landscaped terraces are created, which tumble down to the larger central garden, which in turn responds to the existing reserve forest on the opposite side of the approach road.

NAME OF THE PROJECT: ROHAN MITHILA PUNE

DESCRIPTION OF  THE PROJECT: 

A cluster of 7storied apartments with 800 flats had to be planned on 13acre land with roads on 3 sides. Intent was to create a central landscape area where surrounding flats look in to it. A vehicular road on periphery would keep central green totally traffic free.

Entry plaza with its triple height colonnades behave as a transition space taking one away from noisy exterior space to the serene interiors.

The entries at a higher level allows to view the entire stretch of green and slowly descends along wide cascading steps with water bodies reflecting the space around and making soothing sound of water Multiple entries are carved out along the periphery, bring transparency in to the built form and breaking the monotony of facade.

Central spine having apartments all around is formed with large green space, which happens at two different levels, Central green gets carried onto the podium level as well and it is this vocabulary of tranquil cascading landscape that binds together the entire project. Green wall along the basement facing central space creates visual buffer for cars.

Along the green space different activities, like coffee shop, library, swimming pools, play area,gym etc. are located ,this axis culminates in to the focal point where a dynamic composition of clubhouse is placed, having reflective pool in front mirroring the facade in water thus making the experience more dramatic

Secondary axis is formed as green walk within the apartments amidst green landscaped area accentuated with fountains, sitting areas etc giving sense of staying close to nature and visually binding together multiple blocks.

Each apartment is oriented along north south is planned to ensure its own privacy and to get external view, required light and ventilation from every corner. Every unit had to be evolved to make it most functional in terms of furniture arrangement without wasting floor space.

Landscape area is designed to have multiple activities for different age groups to be used during different times of the day and different seasons. Varying levels are used to create outdoor activities, sitting places, cascading pool, children’s play areas etc. The double &triple height colonnades, pavilions of varying proportions would define spaces for interaction-becoming multifunctional spaces.

Scaling of this space to make it’ humane’ was important. This has been achieved through play of built mass and through sequence of layering and using double heights on the facade.

Gaps in between each block of 3meter are akin to wind tunnels bringing in constant breeze. On the whole with its unique architecture,all spaces connect and communicates with the people, which in turn create a long lasting impression in their respective journey of life.

As the dusk descends, the light in the landscape slowly starts coming to life accenting water bodies and greenery ,changing the feel of entire environment.

Structure is of RCC columns and beams. Walls are of block masonry which is plastered and painted. Floooring is of vitrified tiles and flamed sadarhalli.

 

NAME OF THE PROJECT: Agastya International Foundation Auditorium

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: 

Architectural Response

The architectural response for the program was tucked in to the existing lay of the land. Cut and fill became the process of integrating our structure to the slopes, hence the idea was eventually to merge the structure with the existing profile of the earth.

Functional Efficiency

The structure was designed as a multifunctional space that hosted workshops and also served as classrooms for children beyond its use as an auditorium / community space.

The natural topography of the land enabled us to create multiple spaces at varying levels.

Efficiency in provision of services and installation systems

The Services were well integrated in the structure, as they were incorporated right from the design stage.

The services run along the girder profile and drop down at the required areas.

The structure was designed future ready to take care of fresh air ducts in the interior along the girder profile and installation of photo voltaic panels on the roof top later on.

The cat-walk and the support systems for the specialized lighting and speakers were designed along with the structural system.

Favorable environmental impact

The auditorium was built along the lay of the land without disturbing the existing land profile and the movement of water.

The valley on both sides of the structure were connected to a series of water holding ponds that not only harvested rain water, but also recharged the natural aquifer of the land and enhancing the micro climate of the site.

The skin of the structure was built from locally available brick and stone which served as good insulation for heat and sound.

The interior was naturally lit and ventilated with skylights and turbo-ventilators. The skin of the enclosure terminated with the roof with perforated mesh, allowing natural flow of air into the interiors.

The challenges of building a steel structure in a rural setting.

The programme was sensitively designed to integrate climate, culture and context.

Long term construction view – to spend wisely and avoid spending on running costs and maintenance was an important aspect of the project.

The structure was designed future ready to incorporate photovoltaic panels and wind energy turbines

Local material was integrated with steel structure simplifying construction process.

Local labor was involved into the programme with an idea that the money spent goes back into the tertiary level of society. The questions that flooded our mind were many.

The Multiuse nature of the structure set in rural surroundings were many – a space for the community, class rooms space for a discuss range of activities, from art, science, music, cultural and others. so the intent was clear.

Having satisfied the ‘ why ‘ the next generation was ‘ How ‘. The search ended with looking at steel and the marriage of the structural determinant, to the intent of a large spanned spaces.

‘ A positive problem solving attitude ‘ prevailed right thru the design and construction programme. the ‘ buts’ were replaced by ‘ alternative ways of looking solutions. And finally this attitude helped resolve the many problems that arose.

The other questions was – will the structure look incongruous in this setting? After a lot of searching the solutions evolved along the lives of a steel pod placed on a larger earthen pod between two swales.

Considering that the steel that supports the pod also, came out of the same earth lent a larger meaning to our architectural statement. We felt a certain connection that gave strength to our belief that however cold that this material is made out to be …. its sensitive handling can create a feeling of warmth to the people inhabiting

Location: Bangalore

Built-up Area: 141000 sq.ft

A home is often illustrated using pitched roofs covered with vines, and a garden with many trees. This impression of a dwelling is far from reality with the ever-increasing density of today’s cities. Under the influence of market forces, we witness the blind stacking of floors in housing projects and the unempathetic cramming of people into the tightest of spaces. This is usually followed by landscaping strategies that ironically start with the ‘clearing away of trees and vegetation’ of the site before construction. We wished to overcome the oft-seen failure of housing projects to exhibit the importance of generating a dialogue with their immediate environments.

The clients (a city-based developer) presented us with a brief that included housing units and typical amenities along with communal spaces. In spite of the speculative nature of the project, they also requested for the preservation of trees on the given site, presenting us with an opportunity to explore a new paradigm within the housing scenario. Sited amongst dense greenery within a residential precinct in Bangalore, the ‘Homes around Trees’ project is an apartment building development for thirty-eight units. The building places itself in a formidable thicket on a 1.1 acre piece of land. Hence, the conservation of not only the trees, but the experience of the site itself turned into the main objective that kick-started the design process. 

A rectangular footprint is generated in conjunction with the existing trees on site as loci. A sculpted mass is generated, with the tree-volumes imprinted onto the 10-storey building as a set of concave incursions. The close relationship fostered with the trees not only provides a unique identity to the homes but also instills a sense of belonging and rootedness within the community. These tree-scoops are activated by programmes that ensure that people are drawn to the outer edges, naturally. Communal spaces like reading rooms, lobbies and indoor sports areas occupy the double height volumes of the ground floor, bound by the vast volumes of the ‘tree-scoops’. A diagonal incision between the two largest scoops that embrace and protect a Banyan and a Raintree respectively, forms a street-like activator. Another set of programmes that include a swimming pool and amphitheatre is placed on the terrace of the building, which offer views of the city skyline across the tree canopies. 

Sandwiched between these two layers of communal spaces are the dwelling units; all of which open onto the two long sides of the building. A floor plan with two cores was adopted, each catering to two units each. The units open up to abundant natural light and cross-ventilation. The spaces inside the dwelling unit; the living room, dining room and the bedrooms, benefit from the close proximity of trees and thereby become part of the thriving ecosystem that each of them host.

On the elevation, the scoops read as large concave incursions that define the four facades of the building; embracing and framing the trees they protect. With a skin of louvers, these scoops form cyclorama-like backdrops for these trees – an architecture that neither overpowers nor underwhelms the landscape. ‘Homes around Trees’ is a housing project that does justice not only to its users, but also to the habitat it is situated within. Respecting the symbiotic relationship a building ought to have with its surroundings, the structure compels viewers to comprehend the sense of urgency needed to preserve our environment.