along with the norms of vaastu-shastra, the larger principle used to design this 2,600 sq.ft. house was to divide it into 2 functional zones – one for the private spaces & the other for the public spaces – along the north-south axis. the client’s demand of having all the daily necessity spaces – living, dining, kitchen, ‘pooja’ room, 2 bedrooms & toilets – on the ground floor was also catered to.  the living & the kitchen were placed on either side of the central sky-light, below which the magnet of the entire house was placed i.e., the dining area. the positioning of an l-type, folded plate, ferrocrete staircase around the dining adds a play to this central core.

the living extends onto the outdoor seating area which hosts a traditional rajasthani swing. the kitchen is connected to the utility space on the rear side (south side) of the house. continuing the same grid, the first floor is composed of 2 bedrooms, toilets & a multi-purpose room. carving out a block from the ground floor grid, provision was made for 2 car parks next to the entry porch.

in order to harvest the rainwater, the entire surface run-off from the terrace has been channelized through the water spout on the front façade into a recharge pit on the ground. additionally, solar pv panels have been installed on the terrace to generate electricity for the house.

the client wanted a house that was simple but still makes a statement. we studied the traditional residential typology of pune – the ‘wada’ – which was always as simple & elegant and was mostly constructed in exposed brick or basalt stone. we decided to use bricks as it has a timeless appeal & when composed on a large surface its aesthetics is unmatched.

massing of the structure has been kept subtle & is focused on highlighting the materiality of brick. to complement the red colour of the brick, exposed concrete box windows & weather shades have been introduced. also, the square grid of rough cement finish plaster on the compound wall accentuates the presence of bricks. in order to break the monotony of the brick façade & also to provide privacy, ‘jaali’ work has been used.

while the material palette (brick & concrete) for the exteriors of the building is carefully chosen to give it a simple & a natural look; the interiors also follow a similar approach. the material palette comprising of teakwood finish & light colours helps in providing a neat, clean & a spacious ambience.

the main usp of the interior design is the use of ‘patterns’ in defining different spaces. the seed of this once again lies in our study of the traditional indian architecture where the use of such patterns is evident in floorings, wall carvings, ceilings, etc. according to ‘vaastu-shastra’ the use of such shapes & patterns boosts the energy flow & generates positive vibrations. these positive vibrations transform a house into an abode. hence, we call this house – the brick abode.