House In A Garden

With all living spaces arranged along a central spine, the built mass of the house is characterized by timber-shuttered concrete walls folding inwards to create multiple niches and courts in the built envelope. Added on to this are layers of the owners’ collection of found antiques and artifacts from his stints of travel. The central spine manifests itself as the internal corridor which connects all living spaces sequentially; the façade modulates itself in accordance with the function of the interior spaces – changing from a cantilevered overhang that forms the entrance forecourt, to the conservatory structure that frames the dining room from the South-East side, and leading to the kitchen on the extreme North-West which opens out to the deck and swimming pool. A series of portals along the spine highlights the sequential nature of the living spaces, with varying degrees of privacy accorded to each zone: public spaces, for instance, open directly into the forecourt, whereas the relatively private family zone, adjoining the kitchen, has been placed towards the back of the house. In addition to the tree in the forecourt, the Sembhal tree along the South-Western site periphery and the tree towards the North determine the spatial layout of the residence, with multiple balconies and windows opening out to glorious views of their dense canopies.