Mantle by Techno Architecture

The STILT level space accommodated the car parks, home office and the staff quarters whereas on the GROUND level it accommodated the common facilities; therefore, it posed a challenge for us in terms of how to introduce massing and induce the interplay of volumes to create a provocative exterior. The FIRST and the SECOND-FLOOR levels housed the private bedrooms and the home theatre. 

Owing to the design brief and in response to the tight site context, the intuitive thought process which also felt like the most obvious one, was to let nature be the guide in designing the spaces and to let it penetrate the built environment. We tried to bring in green wherever we could, create green amidst buildings wherever the space demanded.

Upon approaching the NORTH entrance of the house through a narrow street, one is greeted by a generous arrival port surrounded by a water body which is pushed into the line of the building. The stairs lead to a foyer and a voluminous living space that at first glimpse would make one wonder whether they are indoors or outdoors as it sits cradled in the lap of a large courtyard that lets a gush of light in while maintaining privacy. The living space is the centre of the house where most energies reside, overlooking the dining and the kitchen spaces. The master and the kids’ bedrooms have been placed along the South wall. The central spine houses the stairs which terminate in a skylight bringing in fresh natural light through the day. The sequencing of spaces was derived from the functional patterns of the household activities. A secondary access point has been given to the service zone to avoid disruption from the staff quarters. The terrace floor is completely for entertainment with an attached BAR counter and landscape spaces which the client uses and entertains frequently.

The palette of the interior scheme was kept muted with specs of colours and textures of GREY, TEAKWOOD and OCHRE, that are vicariously derived from the earth, to imbue in the air, a feeling of being amidst the certainty and security of nature. The spaces have been composed in a manner that retains the WARM Indian vibes of the furnishings. The warm white of the walls becomes a perfect backdrop to the quirkiness of the furniture sourced from various places. The light walls compliment the WHITE MARBLE flooring and GREY TEXTURE PAINT, to which a perfectly balanced touch of green is infused by the plants that adorn the courtyard. The richness of TEAK wood of doors.

The green landscape of the site surroundings leads us to choose a color and texture palette that would make the building stand out and yet, be not too loud as to subdue the peaceful setting. ‘Concrete’ - in its raw texture form being the pacifier adds to nature's green. The two materials also enhance each other with mutual grace when lit up.