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Architecture

2016

Photographer : Avesh Gaur

Sahira is an Arabic name which means mountain. If you are asked to think of an ancient/natural human habitat, among many things, an image of a mountain/cave would pop up in your mind for sure. That's the reason we call it Sahira, a human-centric habitat having its indigeneity intact.

The site sits in an urban and densely populated locality and the street which opens to brims with a lot of bustles. Here, spaces are created and crafted as per need and convenience, uninfluenced and unaffected by vogue. A family of four - 2 kids and parents wanted a house that would make them wonder and grow as life at the same time. The street is only 2.8 m wide and on top of that neighborhood houses have their balconies popped out to further stifle the space, to address this issue front of sahira is molded and sculpted in such a way that it cuts down the southern sun and shaded enclosures are created which interact with surroundings in a different manner.

Panipat,Haryana,India

Architects	:	Studio acrosszero
Year	:	2016
Website	:	https://acrosszero.wixsite.com/website

DAY

NIGHT

The extruded volume opens to the street at an angle which forms a vantage point to look across the depth of the street and relish the hustle-bustle of the street without getting exposed to it. Actual drinking glasses are used to give multiple circular perforations on the front wall which act as stars for the external space and internal space during night and day respectively, tickling the curiosity of a child within us to wonder and explore the world around us.

The building is a G+2 structure, facing south. Ground floor is for shop and upper floors for residential purposes. As the plot is a narrow one, so creating the access and a smooth spatial transition was quite a challenge.

So we cut the volume sideways and extended it deep from the front, making us enter a double-height volume with a cut-out open to the sky; flushing the space with the light and ensuring the effective wind movement. On the other side, space is leveled up three steps, creating a dining deck area which further extends into the kitchen and kids' room that has the stars on the wall.

In the lobby area, steps pop out from the wall dramatically to reach the corridor above which is basically a connecting bridge for the volumes on either side. Overlooking space is created here at this level where the mother gives tuition to kids in the evening.

For the one who is inside - can enjoy the solitude as well as the others' company and for the one who is outside in the street, this piece of art is spreading its joyfulness.

Diagram 1 - The face of the three-sided covered site opens to quite a narrow street (2.8m) and adding to which the neighborhood has its balconies popped out.

Diagram 2- In order to avoid the stifling experience, the faces are aligned along the street. So, one doesn't see the residence closely opposite to it but the open street ends. Hence, privacy yet openness. The internal courtyard is planned for light and ventilation.

Diagram 3 - Other faces are stimulated for the south sun to act as better over hangings and to take less volume out from the street. The small circular perforations are given on the face for having the stars on the wall for the children's room.