“The Endraped House” is located in a planned residential colony of Sector-14, Hisar. It is a Renovation & Expansion project having the client and the architect to be on the same side of the table. Being fortunate to design the Area Program & the brief, it was decided to turn the “12 year old ready-bought house” into a Mixed-Use Residence-cum-Office space.
The interiors of both House & Office are inspired by “Elegance of Bhaarat” (Ancient name of India). In a context where majority is trying to mimic the Westernised modernity, the recreation of Indianised Interior Spaces creates a sense of affinity & inclusivity by making the masses feel like they’ve truly arrived home! This house makes a statement that “One can accept Modernity without rejecting the culture!” Dynamic, yet subtle, the interiors are driven by Earthy Materiality, Geometric patterns & some vibrant colors, creating a minimalistic indigenous impression.
Earlier having residences for two nuclear families, the house now accommodates a Residence on the Ground Floor & rear 1st floor, a Design Studio on front 1st Floor & a recreational/multipurpose space on the 2nd Floor. The amalgamation of these three spaces has been carefully articulated keeping their hierarchy of Privacy levels in consideration by using two sets of Staircases, one of them being a Duplex for the residence part. Structural retrofitting was an important step taken to strengthen the house for the added dead-load.
The heart or the central area of the residence was void of any natural light & ventilation, thus, the old-living room was reshuffled as a double height structure with a skylight. It allows the natural light to reduce the visual weight of interiors & also accommodates an Active-passive cooling strategy. A huge-but-silent fan induces air circulation, virtually bringing the outside into the interiors via “Breeze Effect”. The interior air is, thus, cooler & fresher!
The façade design is inspired from Saree, an Indian Traditional Dress for the Ladies, is a symbol of Elegance in Indian Culture & Heritage. Just like a mother safeguards the family and binds everyone together with her warmth, similarly the dynamic & fluidic facade design covers the west face like a Drapery of Mothers’ Saree, protecting the “house” from the harsh sun and, provides a unique identity to the “home”, evoking the same sense of emotions between a mother and her family.
The facade design tries to capture the grace of a saree flowing in the wind. Even though static, its fluid form creates a dynamic sense of motion for the passersby on the streets. Since the façade had to be rested on a 8-feet Cantilever, so “Bamboo” has been used as the primary skin material, making the façade Sustainable, light weight & reflecting an organic look. Energy-efficiency of the House was achieved by solar shading and passive cooling through venturi effect created by the facade, thereby reducing operational expenses of the residence. The result is a dynamic, rippling surface that breathes new life into the surrounding environment.
Keeping better health & wellness of the users in focus, Leather-stone finish Golden Limestone flooring, Natural Oak & Teak Finished carpentry & furniture, Lime wall-paint have been used and Oil based paints have been avoided. The materiality & colours also induce a sense of calm & positivity in the users.