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Architecture

2024

The 2700 sq. ft. West facing site located in Nutan Nagar–is in one of the oldest parts of Rajkot, Gujarat which is highly prestigious and centrally located. The early site conditions contained a house in which the client spent most of his childhood over many years and with the expansion of the family it made sense to demolish the old house and allow the new architecture to be subtle yet modern and contemporary which allows the pure forms and spaces to become a backdrop for the family’s new generation lifestyle. Rajkot is the city where people prefer to reside closure to the central city and land prices are much higher in this parts. Thus the plot sizes are little smaller and people tend to take most of the land as built envelope. Client’s requirement was to accommodate six bedrooms and a separate Puja space room. Task was little challenging to accommodate 6 bedrooms in a plot size of 2700 sq. ft. area with just one side open towards road, but they took the challenge so keeping in mind the overall size, spaciousness and lavishness of the project should not be compromised.

This project accommodates three generation family members. The ground floor consists of living, dining, kitchen, puja room and a bedroom for client’s grandmother. The second floor consists of two master bedrooms, one guest bedroom along with portion of slab cut out on the dining area below. The partial second floor consists of kids’ room and master bedroom which opens into terrace garden offering open terrace sit out.

Main constrain for them was to get natural light in the central part of the bungalow as it had only one side open in front. Dining space is placed in the centre of the bungalow having no large windows. The quest for making use of natural light and use of natural greens from compound to the top floor was the key shaping architecture of this bungalow. The signature features like the triple height with glass deck on top that draws natural light into its interiors, sloping overlapped roof and the staggered green plants patches across different levels bring a sense of tranquility. The house is the result of a harmonic set of volumes intertwined with each other that produce a mosaic of light and shadow, transparency, and opacity, where internal and external spaces inter as one environment.

Rajkot,Gujarat,India

Architects	:	Align Studio
Area	:	2700 sq. ft.
Year	:	2024
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/alignstudio.in/

Exterior view of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Living room of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

The home's external finishes are composed of indigenous materials which were sourced locally. The exterior of the home features matrix Indian stone (Hard Quartzite or Slate) cladding on the compound wall and the projecting balcony volumes. It is put together in flutes pattern creating rhythm rather than putting whole slabs of full size. The entry and parking area paved with Indian Kadapa stone finished in leather-like finish. Clay tiled slopping roof, are not only cost effective but a material that is locally made and associated with the memory of many family generations. A representative image of most of the Indian villages. To create visual harmony, corrugated metal screening was incorporated in the centre of the first floor and a huge unconventional round shaped metal plate was put onto the compound wall which also acts as name plate that effectively balances the colour palette of the exterior facade. This metal plate stands out well on the black matrix stone cladded wall.

Dining of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Double height wall of dining area features a beautifully crafted depiction of Shreenathji Bhagvan Mukharvind

For the interiors, they used more modern-day finishes combined with altered materials on feature wall of most spaces. The entrance features an intricately detailed door ornamented with veneer and wooden accents, all finished with a natural polish. This creates a striking effect reminisce nt of a pixelated light dark polish pattern. They used artificial stone work on one wall of entrance foyer which is also visible from sitting area of living room. Bronze mirrors put together in pattern that enhances the volume through its reflections. The clients, who are Vaishnava and devoted followers of Shreenathji Bhagwan, asked them to use artwork related to Shreenathji for a prominent area. They determined that the dining wall was the perfect location for this special feature as it was connected both horizontally and vertically to various other areas across different levels. Double-height wall of dining area features carving work from local artisans, featuring a beautifully crafted depiction of Shreenathji Bhagvan’s Mukharvin.

Dining to kitchen view of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Upper floor view of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

During the day, this double-height space with a glass deck above allows ample sunlight to illuminate the wall beautifully. Backdrop of TV unit in the living area was designed with the dining accent wall in mind, creating a seamless visual connection between the living and dining spaces. Weaving pattern unfired clay cladding from MCM Cladding is used on the wall behind the sofa in living. Clay used by MCM to craft their products is constituted from recycled materials to reduce the carbon footprint (source - claimed by the MCM company on their website).

Bedroom of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Bedroom 2 of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Bedroom 3 of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Bedroom 4 of The Tranquil Mosaic by Align Studio

Interiors are crafted with combination of PU coated colours and wood veneer finishes. One of the

bedrooms on the first floor features white rock stone cladded onto the bedside wall, creating a minimalistic yet uplifting atmosphere for the wall. In the other bedroom, an Asian paint texture is integrated into the bedside wall, complemented by a blend of subtle PU coated colours. With kids room they have tried to keep the atmosphere relaxed and fresh with the use of vibrant subtle colours. Bunk bed railing is composed of cylindrical shaped wood chunks inserted in wooden members at different heights making it a playful as well as it acts as safety element of the bunk bed. The master bedroom boasts a generous volume, enhanced by the sloping roof created. This room has vibrant yet pleasing colour scheme combination. Dark colour covers the main walls only till lintel level and walls above that along with the slopes of the roof inside is covered in morning glory with the combination of teak wood wooden members in ceiling.