Who lives here: A couple, their two children and the husband’s parents

Location: New Delhi

Year built: 2019

Plot size: 220 square metres (2368 square feet)

Design firm: Ambrish Arora, Sidhartha Talwar, Anusha Pulapaka and Harshvardhan Kumawat

The task entrusted to Studio Lotus was a challenging one – they were to design one home, with two distinct yet connected quarters that were to accommodate the son’s family and his parents, on a site measuring 220 square metres. Not only was the plot conservative in size, it was enclosed on three sides by buildings, with one of the narrow sides open to access. The brief to the firm was “to create an airy, day-lit sanctuary while retaining a strong visual connection between the different units to facilitate a sense of connected living”.

This resulted in a series of vertically stacked spaces – a four-storey house designed as two stacked duplexes around a central courtyard and a small rear courtyard that allowed light and ventilation to penetrate the lower floors. According to Ambrish Arora, co-founder and principal, “The house borrows from traditional building patterns as much as it does from modern technological innovation.”

The brick façade is a precursor to the earthy organic palette within.

Staggered balconies fronting the house are as much a design feature as an interactive one. The use of different materials, namely red brick and yellow stone, brings in an element of texture and colour – a trick that’s been used indoors as well, to offset the largely quiet canvas.

A central courtyard rises all the way up through the four floors, with the living quarters built on three sides. The one unbroken wall spanning all floors is painted off-white – a colour that reflects light into the internal spaces that are staggered around it. The courtyard is covered with a skylight that helps diffuse natural light into the living spaces. Walkways that overlook the courtyard connect these living spaces. The simple metal balustrades are a spin-off from the overall minimalist aesthetic of the house, keeping things light and airy.

The linear stairwell connecting all floors has been placed along the southern side, since that is the side receiving the lowest levels of natural light. Pale wood clads the staircase to lighten up the space and minimise this drawback. The floors are a pale terrazzo, and give an impression of spaciousness.

Arora explains, “The courtyard is also flanked by verandahs that
are outdoor extensions to life within the house and a place for different family units to be able to chat across from the space they occupy, like in an old fashioned aangan.” Sliding glass doors and exposed metal work serve to facilitate the overarching intent of crafting light and roomy volumes.

Says Arora, “The earthy material palette elevates the tactile experience of the home while complementing the open, airy spaces.”