House Madhuram by Kacholiya Architects is an urban outstands in the local landscape. The design speaks for itself in terms of the urban style adopted; located in a rather dense locality, the site is neighboured by G + 2 storey structures on either sides, posing as a hurdle in terms of space & light restriction. Placed with a 30’ x 60’ alignment to the plot, the designer has managed to draw up a built-up area of 4240 square feet within a plot area of 1770 square feet.
The requirement was that of a 5 BHK space to be designed for a young couple, primarily housing the four permanent members of the house. House comprising of a master bedroom, two children bedrooms, one room for occasionally visiting in-laws & a guest room. The design is fully vastu complaint & has been curated keeping in mind the daily needs & conveniences of the family, keeping it simplistic but functional.
Designed, with ‘Family Living’ as the heart concept, the designer has played interestingly with the use of light & double-heighted spaces. The front & the posterior facades work towards getting in light inside the building. The architect has used the dearth of light from side facades to his benefit by rethinking the spaces into double heighted areas & use of skylights & creatively using the front & back facades to draw in light as well.
The building primarily has two entry points- one for the guests, leading into the drawing room & another for the family members directly opening into the family room. The entire house has been divided into two zones- the ground floor as a semi-private area with spaces for collective family functions & the first floor as an entirely private area housing the bedrooms. A bridge has been designed at the first floor which connects the master bedroom with the children’s rooms. The bridge along with the double heighted spaces make the unit appear as a whole.
The entire theme of the house has been designed to be neutral & white. The walls have been visualised as blank canvases, to be punctuated at regular intervals by furniture & fabrics that add colour to the palette. The colour theme of the temple area contrasts with the rest of the house.
There is an extensive use of the concept of diffused natural light & artificial light & a perfect balance of both has been achieved within the spaces. As the facade is mostly South facing, in order to handle the harsh lighting, the elevation has been treated by creating massing using big balconies & Rajasthani jaalis, in such a way that the spaces receive diffused lighting. Skylights have been placed towards the Eastern edge, drawing in NE light, which is less harsh & quite subtle. The Rajasthani jaalis are used to not only highlight the massing in the elevation, but also create dramatic shadows that develop as the day passes by.
On the whole, the house is a breath of fresh urbanistic view which stands out in its traditional housing context.
