Contextually, the site lies in a busy suburban part of the city where one can find Residences, Schools, Shopping centers, Religious institutions, a Lake nearby all co-exist. The complex setting of the neighborhood posed a real challenge in developing the character of the design. The building needed to be slightly introverted while still belonging to the ground it stands on and interacting with its surroundings.
The brief stated the design to be culturally relevant as the client had a strong cultural and traditional connection. The positions of the temple room, Master bedroom, etc. were worked out as per the specifications of Vaastu.
The program was divided into 3 main floor levels and an office space on the Terrace level. The 1st level at -0.75m level, which can be called as the Stilt level, housed the parking, garden and a small quarters for the housekeeping staff. The stilt needed not to be entirely cutoff from the rest of the structure. Hence, the lowering of the stilt below ground level and providing a visual connection from the Dining room balcony on the floor above was able to achieve it.
At the 2nd level one enters the building with an elongated foyer followed by the main Living space, Dining, Kitchen and 2 bedrooms. The front façade along the foyer and the living is cladded with concrete blocks that replace the conventional metal safety grills.
The entrance foyer is naturally lit by a wall of slits and a skylight above. Light entering through various slits is a regular occurrence in the design.
Bedrooms and other private spaces occupy the 3rd level. The private Living space on this floor gives entry to 2 bedrooms and overlooks an elongated balcony on the Northern side.
