Situated in one of the posh by-lanes of Gurgaon, Le Blanc Maison is a house that stands tall as an antithetical response to the context it lives in. It is but a home to the quintessential modern Indian family. While the initial masterplanning, and structural conceptualisation was borne by Atelier DSync, Studiio Dangg brought in the elan, and the contemporary binding to the house that is immensely rooted in the modern school of thought. The house is a conflated culmination of minimal and contemporary ethos, that complement each other in a myriad of ways.
Sitting on a plot of 10,000 square feet, the house is further set back from the entrance and is generously lined with dense foliage that provides much needed privacy to the house and at the same time, gifts the onlooker with some odds, and ends of the house. Upon entering, one is greeted by an expansive lawn unlike most contemporary houses in Gurgaon. The lawn allows one to indulge in a panoramic view of the house, facilitating an exchange of conversation from the inside out. The lawn houses large steps made out of singular stone slabs that lead toward the entry to the house.
The offsetting volumes along with the stark contrast of a white mass against the green turf affords an articulate illustration of volumetric play, resulting in visually interconnecting spaces. Upon entering the lobby, one is immediately faced with a multitude of spaces, all simultaneously holding a dialogue with one another. As the formal living area is visible from every part of the house, while it overlooks a lush lawn that metaphorically pulls one out of metropolitan Gurgaon, the dining and the family lounge share a pause of a small courtyard, and a view of the pool. The perpetual sound of the waterfall by the pool dulls the neighbouring sounds, and is the poetic white noise from which the otherwise by-standing pool borrows meaning from.
A singular staircase in the middle of the house physically bifurcates the public functions of the house from its more private functions towards the back. The visual porosity of the staircase further enhances the volumetric expanse of the house, and acts as a playful respite, magnifying a tangible connection with every part of the house. As it leads to the first floor lobby that holds the three private rooms belonging to each member of the family, one is surprised with the sprawling terrace garden towards the front of the house, inadvertently continuing the landscape from the floor below.
Running along the staircase is the grandmother’s room that takes advantage of the views of a more private backyard, while providing her with the serene space she needs. Adjacent to it is the son’s bedroom that enjoys both a private balcony, and a terrace garden.
The other end of the lobby houses the master bedroom. Akin to a breath of fresh air, the room opens up into a double height lounge seating overlooking the terrace garden, and the pool at the same time. The double height volume further overlooks, and is boastful of the imagery that shows the play of scooped volumes in the facade of the house. The lounge seating flows into the bedroom with a private balcony, and the en suite that is boastful of a view of clear blue skies, and the sound of the waterfall from below - perfectly merging the experience of being immersed in nature.
For a house such as Le Blanc, the architecture and interiors conform immaculately, so much so that they appear the same. Much of this amalgamation is a direct result of the continuity of materials flowing outside-in, and it is this similitude that augments the expanse of the house ten-fold. The bold linearity of the structure effortlessly flows into the language of the interior, such that even the furniture is heavily inspired by strong modern elements. The quiet introduction of colour solely through accents allows one to borrow on the experience of a complementary relationship between the white of the house, the greens of the lawns, and the impalpable trimmings added to the house over time.
With whimsical volumes and large openings, Le Blanc is a pristine canvas for the light and shadow play that immerses the entire house. Each space gestures to the other, forming a flamboyant bond within itself. The intentionally minimal nature of the intervention in the interior spaces makes way for the architecture to percolate within, encouraging an incessant dialogue between the two. The materiality of the house ensures that the whole house is perceived as one atmosphere planted within the landscape; like a glorious art piece sitting on a pedestal in a gallery. An effortless abode, Le Blanc is a standing testament to the significance of simplicity. In the absence of decadent or artful motifs throughout the house, the architecture becomes the art to be experienced, and felt with every passing second.
From the double height staircase, to the thinning symmetry of the overlapping masses, to the astonishingly panoramic views - Le Blanc endows a keepsake of ever changing experiences through each space of the house.
Team:
Architect: Studiio Dangg
Photographed by: Suryan//Dang (Saurabh Suryan & Lokesh Dang)
