TADA 2025
SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Project Description:

House 148 A 25-year-old, 3-bedroom, ground + 1 storied house needed to be re-designed to accommodate the growing family with an additional floor built to adapt to their new requirements. The entire exercise of additions and alterations had to be done while maintaining the existing RCC structure. A couple of columns, which came in the way of the revised layout were removed after strengthening the adjacent columns and beams by steel members. Part of the top sloping slab was removed to accommodate the additional floor and also get a double height for the dining space. The main intention of the column-free layout was to create un-interrupted spaces, with large openings connecting the indoors to the outdoors to give a feeling of expanse, especially on the Northern façade that overlooked a large garden. This enabled the use of large sliding folding doors (TOSTEM) on the ground floor connecting the living, dining and family space to the garden seamlessly. A fabricated pergola with glass roof creates a walkway, acting as an intermediate layer between the indoors and outdoors. The family space opens up visually through large fixed glass window (TOSTEM) on the east connecting to a small waterbody with a family temple placed in a corner. The temple walls are clad with rough basalt stone, lit up with alcoves to add to the serenity. The family space can be secluded from the dining space by sliding panels with horizontal slits. A fixed glazing (TOSTEM) in the double height dining space gets in the North light throughout the year. The bedrooms on the top two floors have large sliding windows (TOSTEM), overlooking the garden. The kitchen, in the South- West corner of the house, and accessible from the dining through a sliding door, extends up to the compound wall with a plantation patch touching the wall. A centrally placed island houses the cooking hob along with a breakfast counter accessible from the plantation side. A steel pergola with slanted slats and toughened glass above, stops the sun from hitting the area directly when the sun is overhead. The original RCC staircase was removed to make way for a sleeker steel staircase clad in Wood. The new steps are made of steel plates are fixed to two steel C sections, with a gap on the side of stone clad walls and suspended centrally with steel pipes held up by members from the topmost ceiling. These steel pipes weave through each step holding them together in place. The terrace ambience was aimed at having a cozy family time and hosting friends. The layout thus has a built-in seating along the parapet wall. A bar counter with a lounge seating and a in-situ dining space are placed on either side of the staircase. The grey concrete finished floor tiles, basalt and concrete clad bed backs and walls, wood finished partitions and panels, and light leather furniture come together with an aim to create a subtle ambience which was required by the occupants.