Aangan: The courtyard house by Sustainable Architecture For Earth

For the interiors, the local timbers were sourced within 100km radius and have been extensively used for windows, ceilings and furniture. The double height timber feature wall located in the living room is made of pine tree skin picked from the waste of the saw mills and naturally seasoned before use. We value working with the local artisans and craftsperson and respect their skills by incorporating their inherited knowledge in the design. The design choices were formulated according to the client’s priorities and analysed in detail to accommodate the local materials and traditional crafts. The carpets that embellish the interiors are all handmade in India. The ceiling of the prayer room is adorned by miniature hand paintings by the artisans of Mandawa, which connects the family to their Marwari roots. Further, to balance the aesthetics and maintain visual harmony, we majorly worked with a neutral colour palette of browns and off-whites, and picked the shades close to the natural timber materials. We tried to slip in local materials wherever we could without compromising on the expectations of our clients.

Greeneries are the main element of the project and the circulation and the living areas are designed to revolve around it. The residents are welcomed by the palms at the entrance of the staircase on the ground floor. They walk around the tree in the staircase as they ascend to the second floor into the main living room. This living room is a double-height space which opens into the courtyard adorned with grass, bamboo, iris and a ‘Terminalia Mantaly Tricolour’ tree. The open plan connects it to the dining and prayer areas partially separated by delicate curtains and a planter. As we move further up, the lounge on the third floor shares the second courtyard with the bedrooms. This second courtyard is topped with a skylight, nurturing grass and the bird of paradise plant which is a visual treat for the spaces on the upper floors. Greeneries invite birds, butterflies, bees and dragonflies which enhances biodiversity and embraces nature. The courtyards and the greens sprinkle nature and life into the introverted design of this apartment and make-up for the absence of balconies on all sides. It creates a biophilic environment, which blurs the boundary between inside and outside.

A private narrow driveway connects the main gate of the complex to the parking spot of the apartment through the industrial buildings. The parking space is on the ground floor facing the south. The residents are welcomed by the palms at the entrance of the staircase on the ground floor with the steel structure topped with sleek timber planks projecting visual lightness. One is accompanied by these tropical greens and the delicate hanging lamps, in the staircase wellhole, as they ascend to the second floor into the main living room.

Being the first room, it is rich in volume, has good connectivity with the rest of the house, and is inclusive of nature. It is a double-height space with a south-facing sliding folding door opening into the green courtyard. It mutates into a semi-open space directly bringing the outdoors in and is enriched with sunlight throughout the day. The feature wall is made of sun-dried pine tree skin, which is a waste of sawmills and the false ceiling is made of local pine wood. The precious Bengal Tiger taxidermy that adorns this wall has been a part of the family for generations. The classic brown tufted sofa accompanied by the beige diwan is set against the vibrant green courtyard. While the muted earthy materials have been used to create calmness, the mix of the metallic gold coffee table and the curved timber side table elevates the contemporary mood of the space. One could spend hours peacefully sitting on the diwan looking at the blue skies, birds flying, and flowers blooming, like a cocoon away from the hustle-bustle of the busy area. 

The kitchen has a modern classic aesthetic designed to match the personalities of its residents. This east-facing room is lit up by the morning sun and occupied throughout the day making it the busiest room of the house. The flooring comprises low maintenance tiles whose muddy feel matches the earthy theme of the house. The custom made wooden cabinets, Vermeer’s famous painting The milk-maid, Delftware wall-plates and spice shelves add a classic touch to its ambience.

The Dining area stands in the middle of the lower (second) floor plan. It is surrounded by the living room on the south, the kitchen on the east and the family seating space and prayer room in the north. It is partially separated by the palm planter and sheer curtains to create visual openness in spatial planning. The teak wood table top is inspired by the wooden scheme of the house and the flexible seating is a combination of a bench and chairs. While the overall decor of this area is grounded, the proximity to the main family areas and the courtyard overlooking the living room elevates the biophilic spatial quality. 

Remotely placed on the northern side of the upper floor, the master bedroom is an oasis on its own. While the large north-facing windows, peaking the sloped ceiling, overlook the industrial campus; the southern window opens into the lush green courtyard with a skylight that showers sunlight into the room. It has a generous walk-in closet with dressing space and a luxurious toilet. The dressing space is separated by a low height wall to emphasise the continuity of the pitched roof through the room. The vintage brass chandelier and pendant lights add a classical luxury accent to the room, while the modern furniture boasts utility.