India’s cities
are expanding and in the capital city of Delhi; city-building is a constant activity with around-the-clock construction. As the city centre gets crowded
and land prices skyrocket, people look for respite in satellite cities and
suburbs like Noida - a city close to Delhi that has more affordable land, and
open, green spaces. People investing in the existing housing stock in Noida
tend to tear them down completely and rebuild a residence to match their own
needs and aspirations. However, this comes with its dual problems of high cost
and ecological impact. Tearing down a building and then rebuilding a house is
an expensive endeavour with a large carbon footprint. What can architects do
with these structures, whose ‘skeletons’ are in decent condition but the spaces
do not reflect the requirements of the clients?
Is there another way beyond demolish and
rebuild?
We at UnBox
Design found ourselves facing this same question when we were approached by a
family to build their dream house in a densely populated neighbourhood in
Noida. The site was a tight urban plot surrounded by buildings on all three
sides. The only opening was towards the front of the site. The site had an
existing structure, a decade old, which was lying abandoned for the past couple
of years. This building was in a state of disrepair. The existing house had 3
bedrooms and a couple of living rooms spread across two floors. The client with
their new programme wanted 5 bedrooms, a combined living-dining space, a small
lounge, and a separate area where a young couple could entertain friends and
family over weekends. Our client thought it best to demolish the structure and
rebuild it entirely.
However, while
conducting the structural analysis of the existing building, we came to the
conclusion that the existing structure is structurally sound. Hence, we at
UnBox proposed an alternative of re-using existing structural elements but at
the same time retrofitting the spaces according to modern needs of the family.
This alternative not only helped cut down on an overall carbon footprint of an
entirely ‘new’ structure but at the same time helped keep the budgets of the
client in check!
Once the
structural concerns were allayed, we focused on the site - since it was a
3-sided closed plot, the tight footprint had limited views with scanty light
and ventilation. For this very reason, all liveable spaces are arranged towards
the open ends of the site and a skylight is provided in the central core. These
spaces also open out into balconies and terraces, forming a natural extension
to these liveable areas. We increased the size of openings to get in maximum
amount of light and to facilitate natural ventilation all across the plot.
While building the connection within, the privacy of the house as well as the
seamlessness had to be ensured.
The building
typology is developed in such a manner that it creates a balance between the
built and the open, which is fundamental to integral living. The lower floor has
bedrooms for the parents and an outdoor veranda which is a comfortable sit-out
during the day as an extension to the living space. The upper floors have
private bedrooms, and an entertainment area along with the terrace which gives
us an insight to the client’s inclination to host friends and family. All
bedrooms consist of large sliding aluminium windows to allow maximum natural
light from both the available open ends of the site.
The architecture
of the building is such that it is in union with its surroundings while still
maintaining privacy of its occupants. The Façade is juxtaposed with layers of
metal screens in form of railings, louvers and doors with exterior walls. The
space discards ostentatious displays of wealth, concentrating more on the quality
of the space. Materials used age well over time, are natural and need less
maintenance like the exposed brick walls, reclaimed natural wood from the
existing house and large aluminium windows which give a timeless look to the
building. Also, the minimal details ensure a much simpler construction process.
The interiors
within the tight urban footprint need to be functional and flexible for its users. The limited natural light and space called for a light interior palette
hence, white walls and ceilings with polished marble floors reflect a lot of
natural light which in turn makes the place feel bigger. A skylight over the
internal staircase ensures penetration of daylight in all spaces. It acts as a
slit in the roof plane, allowing the user to experience connection with the sky
while being inside. The shell is kept in
such a way that it can be personalised over time by the family. With a second
chance at ‘life’, this building shows how good, responsible design can be an
additive process and need not always start from a clean slate. The potential
for responsible design in our growing cities is limitless!
Login with Google 
Login with Facebook 