Architecture

2020

Photographer : Photographix

The Lattice House, is a Mixed use development (commercial + residential) located on a busy commercial street in the town. The ground, first and second floors of the building were to be designed for commercial use, the grid had to be flexible as the business occupying it was not initially decided. Later, A Restaurant and lodging came into picture and its interior was designed accordingly. The top two floors are designed to be a calm and cosy abode for a doctor couple and their children. The couple being busy in their profession for most of the time wanted a minimalistic and low maintenance decor for their home. The material palette: The residence is designed to be minimalistic and climate responsive. To achieve this, the material palette consists of Kota flooring, Terracotta screens that filter the harsh sun without blocking the breeze. In the Formal living room, Terracotta Jali facade on the southern side balcony cuts the harsh sun and gives a panoramic view of the city. The adjacent surface is cladded with veneer; this actually is the rear side of a storage unit that divides the living and bedroom. It acts as the Wardrobe for the bedroom, while in the living room; it becomes the backdrop for the seating. The Jali and Veneer together render warmth to the space. The southern sun filters through the jali to create beautiful sciographical pattern on the veneer that keep on changing throughout the day. The space is furnished with some bold pieces of Furniture. The challenges: It is located on one of the busiest streets in an upmarket area of the city, the challenge here was to design a multifunctional building (commercial + residential) on a moderate size plot of 3500 sq.ft. such that the commercial part makes most of the business opportunities, but at the same time the residential floors enjoy privacy and serenity devoid of the outside hustle bustle. The highlights: The architectural character stands out amongst the surrounding buildings of almost same size and proportion. Quashing the trend of glass clad facades to make it commercially attractive; a climate responsive design was implemented consciously by rendering the façade in Terracotta jali. The massing in jali thus achieves a unique architectural character. It filters the harsh southern and western sun, making the building stand out on a street full of cosmetically cladded buildings, and thus becoming unique in the cityscape and even more commercially viable. The takeaway: The most important takeaway from this project is changing the image of so called “commercial” facades in the city. Also, working in a flexible grid, which will allow the user to cater to different businesses in future. Managing manifold requirements in a decent size plot was another criteria we tackled in this project.

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Architects : The Design Alley
Area : Plot area: 3,500 sq.ft, Built-up area: 10,000 sq.ft
Year : 2020

Site Analysis

The site is located on one of the busiest streets in an upmarket area of the city ; it is a densely populated commercial area which includes a central bus station, temples, banks and hospitals. 


Elevation and Section

The southern sun filters through the jali to create beautiful sciographical pattern on the veneer that keep on changing throughout the day. The space is furnished with some bold pieces of Furniture.


Vertical Zoning

The interconnectivity of residential floors was a challenge , thus the double heighted spaces help in connecting and keep the upper floors ventilated.


Entrance



Informal Living

Informal Living is a vibrant and cosy family space, again double heighted, so as to connect with the upper floor of the house. A chequered storage unit divides this space from the Kitchen and Dining, while a pivoted partition gives glimpse of the entrance foyer.


Kitchen and Dining

The Kitchen is the central space in the house, which has visual connectivity to the entire house. The free standing cooking platform in the centre lets the user enjoy the surrounding space rather than making it feel like a daily chore. A compact and vibrant dining table graces the centre of the kitchen.


Master Bedroom

The Master Bedroom is located at the northwest end of the house. A balcony with full glass lets in the northern light while terracotta jali at the west cuts the harsh sun and lets the breeze in at the same time. The decor is simple and serene.


Master Toilet

The Toilet attached to master bedroom is a lavish and luxurious one with huge eastern window. The window is adorned with bamboo plantation to retain privacy.


Lounge

The Upper floor of the house mainly has two bedrooms, one for their Son and Daughter each. There is a lounge in between that overlooks the informal living and also the Mandir.


Terrace

As per the design brief, the Terrace had to be designed as a socializing space. The backdrop wall of the staircase tower is painted with vibrant geometric patterns. The space is semi covered by fabric pergola that creates a play of light and shadow in the daytime. This space has a relaxing, meditative vibe in the morning while it can be converted into a get together or party place in the evenings. 


Formal Living

The Formal living room is a double height space with Terracotta Jali facade on the southern side balcony that gives a panoramic view of the city.


Exterior view





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