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Architecture

2021

Text provided by Jaskaran Chauhan, Tarunpreet Singh Bhatia

Nestled in the heart of the city of Chandigarh, the Tapered House commands attentions. From the exposed brick façade to the butterfly roof, the house has an aura of timelessness. Designed for a family of five, it is an exercise in old-fashioned subtlety, borrowing from the original architecture of the city. The house, recessed from the streetscape and its adjacent buildings, does not instantly come to sight. It takes its time to gradually invite and hold the passer-by. The recess is also an important element in the design to provide privacy and a sense of cocooned comfort to the residents.

On the outside, the delicate wooden battens affixed to the soffit, give an illusion of holding the hulking roof slabs in place. These unassumingly simple, equally spaced battens are sacrosanct in principle to stitching the overall elevation together. The entire glazing design, from the placement of mullions to the size of doors and windows is aligned with these battens overhead, thereby determining the size of openings in walls. Also running continuously in all windows above the door lintel height, are wooden louvers which soften the otherwise crude material palette of the exterior.

On the inside, the plan is fabricated in a way that it separates the formal and informal spaces, based on function. The formal dining and living rooms sit in the front, beneath the butterfly roof, whereas the informal areas like the kitchen, family lobby, and an open-to-sky, double height, internal courtyard, are placed in the centre with the private bedrooms further inside, towards the rear. The courtyard allows natural light and ventilation for the interiors and supports a 22 feet high, hand-painted forest scenery, creating an interesting visual point to contact.

[{"value":"Chandigarh"},{"value":"Punjab"},{"value":"India"}]

Architects	:	Studio Mohenjodaro
Area	:	4500 sq. ft.
Year	:	2021
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/studiomohenjodaro/

Exterior view of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Main entrance of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

The house is intentionally designed to create a visual axis from left to right as well as from front to rear. To achieve this, the windows are strategically aligned, so there is a direct line of vision between the kitchen on the extreme left and the kid’s bedroom on the extreme right, via the lobby and courtyard. Likewise, there is an unobstructed view from the front lawn outside the main entrance, through the courtyard to the internal staircase at the far end. Thereby, making the courtyard a focal point for both the axis.

Visual continuity is maintained, not just horizontally but vertically as well, with louvered windows from the living area above, overlooking into the central courtyard below. This perceivable dialogue between both floors ties the different spaces holistically.

Front Lawn of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Entrance of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Drawing room of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Family Living room of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Courtyard of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Dining of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Staircase of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Kitchen of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

Master Bedroom of The Tapered House by Studio Mohenjodaro

The interior and exterior elements, be it the flooring, or the ceiling battens, or the sloping roof, are carefully designed to lend the spaces a warm, earthy and homely feel. The main emphasis is to make the residents and visitors feel a sense of deep ownership and to lend the spaces a character, which is not impersonal, but inviting.

The Tapered House is an attempt at pushing the limits of conventionality while maintaining the practical aspects of design and functionality. The spaces flow into each other, dynamic and moving, but also offer a stable, tranquil place of rest and work for the residents. Understated, yet unique, the residence is a testament to clients and architects aligning seamlessly together on concepts, themes and patterns. Meandering through the space, it is easy to imagine the countless moments the spaces will witness as the residents create unforgettable memories through the years.