A space deeply synced with ones sense of aesthetics, pace and rhythm of life. A house in essence is as all encompassing as skin to ones existence.

The project is a single family house designed for an entrepreneur couple with two adulting children and ageing mother sharing the space. The couple being industrialists wanted a space not just to unwind after a day’s work in solitude and silence, but also entertain guests, colleagues, friends, clients in a plush smart and chic modern urban space.  

The site is located in a typical urban setting, with its longer side facing a very busy road on its North. The ground plus three structure is spanned horizontally, the decks added on the North facade accentuate this horizontality, while creating a buffer from the road beyond.

This 5 bedroom house has a separate 1 – BHK unit at the ground floor level along with the parking and lift lobby, exclusively designed keeping in mind the convenience, comfort, lifestyle & accessibility requirements for their ageing mother. This studio unit caters exclusively to her wish to have a separate space for herself and entertain her friends in leisure without disturbing the fast paced life of the other two younger generations.

It was a refreshing change to design such tolerant spaces where each generation is respected and their needs are addressed and catered to, without compromising on another’s aspirations to experiment on personalizing it further. Architecture is primarily and finally a tool to solve problems of space at its core and this project was an exercise in effective space making while responding to three generations and their varied life choices and personalities. 

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Architects : Manthan Design Studio
Area : 9630 sq. ft.
Year : 2022
Website : https://www.instagram.com/manthan_design_studio_/

Exterior view of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Exterior view of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Exterior view of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Exterior view of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Living and Dining of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects

The mother’s unit has a separate entry right from the main gate and is planned right next to the lift lobby which keeps her connected to the upper floor and entry exit anytime she wishes to use. The parking has a ramp along entrance steps from parking to reach the passage that connects the two to facilitate complete access and ease of movement. Living dining of the mother’s unit is a free flowing space that opens up to a deck in the garden bringing in the lush green, with fresh air and ample sun light. Living dining culminate into the minimalist kitchen with bedroom tucked in behind the dining wall to give it its privacy.  The finishes have been kept modern, minimalist and user friendly. With warm lighting, neutral furnishing and pastel upholstery it makes for an ideal setting for the mother to enjoy her solitude and space. 

Visitors entrance lobby to the main house can be accessed by a fabricated straight flight staircase along the East facade connecting the main gate, mothers unit and the house above. This open riser staircase is covered with thin fabricated roof complementing its minimalist lines and razor edge finishing.  As one enters this lobby one is greeted by a silver travertine feature wall with the executive lobby on the right and Pooja room on the left. 

The executive living  has a corner window that opens up to the North East bringing in soothing light filtered through terracotta jali and that shields it from the traffic below. Wooden ceiling emphasizes the horizontality of the travertine wall and complements its texture making the space grounded and cozy yet elegant and rich with the pastels of the soft furnishing and minimalist detailing. 


Living room of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Living room of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Dining and Living of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects

The pooja on the other hand has a double height ceiling with a window on east facade filtering light that lights up the entire house throughout the day. Wooden columns frame the pooja demarcating a climax to the corridor running East West along the central longer axis of the house. Adjoining the pooja is a kitchen that is carefully tucked in behind the wall to allow it for the privacy, with close connectivity to the grain store, maid’s kitchen and utility beyond and yet opening up into the dining without compromising on its utilitarian requirements. 

The modular kitchen is done up in shades of pastel peach &  tinted brown glass while the main work top is a L-Shaped white  platform with a central island which could be used as preparation platform as well as breakfast table too on a busy day.  The crockery unit and the appliances are mounted up along the other two opposite walls making it a comfortable work flow. 

Family and dining area is the soul of this house along which the entire house revolves. The family living can also be accessed from the lift lobby  either by lift or directly by a staircase tucked in below the main staircase that opens into the family dining area adding up to its volume and seamlessness. 


Kitchen of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Staircase of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Passage to staircase of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Corridor of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects

The entire length of the family living and dining has a fabricated deck running along it’s North to let the space flow and afford privacy from the road below. Deck brings in a view of the green foliage and also acts as a buffer from the traffic noise . 

The staircase atrium along the central axis turns up to be the central double height space that acts as a vertical communication space. The skylight along the lift shaft on third floor brings in soft light right upto the first . 

Master bedroom is placed at the end of this family room with a deck on the North which releases the space into a double height atrium with a balcony peeping from the upper floor Son’s room. Also acts as a mode of vertical communication without compromising the privacy of both rooms. This atrium has double height MS louvred pivoted panels that can be adjusted to let in breeze but cut out the glare from the west. The bedrooms are kept minimalist with walk in wardrobes and designer attached toilets. 


Family lounge of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio


Executive living of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio

The main staircase landing doubles up into the family room on the first floor. The North West corner of the first floor family room opens up into the double height atrium of the bedrooms keeping the entire house visually connected. 

The sons bedroom is exactly over the master bedroom, and is furnished like another master bed room. The family on first floor leads to a passage that connects with the guest  rooms and the Daughter’s room, culminating into the pooja double height on the east end. 

A change in axis of the staircase to the second floor brings about a twist around the lift shaft, the staircase wraps around the lift partly concealed partly revealed leading to interesting glimpses of spaces on the upper floor too. This staircase culminates into the terrace party lounge with the gym seen beyond. A small pantry and powder room run parallel to the staircase on the South. A chic home theatre is designed right next to the lift for friends and guests to enjoy it together or on their own. 


Executive living of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio


Bedroom of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Home Theater of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Party lounge of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio

The facade is designed as a semi-permeable membrane shielding interior of the house from heavy traffic flowing along the North face. Without boxing it up. The terracotta jali affords privacy without blocking the views adding the semi-permeable membrane as a breather between the interior and exterior. When lit from inside, at night, the house looks like a lantern hung between the green trees along the busy road. 

The flooring is done in vitrified tiles , system windows with sleek aluminium sections, doors in ply and MDF with duco paint except the main doors that are done in Teak wood. Staircase tops are finised in teak wood with minimalist aluminium hand rails along walls. All furniture is custom designed with colour palettes kept pastel and in shades of grey brown and earth tones. 

This house has been an exercise in keeping the spaces uncluttered, while finishing them in modern minimalist materials and details. 


Terrace of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Balcony of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio


Deck of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio


Car Porch of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Design Studio


Ground Floor Plan of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


First Floor Plan of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


First Floor Plan of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Second Floor Plan of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Terrace Plan of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Section A of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects


Section B of The Urban Lantern by Manthan Architects




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