A b2b magazine where I had a great experience and had an opportunity to contribute articles in different sectors. This article is on project in India on architecture.

1. architecture focus
“To create a
house that would
be an exemplar of
fusion between
the traditional
and modern
values of
architecture,” says
architect Sumit
Arora, in an
interview with
Remona Divekar
A
social gathering space
referred as
‘Brahmasthana’ (sacred
center) of a house is an
inherent design that serves as a
climate modifier. This new
family house with three
independent floors spread over
350 sq mt plot of land. While
the upper floors are living areas
for architect couples, the
basement houses their studio.
Creation of DADA and
Partners the architects have
used this idea and organised the
functions around the central
courtyard on both floors where
the center of the house faces
south and is overlooked by
living and bedroom areas on
the ground and first floors.
Adjacent to the courtyard is a
steel staircase connecting the
upper floors. On the ground
and first floors, rooms at front
and rear are connected by
‘bridge-like’ spaces running
along the courtyard. Also
running in parallel is a two ft
deep wall that at places act as a
“BRAHMASTHANA”- A
shading device for large
windows and incorporates
built-in timber benches
overlooking the open courts.
The make-up
‘HOUSE’
16
September – October 2009
▲ Construction & Architecture Magazine
“Essentially modernist in
spirit, the intrinsic idea was to
create a house that would be an
exemplar of fusion between the
traditional and modern values
of architecture,” says architect
Sumit Arora. The design
incorporates a hierarchy of
zones with formal living spaces
at the front and private areas to
the rear. A south-facing
courtyard forms the centre of
the house which, is overlooked

2. architecture focus
Facts and
Figures
Main Contractor:
Sumit Arora
Constructions
Structural
Consultants: C.I.E.S;
Hari Om Gupta
Civil Consultant:
M K Gupta
Photography: Light
zone; Ranjan Sharma
Architects: DADA and
Partners
Type of building:
Residential, Live-Work
Location: Gurgaon
Main Contractor:
Sumit Arora
Constructions
Structural Consultant:
C.I.E.S, Hari Om Gupta
Civil Consultant:
M K Gupta
Completion date:
September 2006
Cost: Rs 6,000,000
Site area: 350m²
18
September – October 2009
by living and bedroom areas on
the ground and first floors.
Adjacent to the courtyard is a
steel staircase connecting the
upper floors and on the ground
and first floors, rooms are
connected by ‘bridge-like’
spaces that run along the
courtyard. Two feet deep wall
act as a shading device for large
windows in places and
incorporates built-in timber
benches that overlooks the
open courtyard. The house
incorporates a hierarchy of
zones with formal living spaces
in front and private areas at the
back. The bedrooms and toilets
are in the rear along the north
south axis while the drawing,
living and kitchen areas are
grouped together in the front
arranged along a linear eastwest axis forming the spine of
the house.
The staircase customdesigned and fabricated out of
steel and timber feels as if it is
hung in middle of this lofty
volume filled with light, facing
a full height transparent wall.
This glass and steel skin turns
horizontal at the top and
becomes part of the roof. A
'series of inter-connected voids'
facilitate natural ventilation
generated during summers
through the stack effect. South
facing solar collectors have been
▲ Construction & Architecture Magazine
installed to heat water for use
in bathrooms and kitchens. The
studio space in the basement is
half sunk and requires virtually
no heating system in winter
and very little air conditioning
in summer.
Entry point
The double-height entrance
area is connected with a
precariously placed staircase
that forms the focus of the
house. This three-storey high
stair zone forms a connection
between the basement void,
ground floor entrance and the
first floor. Mr Arora says, “The
unique architectural move was
to highlight the southwest
corner of the house that formed
the carpet and the main
entrance cum library on the
first floor. The slit window to
this room- referred to as the
‘eye’ of the house- faces south.
The west wall of the study faces
the western sun, where we used
adjustable motorised louvers to
block off the undesired glare
into the room.”Moreover, these
louvers make an elegant veiled
box hovering over the virtually
transparent ground floor corner
that opens at front with a view
to the water body. Also adding
to the drama is the ‘V’ shaped
steel column that supports this
corner reinforcing the
impression of weightlessness.
Material used
Ground and first floors are
predominantly masonry while
the second storey is lighter
mainly clad in timber. The
west facing area on this floor is
protected with the use of an
extended steel and aluminum
parasol. Further, the architects
have applied green strategies to
make the house sustainable.
The architectural design, with
series of inter-connected voids,
facilitates natural ventilation
generated during summers by
using stack effect, thus
resulting in cooler spaces.
South facing solar collectors
have been installed to heat
water in winters to be used in
toilets and kitchens. This has
reduced electric costs
significantly as the system does
not involve any electric geysers.
Large window openings allow
abundant natural light inside
the spaces reducing the use of
artificial light. Timber and
aluminum are some of the
recyclable materials used that
add towards sustainability.
With an idea to operate as a
live-work unit from the lower
ground floor, the architects
have indeed played their role in
reducing their carbon
■
footprint.
18