The Cube House
The Cube House
Verizon Architects
LEAD ARCHITECTS
Akhil Gajjar, Ravi Pipalia, Yash Vachhani
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Diagrid
LANDSCAPE
Radhika Gajjar
ENGINEERING
Gk Construction
DESIGN TEAM
Bhargav Vachhani
MANUFACTURERS
D'Décor, Hettich, Jaquar, Asian Paints, Simpolo Ceramics
AREA
7500 ft²
YEAR
2018
CATEGORY
Houses
LOCATION
Ahmedabad, India
Text description provided by architect.
The Cube House is located in the fringes of Ahmedabad city far away from the urban clatters, which gives the essence of the countryside-nestled in a 9,000 sq. ft. corner property and encircled by blooming trees around its periphery, the site is also adorned by beautiful farmlands, that offers a serenity lifestyle for a family living.
The 7,500 sq. ft. residence expands in three levels, comprising a double-height ground floor, a mezzanine, and two upper floors where more private spaces are provided.
The design is an extraordinary connection of various cubes. The idea was to place cubes and cuboids in a way that can generate spaces for semi-private and private spaces parallelly. The cuboids were placed one above the other perpendicularly, and this creates cubic cantilevered volumes on the outside.
The residence is designed on the west side of the plot, which in turn gives the entire garden area on the eastern façade of the building. The concrete volumes were opened, exploiting every view possible towards the morning garden makes any user a spectator of this serene setting. The privacy needs of the users were kept in mind while orienting the spaces.
The entrance to the house is through an overwhelming porch that has a double-height cantilevered slab. Its ceiling clad in wood creates a contrast amid the concrete-pattern walls. This space is provided with a small courtyard that gives a warm welcome to the entrant.
The dynamic play of various cubes assisted us in carving out semi-private spaces by integrating the common areas and a master bedroom on the ground floor. The living room is an ample space crafted with artistic interiors.
The combination of concrete and wood is dominated by the pastel shades of the furnishings and the sofas. The full fenestration on the eastern facade accommodates ample sunlight and wind, along with the infinite connection with the garden.
The low-level dining furniture stretches a unique experience for dining. Pieces of furniture in solid wood create a warm and cozy atmosphere within the different rooms, complemented by plenty of greenery. This provides exceptional feel and solace while using the space.
The core area of the entire house gets an abundance of light, and this was achieved by delivering complimenting double-height windows on either side, by the dining and a vast U-shaped staircase volume.
The placement of this staircase on the south acts as a buffer to avoid the harsh southern light to enter the house. The staircase was planned in the center of the house, easily connecting each corner of the house to the spaces on the first floor.
The staircase creates a courtyard in the center of the house. The flight of stairs with gaps allows the dappled light to soften the space.
A master bedroom on the ground floor gets the requisite privacy from the house and has its own connection with the greens. The first floor is planned as a private space with three bedrooms and a family lounge.
The master bedroom on the ground floor gets the requisite privacy from the house and has its own connect with the greens.
The cantilevered volume on the first floor creates a semi-covered veranda for the bedroom on the ground floor, which is often used by the head of the family to enjoy the 180° view of the garden.
The upper levels of the house mainly comprise of private spaces with three bedrooms and a family lounge. To stimulate simplicity and efficiency, the bedrooms have been positioned to maximize vistas and views. The material palette of the house primarily revolves around a combination of concrete and wood.
To introduce softness in the spaces, bright and pastel hues of the furnishings and upholstery were used. The addition of paintings across the house adds life to the spaces. The aspiration behind the concept of designing the home remains in creating volumes that focus on the garden sights.
Large openings make the interiors bright and lively. The exciting interplay of the façade is observed at its two fronts, morphing from individual volumes made cohesive by its recurring cube forms.
