Weekend Home At Maale
Weekend Home at Maale
Studio Roots
MEP CONSULTANT
Mep System Solutions
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
G.a. Bhilare Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
CIVIL CONTRACTOR
Manisha Constructions
PLANTING CONTRACTOR
Papaya Nursery
PROJECT LEAD
Suraj Sanghvi
ARCHITECT
Shraddha Adhikari
GRAPHICS AND DOCUMENTATION
Akanksha Shewale, Samruddhi Medhekar, Aarya Dhuttarg
SITE SUPPORT
Sujit Pandey, Tejas Chotaliya, Rajesh, Aniket
STONE WORK
Dnyaneshwar Dhotre
LANDSCAPE DESIGNER
Studio Roots
MANUFACTURERS
Grohe, Aluworkz, Gaia Pottery, Hybec Lights, Oorja Lights, Radha Krishna Bricks, Studioworks, Toto
YEAR
2022
LOCATION
Male, India
CATEGORY
Houses
Set amidst the Sahayadris, the Weekend home at Maale sought to explore architecture in a hilly terrain for a limitless open space. The context presented an enchanting site with a 100 acres farmland.
For the best viewpoint, a spot of an acre was chosen carefully – with Mulshi Dam backwaters at front and a hill at the rear. An attempt to create enclosures within nature by BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES in the built-scape, the design weaves through spaces that redefine the idea of courtyards.
Perceived as an UNCONFINED SET OF SPACES; an exposed brick wall winds through the three major independent built units: a pavilion, library, and a bedroom.
Conventional Built & Open Relationship: Spaces are defined by their boundaries. One gets a definite sense of 'entering' by crossing into the enclosure. Thus becoming a spectator to the 'outside.' (Illustration 1)
Inserting Green In Builtscape: Spaces like courtyard houses effectively bring nature within the enclosure. In this case, the open space inside serves as a connection between zones of the enclosure while being a separate entity from the landscape outside. (illustration 2)
Built Interspersed In Open: The contours of Maale were a blank canvas for us to paint our idea into. A design that does not abide by the concept of boundaries. (ENCLOSURES WITHIN NATURE.) (illustration 3)
Establishing relationships within The Environs: The Site Engages a Pavilion, the main celebration Area, and an Elevated Bedroom and Library unit.
To Step into this weekend, home is to STEP OUTSIDE of our conventional idea of a house. A space UNBOUND allows one to navigate within open spaces. (illustration 4)
A continuous Exposed Brick Wall leads one right through the Entrance like a thread that weaves the independent built forms while revealing glimpses of limitless open space. (Illustration 5)
The Courtyard That Binds: As one explores the indoors, Each Unit separately opens up the vista in a most dramatic manner while simultaneously the flanked sides engage one into THE COURTYARD THAT BINDS together all these masses.
Purity In Material Exploration: Staying true to nature became the key determinant in pursuing a purist approach through MATERIAL EXPRESSION. Composite structures (Exposed R.C.C., Steel and Glass, basalt masonry, free-standing exposed brick walls) were devised to explore this idea further.
Structural Exploration: The main entity of the slab is a BEAMLESS AND COLUMN-FREE SPACE of 135.28 sq. m. with an overhang of three meters on all sides, giving a buoyant effect. The slab tapers upwards along the projection, dispensing a visual lightness to the structure.
A 'chevron pattern' was used as a binding element in key materials- concrete scaffolding, granite flooring, or teakwood furniture. Thus, the concept of ‘DISJUNCT BUILT’ INTERSPERSED IN NATURE with a purist expression and simplicity blends into the quaint verdure of the Western Ghats.
Reminiscent of 'Yugen': a Japanese concept about a deep awareness of the universe triggered by the profound emotional response to the spatial environment.
