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Architects: ShoulderTap
- Area: 4600 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Aparna Varma, Syam Sreesylam
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Manufacturers: Durgamba, Fenesta
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Lead Architects: Anaushka Anna Philip, Aparna Varma, Mukesh Byrareddy
Text description provided by the architects. ShoulderTap’s brick house is a sturdy abode of crude charm and modern design. With an elongated structure, double-height ceilings, and a brick jali exterior, this house is a sanctuary. Standing tall amongst the dense urban setting, the home comprises a double-height living room, a dining room that opens into the kitchen, a bar lounge, three bedrooms, and allied spaces, along with a large garden to the east with a stone-clad pond. The most impressive feature of the house is its brick jali to the south facade. The jali, held together by rat-trap bonding, allows a smooth passage of air that cools the interiors and cuts down the direct sun, thereby reducing the temperature inside. Moreover, the jali allows the residents a glimpse of the outside world while ensuring their privacy.
To enter the world of the brick house, step on the two stones in place of the doorstep adjacent to the pond and the garden. What awaits you inside the house is a permanent, natural light show as most of the windows open to the brick jali; the shape and the size of the intricate light patterns formed inside change as the sun changes its position. A two feet gap between the jali and the concrete walls provides a chasm through which sunlight and raindrops are ushered in, making them an integral part of the lived experience.
The ground floor is not a transitional space but a destination in itself. With a well-set-up bar unit and a comfortable lounge, the space can be effortlessly transformed to host house guests. As you enter the first floor, the double-height ceiling of the living room elevates the spatial experience. The lively living room is central to the activity, and the open kitchen on the right fosters connectivity. Ascending to the second floor, you would find a bedroom on either side. The third floor hosts a multi-purpose utility area, a large bedroom with a study, and an open terrace to host gatherings.
The leather finish, black granite floors, bold red of the bricks, and grey concrete welcome cozy darkness supplemented by minimal furnishing. Alongside, the minimal paint palette ensures that the eyes are never off the bricks. The residents can communicate with each other from all the floors. Peep-out windows and balconies strategically placed on all three levels act as pockets of communication. The skylight seeping through the open terrace on the third floor greets you at the ground-floor lounge.
The two cantilever balconies of the house place you in an in-between space, halfway inside the envelope of the house and openly interacting with the natural surroundings. The curved staircase with its contrasting white exterior juxtaposed with the boldness of the brick red presents an artistic snapshot. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the brick house has several self-sustaining features. They can withstand the test of time and require less maintenance over the years. Shoulder Tap’s brick house is a house that values durability, comfort, privacy, and interconnectedness.
