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Architects: IDIEQ
- Area: 4700 ft²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Harsh Nigam
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Manufacturers: ACC Limited, Apollo, Astral Pipes, Bosch, Cico, Eapro, Jaquar, Koemmerling, Surie Polex, TATA
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Lead Architect: Saubhagya ‘Daksh’
Text description provided by the architects. In their ancestral village, which is rapidly transforming into a satellite town of a major industrial city, Amandeep Singh Virk and his wife Rajveer Kaur envisioned a home that would echo sustainability. The site selection was evident: right where their old, dilapidated house stood. The couple resisted leaving their comfort zone; this was the place where Amandeep had grown up, surrounded by family.
The original house had been constructed using materials that define the trajectory of modern architecture in India: burnt brick and concrete. Early on, a deliberate choice was made to reclaim as many materials as possible from the old structure for their new home. This decision shaped the approach to material usage. The carefully exposed material palette forged a unique connection to the fundamental building elements, creating a sense of naked authenticity while maintaining utmost decency. The result? A robust, cozy, and intimate dwelling—the most cost-effective home ever built in the region.
Meticulously detailed yet minimal, the natural materials and exposed structure engage in a rich dialogue with the site’s elements. They express the client’s affinity for an industrial, sturdy, and distinctly crafted response that resonates with the family’s history and sentiments. Amandeep, a mechanical engineer, lent a hand in crafting specific details, contributing significantly to achieving the design goals. Approaching the house, one finds it seamlessly integrated with the nearby Gurudwara to the south. The path from the parking area to the entrance is paved with mosaic floor slabs reclaimed from the old house. As you step inside, a brick-feature wall welcomes you into the living area, where a ceiling with a filler slab and recessed lighting adds to the ambiance.
The home’s layout accommodates spaces with multiple qualities, allowing it to be flexibly repurposed without being confined to specific functions. The gurudwara brings spirituality into the double-height dining area through a window on the sloping roof, which also lets in the winter sun to warm the house. The glass door, below the funicular shell, opens to the northern garden. The two primary bedrooms are on this level. The piece-de-resistance of this home is the kitchen. Crafted with ferrocrete. Removable baskets here provide the utmost utility for the countryside lifestyle and Indian cooking. The house has a satin polished concrete floor, which is comfortable for the dogs to move around.
The staircase leads up to the guest room, which allows friends to enjoy a high ceiling with batten textured concrete and a private terrace with planter beds. Guests can fall asleep with the views of the stars through the large northern windows, surrounded by undulating mud-textured walls. This floor also features another terrace with a planter bed, along with a gym and study. The roof is sloped towards the south, enabling the energy needs to be met fully through solar power.
The project’s overall design goals include building energy performance strategies. Daylighting in the interiors is balanced with overhung railings and strategic orientation for seasonal sun control. This home exemplifies an approach where the architecture is in the background. It is used as an enabler, not as a monument.
