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A weekend retreat for an eminent lawyer couple was proposed on a site that is a part of a hill side development at Allua, over looking the Sabarmati River. Driving twenty-five kilometers north of Gandhinagar, in Gujarat, one passes through a fertile agrarian belt that dramatically changes to dry undulating mounds and green valleys, till one comes to the river. The clients had asked for a house with a view, a place where they could relax and unwind, and also entertain friends. The design responded by sensitively integrating the local topography and the existing vegetation into the plan for the house.
The 5,000 sq yd plot has access to the main road from the east, while on the west, the land slopes down towards a valley. The correct siting of the house was crucial, to ensure privacy from the road as well as optimize the view. This was done by tucking the house in an orchard garden nestled within the valley.
There is a dialogue between nature and the built environment, which was designed as a compact system of open spaces and enclosures. The enclosed spaces provide shade to the open inner courtyards, at the time of intense heat, while wafting in the cool breezes from the valley, which get channelised through all the rooms. The layout plan has also resulted in effectively minimizing the building sprawl, while utilizing the land gradient to compactly tier the spaces. Terraces flank the built form, and emerge as the underlying principle while organizing spaces and functions.
The main entrance is through a narrow opening on the east underneath the lofty water tower. Through the terraced courtyards, one gets a dramatic view of the verdant valley on the west, while one gets to glimpse the horizon and the river from the upper terraces on the east, and the walkway leading to the water tank.
The south wing, an integrated space, houses the living, dining, kitchen and utilities. A passive cooling device was integrated into the design, which effectively controls the summer temperatures within this wing and improves air circulation.
The north wing has the bedroom suites, with their own small private terraces, with different views and orientations. The courtyards allude to the historic prototype prevalent in this region, an interactive social space, to entertain, relax, or just pass through. All the courtyards can be accessed directly from the entrance, as well as from the adjacent enclosed spaces. The circulation shifts through enclosures and open terraces, continually engaging the natural vistas beyond.
Built as a system of stepped, load-bearing walls and retaining planes, the idea was to cause minimal disturbance to the existing terrain. The structural vocabulary comprises brick retaining walls and RCC roof slabs with overlapping clay tiles to insulate the roof. A rough cement and lime plaster on walls, rough Kota stone paving in the courtyards with china mosaic grouting and metal railings, give the house a simple and solid architectural feel.