Mood House New Delhi, Faridabad Residential Building, Indian Home, Architecture Images

Mood House in Faridabad

Contemporary Home in India – design by Studio Archohm Architects

3 Feb 2016

Mood House

Design: Studio Archohm

Location: Faridabad, New Delhi, India

Mood House

‘Home is the nicest word there is.’
-Laura Wilder

They say there is only one life and so one must live it fully. The Katyal family epitomizes this philosophy to the core and clearly expects its design home to showcase it just as flamboyantly.

The arrival itself is announced in a grand fashion- almost in defiance of the paucity of space, as cars navigate a sensuous sweep of an entire half circle before they come to a halt. The background for this showbiz is ensured by making the setting- the driveway flooring, the boundary wall and the services as the guard’s cabin, a monolith that ‘fades away.

The next announcement is the massive pivoted wooden door surrounded by panels of glass that cannot but help attracting attention, as together they get down to the business of introducing the idea of larger than life volumes that are going to be the tours de force of the house.

With much of the ground occupied by the theatrical drive-in, the house accommodates just a guest space and an entrance lobby on this level the idea of making the lower ground level as the main lounge and integrating it volumetrically with the stacked living spaces as the dining, kitchen and the elders’ space on two above floors, disconnecting the staircase and instead adding a ramp as a connector and a dumb waiter for servicing was initially met with a measure of skepticism; but now this ‘thinking-out-of-the-box’ concept has become the talk of the town!

Meeting the challenge of giving huge openings in glass without allowing the great Indian sun to pour in heat through them was indeed satisfying.

The top floors are the bedrooms, each sporting lavish volumes, equipped with spacious green terraces, dress spaces and baths. Each floor converses with one selected material, be it stone, wood or exposed brick.

It is the unusual facade that has given the house and the owners, a unique identity in the neighbourhood. The flexible facade reflects the changing ‘mood’ of the house, with a set of massive red and grey coloured fins whose industrial look might raise the eyebrows of the purists.

When closed, they display their grey side, one that merges with the rest of the facade, ‘announcing’ the need for privacy; however when open they scream red! They are ‘the neighbours’ envy and the owners pride.’