Garden house | Hiren Patel Architects [HPA]

Project Description

[Text submitted by the Architect] (We have design architecture -interior design-Landscape design )

This is a house of family of five. Husband and wife and their 3 children. The younger one is in school where 2 elder daughters in college.

It’s a home of simple educated family where husband do the business and wife is a teacher in government school. She loves teaching, and she does not wants to leave her job where she started many many years ago. 

Client brief

Simple life style people. Actually owner of the house met and we did not have any interaction with rest of family. He trusted us completely and did not interfere in our work. Occasionally his friends will pop up and give some inputs while house was going on. 

Exterior

We wanted to make a contemporary house with clear forms and projected roofs to give coverings to large glass openings. The plan followed with public space and private space as 2 separate areas and both got connected via glass bridge.

Idea at this house to create different clusters for garden to enjoy from every corner of the house including bathrooms and kitchen. Kitchen and bathrooms has glass windows from floor to ceiling height as rest of the house.

We at Hpa love designing Landscape and we promote outdoor living by creating large verandas next to family and dining areas. These areas are used the most so family tend to use the veranda spaces as well.

So the exterior is a combination of box forms with overhanging wood finish flat roof stone cladded walls and large glasses. The entire house is a stone cladding with local sand stone.

Entrance

The entry has been created Om south East side where there are 2 existing Neem trees were there. We created kind of an avenue to reach main door.  The 2 Neem trees are further enriched by plating date palms and many different plants to create a forest look. On right side cluster of dripping ficus are planted.  This artistic trees will eventually grow bigger than date palms.  Also Singapore cherry trees are planted randomly which brings lots of bird life.  We stared seeing bird making their nest already. In front of the ficus trees. we have a gorgeous metal sculpture of “Airavat” . Made by Anushree Patel. (still she is studying at AA London ) Airavat is an auspicious white 3 head elephant coming from clouds brings positivity to the place. After one pass by cluster of date palms.  One enters in double height veranda with mosaic Mable chip cladded walls, then reaches to the main door.

Foyer

As the main door opens one see the water stream garden of the house. This completely acts as a surprise element. Foyer is like a large lobby having large glass wall to capture the green surrounding. As you turn right to head to formal living room one pass by the Puja room and adjoining large collage work of Anushree inspired from mountains and temple complex of Palitana.

Living Room

The living room is a 17 feet high glass box. 6 round columns support the flat roof and the entire space is wrapped with Aluminum framed glasses from floor to ceiling high. The south side makes a courtyard by mosaic walls of entry is thickly planted by date and Phoenix palms. This covers the south glass by its greenery.

The north and east glass has view to the formal lawn of the house.

The room has 2 clusters of sofa arrangements of B&B Italia. There is 2 lovely glass chandeliers work as an art piece. As there are no walls to this room, 2 black and white paintings (by Dharmesh Panchal and hiren patel) are kept on isle. The white columns and ceiling and green surroundings is complemented by natural teak wood herringbone pattern.

As this room is open from lol sides except west, the play of light constantly keep changing in this room throughout of the day.

Glass bridge 

The rest of the house and private spaces are connected through the glass bridge. We wanted to make this passage to enjoy the outer garden . We have kept a mirror tile on outer ceiling of the bridge to get reflections of greenery.

Family room 

The family room is generally used the most in most of the houses. So it is adjoining to family veranda facing East .and having a most beautiful garden court of the house. Family room gets good morning light till post lunch through green trees …the west is buffered with bedrooms, makes this room cool and yet airy. Beautiful urban rainy life of city is painted by talented Bhairavi modi adds a value to the space.

The veranda of family room has soft and spacious outdoor furniture. The veranda wall has a work of bold black brush strokes of Vyom artist known for his large metal sculptures.

We wanted to bring a real sense of nature to this place and we created a water stream near veranda and fill up with lily and aqua plants. The rest of garden and garden plants are composed the way artist would work on canvas. There are beautiful succulent plants to admire at. The place becomes magical with lighting in late evening.

Dining room

The large glass table with its bamboo shaped glass tubes as legs is a unique piece of furniture. The space next to exposed concrete stairs- a showpiece of architecture and craftsmanship. The table has beautiful 2 metal sculptures like chandeliers to create a great mood during long dinner evening.  The dining veranda opens out to the main lawn of the house which is on northern side. This veranda has wooden dining table and cloister of relax sofa.  The northern veranda remains cool throughout of the day and dining table works well for morning tea and late evening coffee.

Balcony

Terrace 

Kitchen

When you have a lovely garden all around then why not for kitchen?  This thought brought us an idea of island kitchen and keep the outer wall completely free from utility platform. And then we convert this wall to a glass wall , again from floor to ceiling height like other rooms , gives a feeling that one is cooking in garden and enjoys the outer garden while daily cooking . Cooking becomes a pleasure here.

Study room

The study room is not a closed one it’s adjoining to family room and dining on the way to master bedroom. We have central courtyard garden. The study area enjoys the view of huge rock which was placed before the house got constructed .and the garden through metal chain curtain.

Puja room

Puja room has traditional wooden temple made by local artisans to place idols of many gods and goddess. There is a daily ritual of doing Puja here .the plantation of travelers palm gives the feel of spirituality one sees in miniature paintings and Pichhvai of Shreenathji.

The 2 antique columns from south India makes a front frame of the Puja room.

Staircase

Stair case is an object of art of architecture … this beautifully designed exposed staircase was a great challenge to make it. The special form work was made by furniture maker carpenters to achieve the highest quality. The end result was amazing. And the wooden trades were added to give a soft feel to bear feet.

Master Bedroom

Master bed and all other beds are similar in space and facilities. The rooms have ample natural light coming in. Every room is spacious with seating couches and study desk.

The dress rooms and bathrooms are large and functional.

Gym 

The gym is beautiful and get extended to open terrace. It’s on west and the late evening light is beautiful. This first floor gym over looks to natural lake on west. The wood ceiling has partly mirror inserts so that one can see his or her own body posture while doing floor exercise. 

Spa 

The private spa is an extension of the master bedroom’s bathroom. The spa and its courtyard become visually pleasing while taking daily inside shower and also become functional on lazy Sundays.

Garden 

Garden the house has formal party lawn on north side so family can host parties or even play with their family pat dog. And the south one has thick forest garden with water stream. The ground floor guest bedroom has its own courtyard garden where the master bedroom has a privilege to own spa in its private courtyard.