Excerpt: Iskilar is a residence designed by the architectural firm Studio Anhad. With perfect assimilation of the client’s requirements, who is a terracotta artist, the attempt to create a humane space and an art gallery within the confines of the site and fit the needs of privacy and space utilization evolved a plan endowed with compact volumetric resolution.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by the Architects] On a tiny piece of land amidst a conglomeration of dwellings in the small town of Talegaon near Pune City, an intriguing geometric volume forms an austere composition enfolding interior spaces that counterbalance the metropolitan rhythm with transcendent privacy and solitude. With perfect assimilation of the client’s requirements, who is a terracotta artist, the attempt to create a humane space and an art gallery within the confines of the site and fit the needs of privacy and space utilization evolved a plan endowed with compact volumetric resolution.
Public, semi-public and private areas can be seen segregated in 3 blocks, flanked by courtyards acting as multi-activity spaces & linked by verandas. The first block houses the art gallery and rainwater harvesting tank below. Steps leading to the gallery are designed so that it also works as an extended exhibition area. 2nd block includes the living and, kitchen and terrace. 3rd block comprises two bedrooms on the ground floor plus a guest bedroom on the first floor. The space connects the second and third block houses dining on the ground floor and a small workspace above. Light plays a significant role here.
The courts in between let natural light into the house, otherwise severely constricted by its urban residential surrounding. Windows are avoided on the south side of the building, considering the site orientation. The living room is cloaked in soft light filtered through the fixed glass windows on the east and west sides and twinkling dots created on the South wall by glass bottles inserted into the walls during the construction. They make interesting patterns on the south walls mimicking the shapes of constellations. Ventilation is achieved through louvres. Each area is designed considering the intuitive use of space with inbuilt seating and furniture to go beyond the conventional idea of formal living spaces.
The lighting and the décor aptly reflect the requisite ambience of the soul of the house. Earthen textures dominate the material pallet, thus attempting to reflect the modest lifestyle of the occupants. It is further emphasized with neutral aesthetics in furniture and decoration styles. Indian patented stone (IPS) in different colour shades and rendered with patterns of Terracotta beads and small lamps create a seamless floor in all rooms.
Brick walls with bare plaster serve as a canvas for the client’s artwork and are left blank. Forgoing the RCC slabs, Filler slabs cast with Siporex block fillers can be opted for. Terracotta pots embedded in the slab itself act as intriguing light fittings. An everchanging pattern of light can be seen throughout the day, formed by wooden and steel pergolas floating above the courts, creating a dynamic ambience in the courtyard.
The client’s amicable and delightful persona reverberates through each structure space. Though part of the overall harmonious combination of diverse areas, each building zone stands out with its aura, boldly yet outlined through this design. The resulting ambience created with these elements ensures a long-lasting impression on the beholder.
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