Skewed Brick Home
The evolution of design happened after various brainstorming sessions with the clients, who indicated that they wanted something modern and contemporary but, at the same time, something that would not be too far away from their roots,” elucidate architects Mallika Dhabuvala and Abhishek Dhabuvala upon the aesthetic direction of this project.
The home stands out from the neighbourhood thanks to its skewed brick wall. The entry gate features a laser cut-out pattern which makes for wonderful sciagraphy. The entrance foyer flaunts an inlay of yellow Jaisalmer and steel grey granite. The main door makes the transition between the rustic and the modern smooth, with the brass cut-out extending an elegant welcome. The door opens up to a sculptural staircase, which forms the spine of the design. The entrance passage divides the semi-private and private spaces.
The site
This 10,900-sq-ft home is located on a busy street in the densely populated Adajan locality, Surat.
The brief
“The evolution of design happened after various brainstorming sessions with the clients, who indicated that they wanted something modern and contemporary but, at the same time, something that would not be too far away from their roots,” elucidate architects Mallika Dhabuvala and Abhishek Dhabuvala upon the aesthetic direction of this project.
The spatial flow
The home stands out from the neighbourhood thanks to its skewed brick wall. The entry gate features a laser cut-out pattern which makes for wonderful sciagraphy. The entrance foyer flaunts an inlay of yellow Jaisalmer and steel grey granite. The main door makes the transition between the rustic and the modern smooth, with the brass cut-out extending an elegant welcome. The door opens up to a sculptural staircase, which forms the spine of the design. The entrance passage divides the semi-private and private spaces.
While the luxurious living room sparkles with colour, the kitchen is simple and sleek. The highlighting element of the latter is the island breakfast counter which further continues as the dining table. Featuring a back-lit brass mural as a backdrop, the puja is a tranquil space set within an exposed brick wall.
On the first floor, in the master bedroom, brass inlay in the Italian marble flooring continues in the partition wall, forming beautiful arches. It opens into a double-height sit-out space — a connecting element with the son’s bedroom above. The guest room was created in monotones, and as per the client’s requirement, given the feel of a hotel room.
The son’s bedroom on the second floor is distinguished with a raised deck. An abstract paneling camouflages the wardrobe and the washroom. A unique ‘standing balcony’ forms a link between the interior and exterior. The flight of stairs connecting the second and third floors is ornamented by a wall installation of colourful birds flying upwards toward the skylight, as if reaching out to infinity.
The material and colour palettes
Materials for the built-form embraces a rustic and earthy palette such as exposed brick, steel, grey granite and yellow Jaisalmer. The elegant interiors are expressed using a contemporary selection that includes wood, brass and the Italian marble. The shifts between these two styles is smooth, yet each element retains its own character and individuality.
The challenge
“It’s interesting that the space that we enjoyed designing the most and the one which was the most challenging is actually the same — the brick jaali.” The bricked expanse adds to the aesthetic value to the home, brings in soft natural light, cuts the hustle of the main road visually and yet maintains a connection. “Since the home was located on the main road which is usually busy throughout the day a visual break was important and thus the screen.”
