House of Active Roof

Description

Ashort drive away from Chandigarh, along the shores of the Yamuna river, is situated the industrial town of Yamunanagar. Sweeping poplar plantations in the area has allowed the town to become a hub for the plywood and veneer industries. The scoop house locates itself in a verdant grid iron town planning scheme with tree lined avenues and abundant vegetation. The houses seeks to continue the dialogue with the vegetation on site, becoming a framing vestibule for the surround landscape.

The layout of the house is governed by the careful study of the movement of light and winds that prevail in the region. The harsh southern sun is blocked by a tall, unpunctured service and circulation volume that prevents light from entering into the house. The western block is stepped down to harness the cold north westerly winds that bounce off the Himalayas. The eastern and northern faces of the house allow themselves to open to the large sprawling lawns. A brick volume that punctures the monolith, acts as the dowel which allows the functions of the house to be aggregated around it.

Inferring from the omnipresent modernist landscape of Chandigarh, the house is envisioned as a monolith that allows itself to be carved in a series of tectonic gestures to reveal the insides of the house to the outside. These then manifest as shaded deep veranda spaces, large open terrace spaces and carefully articulated fenestrations that frame the surroundings. The house presents itself as a series of stepped roof-scapes, each marked with a unique function that allows each member of the family to find spaces for themselves. The house presents itself as a porous box, allowing abundant natural light and ventilation to percolate in.

The house is imagined as a cavern like space with each sculpt revealing a portion of the house, allowing the house to connect with its surroundings. The material palette of the house is imagined in a similar vein. A monolithic concrete exterior reveals itself as warm interior spaces with the flooring and the walls imagined in warm grey tones. The use of wood, exposed brick and brass further augment the warmth of the interiors. The living spaces are embedded with the earth with windows bringing in ample light. The living and dining spaces of the house enjoy panoramic views of the lawn.

The house, which acts as a frame for the surrounding landscape, also allows the landscape to permeate through it as well. The location of the stepped terraces further allows the lost vegetal footprint of the site to be recompensated as roof gardens. Pockets of garden spaces on the roofs also serve multiple functions, they comprise of outdoor barbeque areas, kitchen gardens and spill out spaces for the master bedrooms. Each of the fenestrations of the house are designed to allow easy movement of air while blocking out the harsh sun. The material of the windows is chosen to echo the surroundings of the house.