Studio Lotus - Comfort In Construction?

Urban clutter and the struggle for space can raise some queer situations — where is one located; what is one aspiring towards; and how will one respond to a neighbourhood of mixed imaginations? As different imaginations sit next to each other — where land values, access to space, and hope for a better living will struggle for survival and identity — urban neighbourhoods will be geographies of new complexities, varying social and economic values jostling for space and existence. In such a situation, how is the architect to respond? Is it possible for one to completely turn away from the urban clutter, or rather, is that the right thing to do — completely ignore or blind yourself to a reality of the neighbourhood? How does one preserve one’s self from the troubles of chaos yet not disconnect with the reality of negotiations? A house recently designed in a Delhi neighbourhood precisely jostles with these questions — as evident in its design — and decides to adopt the trope of the veil, one that preserves yet connects, one that is transparent yet contains a privacy. This house continues to connect the inside and the outside as much as it veils one from the other — juggling context!

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With increasing unplanned urbanisation in several developing nations, most residential neighbourhoods have become jungles of concrete and noise – both visual and aural. Built within a congested locality in central Delhi, the House with a Brick Veil seeks to negotiate the fine line of privacy and connection with neighbourhoods. It explores potential solutions for middle class multi-dwelling units built on tight site constraints, thereby allowing their residents to enjoy their connection with nature. In doing so, it interrogates whether simple architectural planning principles can create the parameters of a higher quality of life within a home in tightly clustered urban scenarios, typical of most Asian cities.

Context New 

Delhi’s poor urban planning laws have resulted in the development of unplanned and noisy neighbourhoods. This has forced home owners to keep their front windows and balconies shut, leading to dark unventilated interiors, substituted with artificial light and air-conditioning by those who can afford it. In this case too, the surroundings offer scant views except for a few scattered trees. The site is enveloped on the south-east, north-west and north-east sides by a major road and secondary roads respectively – subjecting one to ugly views of congested streets and high levels of noise, especially during the day. The best light (from the south quadrant) and the worst views also concur in the same zones.

Brief and Response