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!
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
The house is built as a stack of three apartments – a duplex for the conservative retired couple and two smaller flats for their married children and families. The brief was primarily to create a calm oasis within this chaotic neighbourhood.
This story is from the June/July 2017 edition of Domus India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June/July 2017 edition of Domus India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE DEMOCRACY BOMB
A day ahead of the third anniversary of January 6, President Joe Biden traveled to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-where George Washington encamped during the Revolutionary War-before delivering what he described as a \"deadly serious\" speech framing the stakes of the 2024 election.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT - CRIME OF THE CROP
Will GMOs harm my kids? Your pediatrician's response might not be grounded in science.
ECONUNDRUMS - CHATBOT QUACKS
AI was supposed to fix online health misinformation. Instead, it's making it worse.
BLOODSHARK
BLAKE WILKEY'S SOLIDAXLE SWAPPED '92 FORD BRONCO STORY
FAST FIXES FOR YOUR MAC
Is your Mac giving you trouble? These problem-solving procedures might just get it up and running again
Create your dream smart home
How to equip your house with the best smart home tech and upgrade your security, entertainment, and comfort
The Dreamlife of Zendaya
Up in fame's stratosphere, she considers what's next: more adult roles, like her new one in Challengers; a turn in the director's chair; a family one day.... Zendaya looks to the horizon with Marley Marius.
home is where you make it
On a road trip through Oman with her toddler son, Ashlea Halpern ponders what it means to be a parent in the wake of her father's death
lost in time
On an epic, sun-soaked journey across southern Greece's Peloponnese, Antonia Quirke revels in her connection to the history and myths that swirl around its rugged shores
EL JEFE
Meet the Classic YJ Turned TREAD Cover Model
LIQUID LUNACY: ADVANCED PC COOLING IN 2024
Is it worth liquid-cooling your PC in this age of nonoverclockable chips?
Nvidia's AI Superchip
The company Is no longer about gaming
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.
Preparing Kittens For the Show Hall
Socializing kittens and making sure they are confident for their new family is only a part of the job description for a show breeder.
RUNWAY TO SANTA FE
Indigenous designer Orlando Dugi shares his favorite art, culture, and cocktails in his adopted hometown
THE COMFORTS OF EXARING
Ryno's Purpose-Built '98 Land Rover Discovery
2024 WINTER 4X4 JAMBOREE
Off-Road Adventures and Beyond
A Sense of Occasion
The Costume Institute's revelatory new exhibition, \"Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,\" employs sight, touch, smell, sound, and technology to bring rarely seen pieces to life, Nathan Heller gets the full picture.
PAINT THE TOWN
In residential South Kolkata, enterprising young locals are turning brightly colored old estates, once doomed for demolition, into the city's latest hot spots
BLUUD MONEY
Tommy Alba could be a pain in the ass.
Building a Better Ford-with GM Components
While some stick to their guns when it comes to remaining true to truck branding and badging, others see no division or boundaries when it comes to piecing a project together.
FORGED FILIPINO BOLOS
EXPLORING KNIFE STYLES FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM?
Breaking Down the Third-Gen Toyota Tundra
Intel's crazy plan for 1nm silicon
FIVE NEW CHIP PRODUCTION NODES in four years. That was Intel’s plan to get back to technology leadership. It has now added a new 1nm lithography node to its roadmap, due in 2027. But here's the thing: in terms of products to buy, Intel has achieved little of its original plan. So, what’s going on?
Dragon's Dogma 2
A cult classic in the making
NZXT H6 Flow
Possibly the best budget chassis out there
THE BUILDS
IT FINALLY LOOKS like prices are stabilizing somewhat, certainly compared to last issue.
word of mouth
THE PEOPLE, PLACES & IDEAS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW
Not Black and White
At just 27, Anna Park has made a major impression on the art world. Dodie Kazanjian visits her studio.
States of WONDER
John Galliano's recent Maison Margiela triumph was an haute couture tour de force. Yet, as Hamish Bowles recalls, it's but the latest in the designer's long history of era-defining shows.