The codes of brickwork

A brick home in Ahmedabad by Vaissnavi Shukl is shaped by soaring vaults

25 Aug 2025

This 6,000 sq ft home in Ahmedabad by Vaissnavi Shukl champions the art of brickwork. The house dubbed Teen Vaults is built with exposed bricks, where the walls aren’t plastered, but left bare in texture for each brick to echo a sense of honesty and warmth. “The open to sky entrance courtyard is the first space one encounters after passing through the jail gate. Centred around a frangipani tree and tulsi, the courtyard is bookended by the mandir on one side and the main door of the house on the other,” Vaissnavi explains, whose design team including Khushi Amin, Omkar Gund, Saloni Shah and Khyati Andrapiya worked with StructArt Design Consultants for structural engineering. Inside, the vaulted ceilings soar, yet the space feels intimate, warmed by teak furniture, brass accents and carefully chosen rugs. Every detail from the patterned floors to the sculptural staircase creates a rhythm of light and shadow, movement and stillness.

"Centred around a frangipani tree and tulsi, the courtyard is bookended by the mandir on one side and the main door of the house on the other"

Vaissnavi Shukl

BRICK BY BRICK

“Our original idea was to work with bricks and experiment with some bold forms,” shares principal architect Vaissnavi Shukl. The bricks play beautifully with the other materials in the house, their earthy tones pop without ever feeling heavy. The clean, unadorned brick surfaces also let the forms of the vaults shine, turning simple walls into something sculptural. While the sunlight ripples across the terrazzo floors, spilling through arched windows, on to the swimming pool beyond.

The bricks aren’t just an appearance act, they define the home’s core areas: the kitchen and dining, the living room, and the library. Everywhere you look, the brickwork feels intentional. Like a modern retelling of tactility. Vaissnavi adds, “The overall landscape of the house is divided into two parts: a private forecourt towards the north and a more public garden towards the south.”

In the soaring living room, pieces from Radhika Sanghvi’s chandelier to dhurries by Enii Living and teakwood tables from Tianu sit alongside furniture from Briton and wall sconces by Olie; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

LIFE IN THE VAULTS

At the heart of the house are the three vaults, and they quietly shape the family’s day. The first vault is the kitchen and dining area, looking out over the pool. It’s where mornings begin with coffee, where weekend brunches stretch long into the afternoon, and casual dinners are shared under the sweeping curve of the RCC vault. The exposed brick walls catch the north light, giving the space a soft, everyday warmth. Outside still, the trees sway above the perforated brick walls, as their shadows gently dapple across the courtyard.

The second vault is the living room, overlooked by the family lounge. With a 30-foot high ceiling, it feels open yet welcoming. The third vault is the library and study. High ceilings and textured walls make it feel tucked away, a quiet corner for reading or work, but still part of the house’s flow. Together, the Teen Vaults hold the life of the family, guiding the way they eat, gather and spend their days together.