SUBSCRIBE NOW
    • Homes

    Generations come together to feast and affix familial relationships in this house designed by D’WELL

    AUG 6, 2021 | By Kashish Kaushal
    Minimalist spaces that honour the traditions and ethos of the region define the design direction of the house. Long and airy passages keep the house cool during the summer months; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    Built on irregular shaped land, the house was flanked by walls on three sides. The designers carved out functional spaces that increase the ventilation in the house; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    Honouring the root’s of the family business, the dedicated accountant’s corner holds immense sentimental value; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    A play of light and shadow create interesting patterns on the otherwise minimal walls; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    Commemorating the traditional room used for water storage, the nook under the stairs houses the family’s heirloom brass utensils; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    The heart of all the activity, the double height courtyard has ample natural light and air throughout the day. Glass bricks used on the roof draw in additional light and further open up the space; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla
    Breaking the monotony, Dholpur red stone creates statement walls in a deep, Indian red colour while the Kota stone balances the white and grey walls; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    It is in the roots, not the branches, that a tree’s greatest strength lies. Personifying this axiom, a diamond merchant moves to Surat for his diamond business but retains his family home in village Meta of Banaskantha district, Gujarat. Jhanvi Mehta Shah and Rakshit Shah founders of D’WELL along with Alpesh Mevada were endowed with the task to design a house on 2,500 sq ft ancestral land with a simple brief to establish a connection with the family’s tradition, for generations to come. 

    “Design concerns revolved around the constant quest to translate traditional and vernacular concepts into contemporary vocabulary. The irregular shaped hereditary land with shared walls on three sides posed a minor challenge,” shares Shah. Hence, the west facing open front was carved out and kept permeable supplying the house with a perennial flow of light and ventilation. 

    Intricate metal grills in the opening enhance ventilation and visually open up the entrance and courtyards; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    The intent behind constructing the house was to bring a sense of proximity amongst the family as well as accommodate a large group of people for various functions and festivities. Due to this, the spaces have been designed comparatively larger in scale that allows flexibility of multipurpose usage.  An interesting outcome of this can be the return of the concept of families living together!

    Conservation is a state of harmony between man and land. The village, unfortunately, experiences a dry climate and constant scarcity of water. In an attempt to solve this problem traditionally, a room was dedicated to store water in brass vessels. 

    Largely based around the use of local stones, the material palette of the house also gives the design a minimal, monochromatic theme; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    Employing this idea, ancestral brass vessels were placed as ornamentation in different corners of the house, attaching a sentimental value for the generations to come. Another astounding aspect of this house is that it is not air-conditioned at all. “The house is designed considering many low maintenance and passive cooling ideas to make the atmosphere comfortable throughout the house. Taking in the light while cutting the heat was one of the major criteria for design,” reveals Shah.

    The capacious spaces with a good height beat the scorching Gujarat heat without blocking natural light; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    The facilities in this house were largely fashioned inside out with spaces cut out to give the inhabitants a sense of space and depth. This brought the outside inside, in an extremely Indian way of envisaging space through courtyards and verandahs.

    Designers reimagine the traditional ‘Osri’ and create a indoor outdoor facade at the entrance; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    Past the quintessential verandah, the living room embraces a raw, yet bold aesthetic that sits somewhere between two worlds—contemporary and conventional. With a vintage seating system, a muted colour palette aids in highlighting the inbuilt furniture. 

    Designed around the lifestyle of the family, the house has retained traditional seating and courtyard designs; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    The central dining space is designed paying close attention to light, materials and resultant spaces. An extension to the living space, it adds a rich texture and assigns a deeper meaning to the space, creating a crafted environment that is well lit and ventilated.

    Timeless and elegant, the generational home that carefully fuses modern minimalism with traditional Indian lifestyle; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    In this home, the design team has used generous swathes of raw wood, stones displaying their unique graining patterns coupled with earthy, soft furnishings and textiles made from natural fibres. The Ancestral Home breaks away from the shackles of a primitive home and quickly adapts to the newfangled finesse modern day design has to offer.

    Scroll down to identify more such invigorating design elements…

    Vertical connectivity is a key element of the design. Strategically placed, east facing windows and openings eliminate the need for artificial lights; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    Challenging the recent trend of dedicated, closed spaces, the house celebrates open plan and community living; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    Replacing walls and physical divisions, smart use of colour blocking demarcates different spaces in the house; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    Connecting the two upper rooms, the bridge basks under the sunlight gushing in from the glass, double height ceiling; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    Grey walls host the rhythmic play of shadows and light. The minimal design of the house tactfully uses structural features to add ornamentation; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    Minimal monochrome graces the living room and compliments the wooden furniture. The room exudes a neoteric yet ethnic charm; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    The saturated hue of the local stone is the jewel of the house. Whites and greys act as a seamless canvas for wooden details and statement walls; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

     

    With a medley of definitive edges and sharp linearity, the elegant minimalist design is drenched in Indian ethos; Photographs by Dhrupad Shukla

    If you loved this home by D’WELL, you will enjoy a tour of this stunning Moroccan inspired Ahmedabad home by Mistry Architects!