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    Kanan Modi illustrates a post-war modernist aesthetic through its play of solids and voids in this Hyderabad home

    FEB 1, 2023 | By Kanan Modi
    Artwork by Ana Sneeringer decks the dining area with a light installation 'Discovery' from Artemide that looms above the table titled Shade from Lema. Kibacha vases by Ikai Asai make their presence felt alongside Eutopia Chairs by Francisco Gomez Paz; Styled by Sam Wadekar Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Landscape architect Kunal Maniar interweaves a powerful dialogue by layering the softscape. Overlooking the outdoors, the living room harbours JK Easy Chair by Jun Kamahara for Ritzwell and North floor lamp by Arik Levy for Vibia. Islay recliners by Red Blue & Yellow and a gorilla shaped light sculpture titled Kong by Stefano Giovannoni for Qeeboo graces the outdoors with the swimming pool; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Family room on the first floor is furnished in Ghost sofa and Brick 307 rocking chair from Paola Navone for Gervasoni, Bidu small tables from Baxter, the Random light by Bertjan Pot for Moooi, Bonos bench by Daï Sugasawa for Qeeboo and carpet by Jaipur Rugs; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    Gulmohar Lane’s Cochin Rattan bed, Forte side tables by Josmo Studio, Demetra wall lights by Naoto Fukasawa for Artemide, vase by The Osmos Studio and bed linen by Studio Yamini endow a natural and amicable appeal to the bedroom; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
    A concrete volume sits perpendicularly above a stone block, extending as a cantilever which functions as an entrance canopy. It is softened by the dense vegetation amongst which the house resides. A gracefully bent sculptural tree trunk proposed by landscape architect Kunal Maniar traces the flow of the waterbody that leads to the 12 ft floor-to-ceiling entrance door. The water body has a glass bottom that allows light to penetrate into the spaces below; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it,” said Irish writer George A. Moore once. What can a person possibly find in a dwelling made of concrete, bricks, wood and suchlike materials? When I think of it, the answer lies in the very foundation of the home—from the first moment a layout on paper transforms into layers of bricks on site to when a whole structure stands tall with a world of its own inside brimming with character, warmth and anticipation of making memories that only its dwellers will know of.

    My team and I took a similar route of birthing an idea into a home when we met a young couple a little over two years ago, who completely floored us with their passion for architecture. We were certainly excited to know what this encounter of two architecture-inclined minds will take shape into. Thereupon started our journey to design and build SI’RENITi House, a 21,600 sq ft habitat in the prime neighbourhood of Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad where days feel warmer and nights cool and breezy.

    Dress-Up! sofa by Rodolfo Dordoni for Cassina teams up with Sereno coffee tables by Fredrikson Stallard for Driade and Nara tables by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform. Custom carpet by Mishcat Co in the living room and artwork on concrete wall is by Meenakshi Katragadda; Styled by Sam Wadekar Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Titled North, the floor Lamp by Arik Levy for Vibia is paired with Rodolfo Dordoni’s sofa called Dress-Up! designed for Cassina1159; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The drawing board was not just ours to work on. Our clients often spent hours with us conceptualising that added to the gradual development of the layout, combining the best of architectural practises laced with a thoughtful, joyous spirit of the homeowners.

    Hot-rolled steel staircase is left unfinished on one side and finished in oak on the other side generates a dynamic interaction with the concrete facade; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The architecture of the house is inspired by post-war modernism with formed concrete structure meticulously cast on-site that turned into our canvas for wall crafted murals and art pieces, interacting with the ever-changing light patterns caused by deep pergolas above and evoking varied emotions throughout the day.

    Opening the floor-to ceiling pocket doors bring the indoor space outwards and the outdoors into the home, creating a seamless relationship between both the environments; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Clad in oak and a locally sourced granite, the kitchen houses Mad dining table by Marcel Wanders, for Poliform and Eutopia chairs in tridimensional solid wood multi-laid marquetry by Francisco Gomez Paz; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    A formed concrete volume sits perpendicularly above a stone block, extending out as a large cantilever which functions as an entrance canopy, softened by the dense vegetation amongst which the house resides. A stepping stone through the water body leads into the 12 ft high floor-to-ceiling pivoted entrance door. The water body has a glass bottom that allows refracted light to penetrate into the spaces below.

    Spencer bed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti, Dream side tables by Marcel Wanders for Poliform, Demetra wall lights by Naoto Fukasawa for Artemide, Tribeca sofa by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform, Kibacha vase by Ikai Asai, cushions by No-Mad and quilt by Studio Yamini assimilate in the main suite; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The landscape architect, Kunal Maniar designed the landscapes to fit in with the house so seamlessly, it felt magical. It was exciting that he was on the same wavelength as us right from the beginning, and knew exactly what needed to be done to make that powerful dialogue between the indoor-outdoor spaces.

    Main bath accommodates a Flotation tub with Zero Dimension by Toto and a Plopp stool by Oskar Zieta; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    At the entrance door, Maniar proposed a sculptural tree whose trunk could be slightly bent to go with the flow of the water body below and the cantilever above, and that effort added so much energy to the experience of walking in.

    A predominantly concrete and basalt environment in the house is juxtaposed against slatted oak walls, which are evenly washed with daylight and strategically conceal doors into the services and storage rooms behind. Alongside physical and functional requirements of the spaces, we aligned our thoughts into how this home could play a role in the enhanced wellbeing of its occupants.

    The pergola with its ever-changing light patterns create a playful ambience and evokes serenity; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

     

    Leading to the basement, artwork by Bhuwal Prasad, Ridley cycle and Triumph Thruxton motorbike frame the vantage; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala

    The thought led us to introduce skylights with deep, angled pergolas to bring in controlled daylight in each of the spaces. Large overhangs connecting indoor and outdoor spaces have been so seamlessly intertwined that it’s hardly possible to really differentiate the two, also ensuring that the home is always a few degrees cooler and in a well-ventilated environment that minimises the need to depend on mechanical energies.

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