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    In Surat, three coves become one in a palatial design endeavour by Neogenesis+Studi0261

    SEP 8, 2023 | By Rajlakshmi Dastidar
    The living room opens into the courtyard as well. The custom wood furniture rests atop a Mandana stone flooring with sunlight gently illuminating the artistry of the home; Photography by Ishita Sitwala
    The open courtyard of this home is a window to the green that surrounds it. The courtyard has been designed in a way that each room, like temple and dining area flow into one another; Photography by Ishita Sitwala
    With a skylight above and greenery in each nook and cranny, the space has a free suspended RCC wall that curves into a divider and a sacred temple space. A highlighting factor here is the stone louvres made from Mandana; Photography by Ishita Sitwala
    The bedroom embraces a muted colour palette. The black headboard of the bed is customised with fabric from Rowan Decor while the pillows, bedsheets and the throw is from Ikea; Photography by Ishita Sitwala
    The home by Neogenesis+Studi0261 in Surat follows an earthy material palette built with earth bricks sourced from Kesarjan, Ahmedabad; Photography by Ishita Sitwala
    The design is rooted in traditional yet a modern clutter-free idea that allows nature to be in full bloom; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

    Imagine this — three houses, all attached, like three chapters in a book, each narrating an individualistic yet cohesive story of design and everyday routine. Just open spaces to share, to be and to evolve with. Meticulously curated for a family of farmers, in the heart of Bhimrad, amid the embrace of Surat’s landscape, the home assumes a pensive but palatial presence sculpted by Neogenesis+Studi0261. 

    “By weaving these open spaces into the fabric of the dwelling, we have created an environment that resonates with the family’s agricultural lifestyle while promoting a deep and constant bond with the surrounding nature,” reveal architects Chinmay Laiwala, Jigar Asarawala, and Tarika Asarawala, who helmed the shaping up of the home. 

    The spiral staircase in the home is a masterpiece in making, connecting the central courtyard directly with the upper floor; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

    In nature’s embrace

    The palette embraces warm, earthy tones that dance alongside bespoke furnishings, exposed brick walls, Mandana floors, and concrete ceilings adorned with intricate patterns, resonating as an extension of their agrarian lifestyle — a bond with nature akin to an unyielding connection.

    The courtyard is the beating heart of this creative tale, visually stitching the three units into one. Green is the keyword here. It’s everywhere — outside, between the houses, inside, in a courtyard that possibly resembles a secret garden and on the terrace. 

    The living room is a window to the open courtyard, where abundant natural light and greenery enhances the overall mien of the home. The furniture is custom designed and the flooring has been laid out with Mandana stone; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The spiral staircase comes into view from a circular window on the wall while natural light seeps in; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

    Leafing reality behind

    Enveloped by a verdant canopy of trees, the panorama unfolds as a captivating visual ode. And at the entrance, a suspended RCC pooja wall, doubling as a divider, cradles into a sacred nook. Move forward and the living room, the kitchen, and the dining area are all wrapped around a central courtyard. 

    A spiral staircase that transpires like a work of art, made from perforated metal sheets, leads you into the two bedrooms and an open terrace, offering views accompanied by a garden overlooking the fields. The upper level has another bedroom and terrace, which is the icing on the cake for this home.

    With a skylight above and greenery in each nook and cranny, the space has a free suspended RCC wall that curves into a divider and a sacred temple space. A highlighting factor here is the stone louvres made from Mandana; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The bedroom has a custom black headboard with fabric from Rowan Decor while the pillows, bedsheets and the throw are from Ikea; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

    Earth bricks, exposed RCC, Mandana stone, reclaimed wood, metal and glass, all sing in harmony indoors. But the lime plaster on the walls emerges as the true luminary, weaving its enchantment and harmonising the entire spectrum of the home’s colour narrative.

    The first floor bedroom has a terrace garden and overlooks the scenery of the courtyard; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

     

    The RCC wall acts as a divider for the dining area and the temple. A skylight allows rays of the sun to luminate the space that has stone louvres of Mandana; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

    Using Mandana limestone for the floors to beat the Surat heat and crafting earth bricks from soil mixed with Mandana stone dust, then letting them bask in the sun, every detail is a story or a tribute to local craftsmanship. 

    This entire home is like an ode to nature, where design and green join forces to make a sanctuary of design magic.

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