SUBSCRIBE NOW
    • Homes

    Rajiv Saini and Associates nurture this villa in Dhampur with a raw and organic demeanour

    AUG 28, 2021 | By Saloni Rege
    Built in exposed concrete and locally manufactured bricks, the entrance makes for striking first impressions with its play of solids and voids; Photographs by Ashish Sahi

    Nestling within a sugar factory campus—one of India’s largest that is owned by the clients in a small town of Uttar Pradesh’s Dhampur, this 7,400 sq ft house redefines the notion of homecoming. “A familiar essence prevailed as we designed this fourth abode for our former clients. Previously, we have worked on their Delhi-based primary residence and built holiday homes in Goa and Dehradun for their retreat dreams,” says Rajiv Saini, principal architect of his namesake practice, Rajiv Saini and Associates.

    The centrally located family room serves as a hub for gatherings. A modish custom-built seating accommodates 8-10 people, ideal for the family to congregate under the 17 ft high ceiling, which welcomes streaks of daylight through clerestory openings; Photographs courtesy Ashish Sahi

     

    The dining ensemble accommodates a Pierre Jeanneret table, a wall canvas art by Sudershan Shetty, antique monk chairs by Afra and Tobia Scarpa as well as a wooden console, both of which are sourced from galleries in Europe; Photographs courtesy Ashish Sahi

     

    A charmed allure envelopes the bedroom area as art from the client’s collection bedecks the grey-toned walls. Also witnessed are unique chairs and a freestanding vintage lamp, sourced from galleries in Europe; Photographs courtesy Ashish Sahi

    Surrounding the residence are silhouettes of factory chimneys in the backdrop, as if the house always belonged there, which in fact was the brief from the start. And as a design team, Rajiv Saini, Yusuf Pardawala and Puneet Rathore happily acknowledged it. The homeowners divide their time between Delhi and Singapore. However, now that they would be empty nesters, owing to the youngest of their three daughters leaving for further studies; they wanted to spend most of their time at the factory campus, engaging in social work for their employees and workers…

    …Click here to discover more about this stunning project in Dhampur in the August-September issue of ELLE DECOR India…