A home that hides and seeks

This open-plan dwelling in Ahmedabad is architected by the homeowners themselves

22 May 2026

Inspired by the old childhood game of Santakukdi (hide and seek), each turn within this house reveals a new space. The architecture flows continuously, with overlapping volumes and concealed corners, making every moment an act of seeking hidden spaces, just like the game.

Hardik and Geeta Pandit of their Ahmedabad-based design studio ARUR are not just the architects but the owners of the 2,000 sq ft residence crafted for their family of three generations. With a minimal rustic palette of terracotta browns and yellow-tinted whites, the designers relied on a unique formula to brighten this space — using windows to frame the landscape from various corners and collectively forming a living collage of nature.

Hitesh Rathi from Rathi Consortium engineered the structure of the House of Satakukdi, giving a base for its unique concept. The external façade of the house was painted with Asian Paints, giving its original textured look; Photography by Karan Gajjar from The Space Tracing Company

Let there be light

A low-height entrance gently curves in to reveal a puja room hiding in plain sight, a jewel-like shape highlighting the place’s sanctity. Fitted with a skylight above, the sunshine reflects on the curved terracotta walls, giving the space an ethereal glow.

The home further opens into a courtyard similar to traditional houses, created with a conscious effort to have a shared space where everyone can co-exist, while also serving as a place for social gatherings. “The core consists of two double-storied voids parallel to each other oriented along the East – West,” describe Hardik and Geeta, talking about the floors above. The ground floor serves as the primary space, building an entire composition where boundaries get dissolved between the family and dining area, a temple and a small shaded verandah that opens to the garden towards the North.

View of the bridge connecting the double-height volume; Photography by Karan Gajjar from The Space Tracing Company

The living room has been created with a sense of coexisting together as a family. Light fixtures from Litomatic blend in with the aesthetic of exposed concrete, and the windows decorated with glass from Saint Gobain, let in the surrounding views; Photography by Karan Gajjar from The Space Tracing Company

An ode to traditional homes

The natural light that seeps into the home through strategically placed skylights and low window frames not only brightens the house but also serves as a gateway to the landscape views designed by Bhumi Patel of Nature Scape. Yellow-hued lime walls bring a wash of breathability to the many turns and corners, while complementing the terracotta walls. The exposed concrete in turn, adds a rustic character while helping regulate indoor temperatures and balancing the heat that accompanies the abundant daylight.

Finally, the Kota stone flooring provides a cool, luminous sheen that captures the reflection of daily activities. Together, these elements form a minimal palette giving the home a simplistic yet contemplative appearance rather than one that is ornamental. The house finds a fine balance in creating a functional house and keeping a condensed expression of their studio’s design language, blending an ancestral memory with modern, clean and symmetrical aesthetics.