T House

Principal Architect: Kalpak Shah
Architect’s Firm: Studio Course
Architect’s Website: www.studio-course.com
Contact E-mail: studiocourse@gmail.com
Facebook Link: www.facebook.com/stu...
Instagram Link: kalpakshah_studiocourse
Project location: South Gujarat, India.
Completion Year: 2020
Gross Built Area: 500 Sq.M.
Text credits: Prachi Patel
Photo credits: Fabien Charuau

Client brief and Studio’s ideology:
A reference to contemporize the mid-century modern architecture was the short clear brief that the client shared with us. The design intent and the course that our Studio tries to unfold is of a coherent design, over the path of contemporary architecture. Simplistic, minimal design with careful selection of sustainable materials and precise details with local craftsmanship is extremely central to our philosophy.

Context & Planning:
The plot, sits within a community of 15 other bungalows, which had to abide to the Builder’s common plans, facade planning, finishing treatment and appearance. Due to these constraints, the internal spaces and planning became our way to experiment with the design of this house. The “T House” is planned in such a way that the circulation core and passages are in the center, with all the living spaces around it. This opened up the entire house to the outdoors bringing in a lot of light and natural ventilation in each room. In essence, the underlying ideology used in the design is referenced to the mid-century modern homes where the client’s attempt was to leave a legacy behind for his daughter. The client too looked at the house that would withstand time than be trendy.

Poetics in Architecture:
Just as the musical expression in Jazz music is defined by its composition and arrangement, ingenuity is one of its key elements where a musician invents music at the spur of the moment. Ingenuity is all about expressing one belief. Similarly, the design portrays many such elements for innovation. Everything is doing its own part but they come together beautifully.

“I believe to convey an expression, it’s very important for the complete envelope to speak the same story.”- says Kalpak Shah which he believes he has learnt from studying “Mies Van Der Rohe” and by working closely with “Bijoy Jain” of “Studio Mumbai”.

Design:
The relationship between client and architect is extremely fundamental, as this is a highly tailor-made home to reflect the client’s comfort, lifestyle and personality. Colors are inspired from nature, with black granite floors, hand painted walls in grey that display the tactility of the process. The skirting rises a few inches higher than the general norm, give solidity to the space. Design adapts for each space depending on their function and scale, for e.g. the walls of the toilets become white with lighter grey Kota flooring to respect the smaller volume. The idea is to maintain cohesion throughout the house for each type of space.

Details:
The client and Kalpak share their ideology towards design- “Details make the Design; details are as integral as the whole of Design”. It is not just a technique to finish a product or space. “Hans Wegner”, “George Nakashima” and “Pierre Jeanneret” chairs have been handpicked and some of which altered to meet the design language and suite Indian anthropometry. Besides, most of the house furniture, partitions, handles, latches, etc. are custom designed by the studio using natural brass, teak wood, fluted glass, woven rattan, Danish cord wicker work, etc.

Another element of space making – the bay windows have special meaning in this house to connect the inside to the outside. A nook in every room to snuggle and curl up while watching the world go by. The indoor plants stroll into the spaces as if the outdoors have come in.

Conclusion:
The design intent is always to achieve a calm and serene space.