The uplifting play of light and shadow

By Beverly Pereira

Photography: Hemant Patel; courtesy the architect

Read Time: 2 mins

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Ar. Prasanna Parvatikar of Cubism Architects & Interiors designs this pristine urban solace ingeniously juxtaposing an introverted design with an open-plan layout. 

Occupying the corner site of a community living zone in South India’s textile capital of Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, and looking out on to adjacent buildings, the 8,000 sq. ft. home  simultaneously responds to both - a sense of privacy, and a visual connect to its verdant surroundings.

 

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A sense of linearity and a minimalistic approach reflects through every line and detail chiselling a seamless space that invigorates the soul. Weaving in the client’s desire to commune with nature, the entrance is graced by eclectic landscaping; and individual spaces are organised to provide maximum coherence with the path of the sun.While the master bedroom overlooks a private garden, the dining and living room open into an outdoor skylit garden on the north and east.

 

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With the client being very spiritual, the puja sthal or place of worship occupies pride of place at the core of the home – a double-height space bathed in dispersed sunlight from the metal skylight above.  Together with the adjacent staircase, this breaks the introverted typology, flaunting to one side, the airy dining space that extends into an outdoor setting comprising a deck and adjacent court.

 

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Building on the firm’s belief in timeless design, where function meets art, the architect plays with chiaroscuro elements throughout... like the metal fabricated skylight opening on the terrace that doubles up as a design element, and a rather long passage is swathed in light that descends through a perforated pergola; both spaces fuelled by the play of light and shadow.

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Contemporary design elements viz., natural marble and stones are juxtaposed with traditional touches exuding from the raw texture of wooden floorings, doors, windows and panelling and the inclusion of typical Chettinad columns as décor elements in a home that’s fitted with fully automated state-of-the-art technology.

 

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The architectural vocabulary drives the holistic commune, where roof and walls are broken into smaller modules of operation, cutting volume and giving rise to a structure that interacts and intrigues.

Fact File

Design firm: Cubism Architects & Interiors

Location: Tirupur, Tamil Nadu

Area: 8,000 sq.ft.

Project cost: INR 3,20,00,000
Cost per sq.ft: INR 4,000