This single-family residence had to snake through the protected trees of the 19th-century British Colonial suburban grid. It rejects a main facade as a colonial element: the exterior is flat, unfinished, and clad with steel mesh to support climbing creepers, creating a sense of appearing rather than forming an appearance. Inside, the two offset volumes form two facades - one historic-looking, one modern - separated by an in-between space, as if to establish a dialogue regarding questions of identity. Fired brick speaks of the region’s Indus Valley Civilisation over four millennia ago, and has been used continuously since. Other local materials employed include Malagori marble and sheesham and neem woods. Reclaimed floor tiles, doors, windows, and steel girders are collaged in. Plays of texture, reflection, and light as well as auditory and - via the plants - olfactory effects offer a sensory experience. Elongated proportions throughout create a sense of distance and amplification.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
