A Roundup: Top 4 modern, stylish Pune homes featured in AD

A Brick & Concrete Home Filled with Contemporary Ideas, by Alok Kothari

This2,600 square-feet-homeKothari华由建筑师设计的,是一个有品味projection of both earthy aesthetics and modernity. Located in the Bibvewadi area of Pune, this home thrives amid lush greenery. The bungalow belongs to a family of five and comprises four bedrooms, and one multi-purpose room. While primarily constructed in red bricks, this structure also showcases bold shades of grey throughout its interiors and exteriors. The screen-work designed with bricks helps create an intriguing play of light and shadow. Following the client's brief, the architects aimed to create a simple structure with certain dynamic elements. Kothari says, “The client wanted a house that was simple, but simultaneously, one that made a statement. We took this up as a challenge and started exploring different modes of architectural expression.” The architect was inspired by the traditional wada typology of homes in Pune. Simple and elegant, wadas were traditionally constructed in either exposed brick or basalt stone, or with a mixture of both materials. Enthused by this materiality, Kothari decided to render this home with brick, primarily because of the material's many practical benefits and pleasing aesthetic. In addition to being economical, this material is also sustainable, environment-friendly and low in maintenance. Avers Kothari, “Bricks by nature radiate an innate sense of art, and have a timeless appeal.” The interior spaces are ornamented with subtle geometrical imageries and shapes. Since the client ardently believes in vastu, the geometrical patterns in the interiors were made such that they boost the flow of energy and positivity within the household. Kothari says, “These positive vibrations transform this house into a home, an abode.”

A Home Enriched With Open Spaces and Soft Colours, by Between Walls

A home is often a creative manifestation of one's personality. The design, colour, material and styling are intrinsic to telling a personal story. And if that story is inspired by the world and fuelled by a passion to travel, the canvas for an interior designer becomes endless and exciting. When Pune-based Natasha Shah of Between Walls set out to design this apartment for her clients, the owners' love for travel became the tentpole to her design language. The1400-square-feet residencewas christened Apartment 1001, derived from the residence and floor number of the building. The clients had just moved from Mumbai and wanted their home to reflect their love for travel and the city they were settling in. “Our journey began keeping in mind their love for beaches. All the colours and emotions that nature had to offer were reflected in the concept," says Shah. Keeping the ocean in mind, certain features were locked down. For example, the entrance of the house is designed in glass depicting transparency like the water. The colour palette is mostly white and is rooted in a sense of freshness. The TV wall is clad with natural stone and the living room is given a colourful arc with complementary colours of blue and yellow depicting the contrasting colours. Symmetry and balance of materials and colours have fused pragmatism with style. The love for nature has been encapsulated in the traditional ‘khaat' (bedstead) in the balcony of the guest room, with coconuts painted in pastel shades—it's ideal to curl up with a good book. The sublimely cool and clean approach to pastels, whites and blues is accentuated with the use of pinewood. “We have used natural pinewood for the balcony ceiling and coupled that with rustic blue printed tiles for the flooring," says Shah.

A Home that Celebrates Minimalism, by Studio Course

The ‘Matt House', aminimalist abode in Pune, is a modern home in its true sense. Designed by Pune-based firm Studio Course for a family of four, clean lines and uncomplicated design defines the space, which is a visual delight. The free movement through various rooms heightens the perception of the space. The firm's objective to carve out spaces, which are ‘functional, simple and have lasting value', kickstarted the process. Kalpak Shah, Principal Architect of Studio Course, shares how the client's brief of a ‘great place to live in' prompted them to carry forward the studio's philosophy of being true to form and maximize the use of natural materials. There's a rustic, woodsy charm to the apartment yet a contemporary, clean tonality that makes it the best of both worlds. The free movement through various rooms of this house heightens the perception of the space. The notion to read spaces through its various planes and surfaces, using the inherent quality and depth of the materials, brings clarity and richness to the house. The little burst of colours is a mood elevator, lending the home a cheerful personality. Studio Course has taken a very practical approach to the design of the various areas in the home; its aesthetic is an interpretation of tradition in a modern way, which is reflected in the choice of various elements used throughout the house. With walls that are painted beige, a shell is created which is a dull monotone. This has allowed the firm to experiment with the furniture and other elements by using colour and texture. A stylistic diversity, coupled with the custom designed fixtures and carefully chosen paintings, brings the home alive.

A Statement-Making Home With a Moving Wall, by VDGA

“We would like an open kitchen,” said the Pune-based client to Deepak Guggari of VDGA. Understanding only too well the heavy duty nature of Indian cooking, Guggari set about delivering the expectation of his well-heeled industrialist client, without compromising the functionality of the space. A four-bedroomhome spread across 4,500 square feet,包括简短的“印度现代”作为美学ic. To this end, Guggari has utilised a colour palette of neutrals and pastels to support the veneers and cement sheets, enhanced by the greenery in the upscale neighbourhood where the apartment is located in. The existing Italian marble flooring was retained, while some civil changes were made to accommodate the requirements of the family and make the space accessible. The internal layout is such that one has to pass the dining room and immaculate white kitchen—with its polyurethane coated shutters and granite counters—in order to go to the living room. “But having to view the clutter which usually accompanies complicated Indian cooking was not a great idea,” says Guggari. The obvious and simplest solution was to create a sliding “wall” which discreetly hides the kitchen from view during its busiest moments, while sliding back conveniently to merge spaces when the work is done. But this is no ordinary wall; 12 feet across and 8 feet in height, it has been put together from wooden block print scraps from Jaipur, creating a richly tactile surface engraved with many patterns – functioning as a giant art installation. The immobile wall behind, which is visible only when the kitchen is shut, bears landscapes in black and white. “To maximise the usable area in the kitchen and to capture the view of the fully grown palm trees beyond, the existing wall of the utility room was pulled down, combining this space with the kitchen,” says Guggari. A screen of light weight metal chains is suspended between the dining and living areas, creating a notional and porous segregation. “While this physically disconnects both areas, the visual connectivity still remains intact,” says Guggari. The terrace outside the dining room has a "green wall", which forms the backdrop for a customised wooden jhoola dotted with vibrant cushions that add a punch of colour. Throughout the home, an abundance of natural light accentuates textures, endowing them with a tactile character which invites touch. Artificial lighting is simple, consisting mainly of recessed spotlights in the ceiling, supported by table and floor lamps where needed. “Everything comes together to create a timeless space,” says Guggari.

ALSO READ:

2020 Roundup: Top 6 luxurious Gujarat homes, featured in AD