Location: Chandigarh, India.

Architect: Aman Aggarwal (Charged Voids).

The project is located in Chandigarh, a city designed by le Corbusier and is a symbol of modernism for India. The site is located in sector 27, which embodies the principles of CIAM. The site is a corner plot with zoning regulations and a setback on all four sides. The brief was to design a house for a multi-generation family of six members, including an area for domestic help. The concept of the project is to combine eastern spatial planning and western aesthetics. The planning utilizes the concept of a cross-axes, a vertical axis through the plan, and a horizontal axis through the landscape courtyards. The multiple courtyards and terrace garden allow for penetration of fragments of nature into the interior spaces. The corbusian philosophies are interpreted in the planning and architectural expression. The dwelling unit houses a total of five bedrooms. The ground floor houses the public spaces, including the formal living and dining, the lounge, a small office, and puja, as well as the parent’s and master bedrooms. The kitchen is almost in the center with a collapsible partition to open into the central space. The first floor houses the other three bedrooms, two for the children and one guest room. The project was designed keeping in mind the prevalent construction practices and locally available materials. Cast in situ R.C.C and brick construction have been used. The project was the first project of the practice in the first phase of the city, and the degrading urban expression for this symbol of modernism is one of the prime concerns of the practice.

Photo credit: Javier Callejas Sevilla.