H-House by Co.lab Design Studio in Surat inverts the concept of a bungalow set in a garden by encapsulating natural green spaces within the house itself. The residence derives its name from the spatial layout, which divides the house into two wings—public and private—with common living spaces flanking the central courtyards. With minimal architectural forms, the character of the residence is generated by the inclusion of an off-form solid mass that dramatically cantilevers over the underlying spaces. Featuring a fine balance of transparency and opacity, the material palette ranges from stone and glass to granite and timber. Scroll down to read the Studio’s description of the space.
In order to create a luxurious and spacious home where the owner feels constantly connected to the outdoors, the design inverts the concept of a bungalow set in a garden by infusing gardens into the bungalow and encapsulating the natural green space within the house.
The private residence is designed to flow with how the family functions in their routine life, breaking down to a simple formula – Private v/s Public. Hence the arrangement has been divided into two wings connected by the circulation making it an H-shape layout, one wing being the Guest wing (public) and the second wing being the Family Wing (private) with gathering spaces flanked with courtyards on both sides which set up dramatic views of the immediate greenery throughout the house.
The building layout creates a complete and hermetic bond between the interior and the exterior. The courtyards acts as in between dynamic spaces that allows microclimate to be experienced daily, blurring the lines of indoor – outdoor living. The captivating courtyard design provides this home with a special sense of serenity and acts as personalised nature retreat that feed into adjacent interior spaces.
The building stands strong on its own with minimal architectural forms. The character of the residence is generated by the inclusion of an off-form solid mass that dramatically cantilevers over the underlying spaces. The upper volume is stone cladded, creating the illusion of floating atop the delicate glass from below. The extensive glazing on the ground floor “lightens up “the massive structure and the Black granite mass on the top acts as an interface with the surrounding neighbourhood making the spaces introvert in character. Hence, the contrast of opacity and transparency continues throughout the house with the efficient use of materials. On the other hand, the monotony of the solid box is broken up by the timber-looking movable aluminium screen which serves to soften the robust stone cladded texture.
The design intent for the house is focused on creating experiences, where meaning and substance took precedence over gratuitous form. The design was enhanced by embracing and highlighting the scale as required, while creating a warm ambience for the residents.
