Fact File
Location: Vansajada, Gujarat
Size: 370 sq m
Principal Architects: Tarun Patel, and Vipul Jiyani
Photography by: Zurich Shah, Paper Tales Studio
Outhouse by MISA Architects is a representation of the harmony that can be achieved between the natural and the built environment. Set amid lush farmland, away from the bustling city of Ahmedabad, the site offered a serene escape, which was interpreted by the designers as an opportunity to create enigmatic poetry in the architectural composition. The Outhouse is defined as a visible invisible extension of nature. Nestled amidst agricultural farmland, this weekend house brings harmony between the natural and the built environment.
On his first visit to the site, the architect made up his mind to optimise the setting of this project. Amid lush green farmland, away from the bustling city of Ahmedabad, this site offered a getaway into the serenity and vastness of nature. The design approach was to create an enigmatic feel by camouflaging the building with the background, which offered a matchless view of the horizon. The imagination was to bring life to a poetic expression: the green grass below, the blue sky above, and the outhouse at this threshold. The outhouse plan comprises a series of courtyards and private spaces connected through an immaculate passage. This project features a living area, dining area, kitchen, master bedroom, and guest room. The courtyards embed usable outdoor spaces like the patio, swimming pool, and entrance vestibule.
These fragmented semi-public and semi-private spaces are carefully positioned to create an array of experiences while improvising on the ambience. The cantilevered deck turns into a pulpit in front of the graduating lawn space for audience seating. A private swimming pool is designed with a handy private shower and powder room for guests. The rooms intentionally make for an inside-out living experience, while the deeply shaded openings in the north and east ensure thorough daylight and shelter from the weather. The exposed RCC ceiling is patterned with bamboo curtains, with a complete green cover on the terrace. The building preserves water with its reverse drilling to help recharge the groundwater table.
