The facade of a building helps to characterize the exceptional architectural aesthetics of a building. A facade, aka face of the house, sets the tone of a house. Although there are so many big and nice buildings out there, only a few can make you stop and actually appreciate them.
Today, Surfaces Reporter is showing you the mesmerizing brick facade of WADA designed by iStudio. The unique, impressive and dramatic exterior of this building is truly an architectural wonder. Let’s have a look:
The Mumbai based architectural firm ‘iStudio architecture’ built a farmhouse amidst rural settlements in Wada, near Mumbai, India. The Brick Façade gives the house a distinct characteristic blending well with the natural settings. In this Brick House, the organic form emerges from the ground and flows into the skyline, following curved dips and peaks.
Inspired by both the works and the philosophies of Laurie Baker and Nari Gandhi, the curvaceous form of this brick house looks like a plant that organically comes out from the ground and opens up to the sky.
The stark contrast of a stone entrance wall against the exposed brickwork lends itself to the realization of the texture of both materials. As one enters into the structure, one is greeted by the soft sunlight falling to the central body of water and the coolness within the structure.
The seamless space in the interior of the house is structured around a central courtyard. The room shows a wonderful display of tree planting and cooling water.
An abundance of natural sunlight blurs the line between outdoor and indoor space. Jalis and arched openings, along with the solar path and climatology, allow cross-ventilation that keeps the temperature of the interior cool despite the hot and humid temperature outside.
The open-plan space is surrounded by a living room and a kitchen with a raised platform painted teal to create the illusion of an extended water pool. A kitchen and a living room surround the open-space with a raised platform teal to form the illusion of an extended water pool.
From the central space of the room, a staircase leads up to an upstairs bedroom and study room. The master bedroom is located behind the staircase through a large wooden door decorated with a tree detail.
The use of exposed materials gives an earthy feel to the entire house. The positions and sizes of the openings within the house are dictated by climatology, ensuring natural light, cross ventilation and passive cooling.
Moreover, the architects have used innovating construction technique rat-trap bond for brickwork, slabs and arches, built-in furniture and brick jails. These also contribute to the low cost of the budget. Moreover, the rat-trap bond for brickwork helped in reducing the amount of material, provided natural insulation and provided for readymade conduiting for electrical work.
Project Details:
Architects: iStudio architecture
Architects in Team: Ar. Amit Patil, Ar. Parasrampuria
Location: Wada, India
Area: 2500.0 ft2
Project Year: 2014
* The original article was published in Surfaces Reporter magazine’s February issue, 2018. It is rewritten for the purpose of serving specific TG on the web.