Ahmedabad Houzz: This Red Brick Bungalow Has Invisible Corners
With curvilinear shapes, rounded walls and undulating forms, this home by Manisha Basu is unlike any other
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
16 November 2020
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist. www.mangomonk.com
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.... More
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Sudhir Sheth
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Year built: 2011
Size: 400 square metres (4306 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
Principal architect: Manisha Basu of Manisha Shodhan Basu and Associates
Photos by Inclined Studio
Curvilinear forms, fire-engine red brick facades, languorous verandahs, climate-conducive materials and a continual interplay of sunlight and shadows define this home belonging to US returnee Sudhir Sheth.
“After having spent 35 years overseas, Sudhir envisaged a large home where he could live life on his own terms, as well as host his extended family from time to time. The house is at peace with the landscape and allows its dweller the same liberty. Each space takes on a new avatar with every passing hour, its surfaces and shadows changing proportions as day becomes night,” says Manisha Basu, founder and principal architect of her eponymous architecture firm Manisha Shodhan Basu and Associates.
Who lives here: Sudhir Sheth
Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Year built: 2011
Size: 400 square metres (4306 square feet); 3 bedrooms; 4 bathrooms
Principal architect: Manisha Basu of Manisha Shodhan Basu and Associates
Photos by Inclined Studio
Curvilinear forms, fire-engine red brick facades, languorous verandahs, climate-conducive materials and a continual interplay of sunlight and shadows define this home belonging to US returnee Sudhir Sheth.
“After having spent 35 years overseas, Sudhir envisaged a large home where he could live life on his own terms, as well as host his extended family from time to time. The house is at peace with the landscape and allows its dweller the same liberty. Each space takes on a new avatar with every passing hour, its surfaces and shadows changing proportions as day becomes night,” says Manisha Basu, founder and principal architect of her eponymous architecture firm Manisha Shodhan Basu and Associates.
The main gate opens into a driveway, flanked by a stretch of lawn on the left. Ahead stands the brick-clad facade, dominated by rounded corners and curvilinear forms. The driveway leads to the home’s front door.
Look up the Houzz directory for architects
Look up the Houzz directory for architects
“The elegant double-curved exterior embraces the garden space. The windows lining the curved walls provide excellent views on the inside and outside,” notes Basu.
Find out how to add an element of wow to your home’s exterior
Find out how to add an element of wow to your home’s exterior
The front door opens into the living room, whose red brick palette echoes the exterior facade. The room circles gently to the right, channelling a lighthouse-style layout.
Find an interior designer to design your home
Find an interior designer to design your home
The seating arrangement, composed of solid-wood furniture, lines the walls, mirroring the circular shape of the room. Overarching the space is a cement oxide ceiling, punctuated by a rectangular wooden frame with recessed lighting.
Furniture: FabIndia
Furniture: FabIndia
The dining room lies on the far end of the living area. A rectangular six-seater table anchors the dining zone.
A generous verandah, with a traditional wooden jhula (swing), abuts the dining room, providing an outdoor retreat on cool evenings.
Browse through pictures of patios on Houzz
Browse through pictures of patios on Houzz
To the left of the entrance lies the master bedroom. Here, the ceiling wears a bare cement oxide finish, providing an unfussy contrast to the exposed red brick wall. With no corners or cuts, the room arcs its way around. A series of slim windows sweeps along the curved wall, while a pair of armchairs serve as welcome seating in what feels like an enclosed verandah. A double bed zones the slumber area in the centre of the room.
Here’s how to add a modern twist to an age-old exposed brick wall inside your home
Here’s how to add a modern twist to an age-old exposed brick wall inside your home
Next to the dining room, a staircase rises to the first floor, which hosts the home’s two other bedrooms.
The first-floor landing sports a semicircular avatar, with the cement oxide ceiling and red brick walls from the ground floor making a reappearance.
With its rounded walls and invisible corners, the guest bedroom is a replica of the master bedroom in its layout. The ivory ceiling is a departure from the home’s dominant cement oxide theme, while the red brick walls channel a familiar presence. A solid-wood bed takes centre stage.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: This 40th-Storey Den Bridges the Sky and the Sea
Delhi Houzz: Uber-Minimalism is the Mainstay of This Cuboid House
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: This 40th-Storey Den Bridges the Sky and the Sea
Delhi Houzz: Uber-Minimalism is the Mainstay of This Cuboid House
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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