Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A House of Courtyards
Tradition, climate response and ecological sensitivity come together in this offbeat home in the outskirts of Delhi
This Delhi home has been designed by Kumar Moorthy & Associates as an idiom that evokes residential spaces from the culturally and the architecturally distinct region of Southern India. This home is also a reflection of the homeowners’ – Gopi and Chitra Gopalakrishnan’s cultural roots.
After living and working with NGOs in Vietnam, USA and Africa for many years, the couple were eager to return to familiar surroundings. Purchasing a low lying piece of agricultural land just south of Delhi at a low ebb in the otherwise high price cycles, they envisaged a quiet refuge in the midst of greenery; an ideal place to experiment with organic farming and sustainable living. Narayan Moorthy, one of the principal architects of Kumar Moorthy & Associates helped give shape to the plans.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Gopi and Chitra Gopalakrishnan with their daughter
Location: Jaunapur, New Delhi
Architects and interior designers: Kumar Moorthy & Associates
After living and working with NGOs in Vietnam, USA and Africa for many years, the couple were eager to return to familiar surroundings. Purchasing a low lying piece of agricultural land just south of Delhi at a low ebb in the otherwise high price cycles, they envisaged a quiet refuge in the midst of greenery; an ideal place to experiment with organic farming and sustainable living. Narayan Moorthy, one of the principal architects of Kumar Moorthy & Associates helped give shape to the plans.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Gopi and Chitra Gopalakrishnan with their daughter
Location: Jaunapur, New Delhi
Architects and interior designers: Kumar Moorthy & Associates
The design of this home uses elements that have been conceptually translocated from the warm, coastal and wet region of Kerala to the hot climate of Delhi. A careful selection of apt components has been made in the form of lofty internal volumes under pitched tiled roofs, deep surrounding verandahs as shading devices, courtyard-centric planning for cooling benefits and other such design interventions. The house was designed to optimise the benefits of the sun as well as the breeze to combat the heat of Delhi.
An entry court featuring a lily pool offers ingress to the house. The foyer leads into the main courtyard surrounded by a colonnade of renewable coconut-tree-trunk wood columns sourced from Kerala.
“The house is oriented from East to West, thus bringing in early morning light to the bedroom spaces and bathing the whole length of the house in sunshine in winter,” says Moorthy. Similarly, breeze inflow and cross ventilation are maximised with aptly placed shaded openings. The interior spaces of the house are shaded from the summer sun by the deep verandahs and courtyards.
“The house is oriented from East to West, thus bringing in early morning light to the bedroom spaces and bathing the whole length of the house in sunshine in winter,” says Moorthy. Similarly, breeze inflow and cross ventilation are maximised with aptly placed shaded openings. The interior spaces of the house are shaded from the summer sun by the deep verandahs and courtyards.
“Courtyards have been extensively used in the design of the house, to create a serene, natural and a cooling environment,” Moorthy adds. The treatment of each courtyard helps to imbue the progression throughout the house, creating different experiences at each pause. The axial corridor acts as a focal point drawing attention from time to time to the main gardens. Sporadic interventions like antique doors, stone sculptures and artefacts further energise progression through spaces with a refreshing vibe.
One side of the colonnaded verandah forks away to a secluded guest room, while the other moves towards the vast barn-like living space of the home.
One side of the colonnaded verandah forks away to a secluded guest room, while the other moves towards the vast barn-like living space of the home.
“The interiors offer rich and diverse spaces with expansive volumes and high wooden-beamed ceilings. The palette of materials is limited but has been used in an exquisite manner,” says Moorthy. Spatial components, such as, deep shaded verandahs that line the interiors, views of the greens outside, and a sculptural staircase, enrich the space with a soothing warmth.
The living room is the heart of the house. The couple are enthusiastic foodies and hosts, and have combined the living, the dining and the open kitchen area. A gleaming cuddapah stone floor, a rough wooden bar, an antique Naga spice pounder doubled as a dining table and the couple’s motley collection of art and artefacts further enliven the interiors.
The living room is the heart of the house. The couple are enthusiastic foodies and hosts, and have combined the living, the dining and the open kitchen area. A gleaming cuddapah stone floor, a rough wooden bar, an antique Naga spice pounder doubled as a dining table and the couple’s motley collection of art and artefacts further enliven the interiors.
“Simple elements, such as the use of exposed brick with white paint finish, exposed stone, wood detailing and polished black stone floors have been used to create the balance between contemporary and traditional, while certain built elements, like the use of postbox red, introduce a touch of whimsy into an otherwise formal scheme,” informs Moorthy.
A semi-public space adjoining the living room separates the public areas of the house from the private ones. An airy steel and wood staircase leads up to the daughter’s room overlooking the central study-cum-lounge’s double height volume. This area is where the owners spend their daily working hours. This is another central functional area that directly opens onto the couple’s bedroom.
“Immense care has been taken so that each bedroom reflects the occupants personality,” says Moorthy. All these private areas open further onto private verandahs and decks.
All the bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms with each having an adjoining bathroom courtyard so that the connect with nature is never lost.
The daughter’s room on the upper floor opens onto a terrace deck with stairs leading down directly to the garden.
This home tries to minimise its environmental footprint by employing methods like recycling of water via a non-chemical based recycling system, rain water harvesting, use of solar energy for water heating, and by using local as well as recycled materials for the structure. These interventions exist in addition to the organic farm run by Chitra and their formidable and devoted housekeeper, Reba. The farm occupies the rest of the property along with Gopi’s Walipini (an underground greenhouse) for growing vegetables in humid conditions, and an overground greenhouse for exotic plants.
Gopi Gopalakrishnan hopes that the roof tiles can be converted to solar shingles once they become affordable in India. “Most of the energy needs of the home can be met internally without compromising on the overall aesthetics,” adds Gopalakrishnan.
This home tries to minimise its environmental footprint by employing methods like recycling of water via a non-chemical based recycling system, rain water harvesting, use of solar energy for water heating, and by using local as well as recycled materials for the structure. These interventions exist in addition to the organic farm run by Chitra and their formidable and devoted housekeeper, Reba. The farm occupies the rest of the property along with Gopi’s Walipini (an underground greenhouse) for growing vegetables in humid conditions, and an overground greenhouse for exotic plants.
Gopi Gopalakrishnan hopes that the roof tiles can be converted to solar shingles once they become affordable in India. “Most of the energy needs of the home can be met internally without compromising on the overall aesthetics,” adds Gopalakrishnan.
Moorthy designed the space keeping enough room for the couple to make practical use of their proficiency in flora. Carefully selected trees with fragrant flowers – such as champaca, spanish cherry, cape jasmine, ylang-ylang, are planted in proximity to the main building so that their strong fragrance permeate the main living spaces. Trees with colourful flowers like the African tulip, pink trumpet tree, pride of Burma and the cannonball tree are planted in the periphery of the garden to mirror the change in seasons. Lilies on the pool are sourced on Ebay from USA.
The presence of strategically placed patios and deep verandahs allow easy spill over of activities into outdoor areas. Exterior elements like an alfresco dining patio and outdoor sculptures provide a counter balance and enrich the landscape.
The house is an example of how cultural roots can be revived within any setting and if the home is created true to its context, it succeeds in creating a tranquil abode that is sensitive to its environment.
See more pictures of this house
Read more:
A Contemporary Getaway with an Indian Twist
Contemporary Meets Classical in this Hyderabad Home
Tell us:
What makes this house unique? Share your views in Comments below.
The house is an example of how cultural roots can be revived within any setting and if the home is created true to its context, it succeeds in creating a tranquil abode that is sensitive to its environment.
See more pictures of this house
Read more:
A Contemporary Getaway with an Indian Twist
Contemporary Meets Classical in this Hyderabad Home
Tell us:
What makes this house unique? Share your views in Comments below.