Vaidya Residence: Oberoi Esquire

The project: residential flat for private client The concept for the partial fitout of a 3 bedroom (carpet area 1375 sq.ft.) flat in the northern suburbs required us to consider efficiency and cost as major factors while also providing an open and expansive feeling for the young owners. Their primary priority was an uncluttered and open design that provided them flexibile use of space, maximum storage and utility as well. The strategy was to use light , warm material palettes experimenting with color to create subtle variations that would not be outdated or considered trendy. This would allow them to also build and add on to the design in time as they slowly started to grow as a family in their space. Use of exposed concrete, raw metal frameworks, walnut veneers, coloured laminates and ducco paint finishes create a consistent and warm palette. The living and dining area become central expanding through large sliding doors to the study/guest bedroom and kitchen. The bedrooms take on the maximum storage areas but allow for an elusive feeling of a larger space within the minimal footprints provided. We also refrained from using ostentatious materials in the mains spaces and adhered to usable and weatherable materials which would not require heavy maintenance. The corridor that connects the bedrooms, kitchen, toilet and utility space uses a simple paint finish on the walls but transforms the ceiling surface to create a visually dynamic 3 dimensional floating element that houses storage and conceals all the electrical and MEP/HVAC requirements as well.