House Of Concrete Walls / TRAANSPACE

Architects: TRAANSPACE
Area: 632 m² (6,800 ft²)
Year: 2023
Photography: Tejas Shah Photography
Lead Architect: Urvi Shah
Design Team: Supriya, Shreya, Anju, Nikita
Structure Consultants: Vyom Consultants
Electrical Consultants: MSP Consultants
HVAC Consultans: Advait Engineers
Site Coordinator: Krunal Rana
Landscape Consultant: Amruta Kulkarni
Plumbing Consultants: Krupalu Consultants
Client: Hiren Mehta & Sapna Mehta
City: Vadodara
Country: India

House of Concrete Walls, designed by TRAANSPACE in a gated community, redefines the concept of a house, merging indoor and outdoor spaces to create a serene living environment. Completed in 2023, this 632 m² (6,800 ft²) residence features exposed concrete walls, large openings, skylights, and minimalistic interiors that harmonize with nature.

While typically building homes and weekend houses, designing a place that feels like a weekend house required a rethink of the concept of a house. Set in a typical gated community with a dense urban fabric, House of Concrete Walls responds to this unusual brief. Striving to be in constant dialogue with the outside, the house creates an experience of living amidst nature’s serenity.

The design concept reimagined living by moving away from the conventional house format. Creating spaces that seamlessly connect the inside and outside was pivotal. This led to the concept of two exposed concrete walls placed orthogonally. These walls guide the spatial layout of the house. Their rippling effect adds a soft character to their solid appearance. The house, a linear structure with a recessed upper level, opens generously to the garden. Large openings and skylights create a play of light and shadow in the interiors, enhancing the connection with the outside and adding warmth to the spaces.

The deep setback on the north-facing side serves as the main garden and parking space, with a ceremonial flight of steps flanked by concrete walls guiding users inside. The large glass opening adjoining the main door and the skylight above flood the entrance foyer with daylight. On one side of the entrance is the formal living room opening to a small garden deck, while the family living room on the other side opens to the main garden and a spacious deck. Floor-to-ceiling height glazed enclosures frame the view of the garden and a circular cut-out in the ceiling accommodating a Champa tree. The guest and parents’ bedrooms in the southwest corner enjoy outdoor spill-out spaces lined with planters.

A central passage allows movement around the house and leads to the double-height courtyard illuminated by a circular skylight and a glazed wall. A custom-designed cast concrete coffee bar counter sits in the courtyard center. Here, one gets an unobstructed view of the living room and the garden beyond. Punctures in the concrete wall make the courtyard, dining area, living room, deck, and garden one continuous space.

A floating concrete staircase with a sleek handrail along the courtyard wall leads to the upper level. This level accommodates two kids’ bedrooms with built-in beds, a master bedroom, and a gym, all connected to a terrace overlooking the garden. The master bedroom features a long skylight along its west wall with built-in seating underneath. Skylights in the three bathrooms animate these spaces throughout the day.

Light is a crucial element in the house, interacting with the space to enhance the architectural experience. Skylights, glass enclosures, and the double-height courtyard transform the interior spaces throughout the day and seasons. Light falling on the concrete walls reveals their texture poetically.

The house’s neutral grey palette for walls, ceilings, and floors creates a homogenous space. Interiors are minimal and unadorned to let the space speak for itself. Concrete is used for furniture pieces along with wood to add warmth. Concrete is seen in light fixtures, furniture, the coffee bar counter, the center table, the built-in bed, and seating.

This simple yet functional abode for a family of three generations redefines the way one experiences and enjoys nature’s stillness. It is a home that anchors its inhabitants, making them want to return continually.