House of Secret Gardens
Large panoramah! motorised sliding glass walls, operable window corners and pocket solutions
architecture: Spasm Design
location: Ahmedabad, India
photography: © Edmund Sumner; © Umang Shah; © Photographix
product specifications: ah!60 motorised sliding pocket and corner trirail with 5 panels
glazing: IGU 15mm tempered low-e + 30mm argon gas warm edge + 15mm tempered low-e
window dimensions: pocket: 1000 x 3400mm = 34m2
weight/panel: 850kg
finishing: anodized PH2
This private villa in Ahmedabad from Spasm Design Architects is conceived as a monolith, entirely cladded in Dhrangadhra stone, the material used in many of Ahmedabad’s historical buildings, with its distinctive mottled texture and bone colouration.
The plan in the form of a Greek cross provides generous connections with the exterior and allows for the cross ventilation of every wing. This permeability is reinforced by the conformation of an outer boundary, massive vertical blocks of stone that create several contained private patios which extend the inner spaces.
By mixing greenery and water, these courtyards work as secret gardens, seamless extensions of the houses’ social activities. The constant and intense sunlight of Ahmedabad imposes the use of dark and non-reflexive horizontal surfaces and creates precise rhythms of light and shadow that ultimately dissolve the thresholds.
Therefore, with large panoramah! motorised sliding glass walls, operable window corners and pocket solutions which conceal the sashes behind the thick walls when open, the house enjoys a permanent communion with the surrounding nature.
More photos here
