One of the very first projects we executed, holds a very special place in our hearts. the plot was a part of a gated community in the Central part of Ahmedabad, measuring approximately 1500 Sqft in area-quite tight for their requirements of a 4bhk house for a family of 5, with a very specific request of a swing in the living room and attached toilets for every bathroom, at the same time being Vaastu compliant, and having lots of greens and terraces incorporated in the built-while at the same time not too maintenance exhaustive.

Our Approach was to first tackle the climatic challenge- to make the house comfortable to reside in, even in the harsh summer months Ahmedabad is renowned for- thus landing on the decision to make a self shading house, which by itself will cut the sun from heating the built. The Southern corner of the house is thus the highest in the massing, so that it cuts the harsh afternoon sun keeping the terraces below shaded and cool, resulting in a cooler built space below. The gradual stepping of the masses enabled the inclusion of terraces at every level, opening towards the North. The common wall on the south was also a bane, since the wall was never directly heated in the harshest hours of the day.

The openings were also carefully placed, such that there was minimum heat gain at the same time giving a feel of openness and enabling good air circulation. The Northern and Eastern Faces are the most porous, to get in the indirect and mild morning sun, while the south face has strategic openings which facilitate cross ventilation, but do not allow it to heat up the room. Cross ventilation enabled by every room having two windows in opposite directions