A Minimalistic Abode by JD Associates,Ar - Jignesh Patel

• Project Name: A Minimalistic Abode
• Designed by/ Firm Name: JD Associates
• Location: Navranpura, Ahmedabad
• Client Name: Doctor (renowned cardiologist)
• Year Built: Oct 2021
• Site Area: 405 sq.yard. 
• Built up: 7500 sq.ft.
• Project Cost Appx: 3.5 cr
• Principal Architect(s): Ar - Jignesh Patel
• Design Team: Ar - Jignesh Patel ,Ar..himani panchal, bhavesh panchal
• Landscape Consultant: Sushma Ankur Sawant
• Photography: Tejas Shah
• Team Design Credits (for Particular Ar.Himani Panchal, Bhavesh Panchal 

A house set in the urban fabric of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, translates the house aesthetics from the exterior and the interiors. The residence belongs to a renowned doctor in Ahmedabad, so the team at JD Associates had to work tremendously hard to achieve all the details. 

The residence, 'A Minimalistic Abode,' is a road-facing bungalow in a very dense and developed area of Ahmedabad with a plot size of about 405 sq.yard and standing three floors tall. The site design and architectural values of the surroundings demanded a careful thought process regarding the house massing to maintain its privacy and openness. The bungalow has multiple living areas, five bedrooms, an elegant library, and a lot of soothing landscape patios. The house is also one of its kind in Ahmedabad, as it uses German Radiant cooling system instead of traditional methods of air-conditioning helping the client beat the Ahmedabad climate in a much more efficient way

The brief given by the client was to create a modern, spacious home with minimalistic design elements that are achieved by using natural lights, soothing colors & landscape features. The line, form, and color interrelations make the images come alive. The challenge we faced while designing the site was how to create a landscape on the three sides of the property while having a central courtyard in minimal space. Apart from these challenges, our client was a great help in adding the artistic aspects around the house, as he is a big art enthusiast. 

The overall spaces on the ground floor connect to the outdoor spaces, bringing us closer to the natural environment and visually enlarging the rooms by adding large glass doors instead of windows. The central staircase is designed alongside the courtyard, which houses a beautiful indoor landscape

Walking to the first floor, one enters into the private areas of the house. The floor only consists of three bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms and a library. Speaking of the library, as the owner is a renowned doctor in Ahmedabad, he needed a quiet yet friendly space where he could study. The elegant dark tones of brown shelves highlight the artifacts and the books increasing the aesthetic environment values.

The moment you step into the site, one is greeted with a beautiful wooden cladding cantilever that welcomes you into the house. Walking into the drawing room gives a simple yet elegant contrast between the outdoors and indoors to the eyes of the beholder. The yellow ochre color of the sofa emphasizes the view without obstructing the picture that is divided by the large glass partition giving the audience a sense of 'inside outside' space. As the clients did not want to overuse furniture around the house, we can see how the design team used minimalistic, functional pieces of furniture around the house. Next to the drawing room is an informal space, the living room, where the clients can spend their quality family time. The neutral color theme of all the spaces creates an interactive atmosphere for the clients and their guests.

Making our way to the next room, the master bedroom, the user can feel an instant inside-outside connection as they are greeted with a wide end-to-end window that allows natural light to come in, while giving access to the first-floor balcony that oversees the road front. The vast rectangular space in the room provides the user with a feeling of entering royal chambers. The gray brick wall behind the bed also adds value to the room. The dark brown round side tables help break the rectangular form of the room. The room's balcony also connects to brother's room which is just a wall apart.

The brother's room design is emphasized by the play of a wooden band of veneer that separates the minimalist, rustic study table style, from the other spaces in the room. The design team has brilliantly used color theory to emphasize the main objective of the space, by using the soft furnishing elements like the beds, and sofas to highlight the attraction yet letting them settle into the overall composition of the spaces.

Climbing the central staircase to the second floor, while enjoying the top view of the courtyard one gets the access to the daughters rooms and a large open-to-sky balcony. The first room on the left introduces the protruded landscape area that is attached to the bathroom. The room also has a continuous corner balcony that gives the overall view of the location. While the other daughter's room also has a corner view through large windows. Both bedrooms are minimalistic, sophisticated, and simple in nature.

Walking to the other side of the floor, one experiences open-to-sky space that can be utilized for small gatherings, parties, and family time. The space also has a small kitchen area, powder room, and hammock circular seating for easy accessibility. The space also has many luxurious plants that are rare and unique in nature. These spaces are executed uniquely as decked spaces, open-to-air leisure areas, covered canopies, connecting landscapes, etc.

With the amalgamation of the different materials at the exterior of the building, we could achieve a color balance for the eye of the onlooker. The overall architectural style of the site bridges minimalistic and contemporary through finding a balance between colors and the usage of natural light. 

The kitchen fulfills the family's utility through its modernistic approach. The gray tones of the cabinets complement the white Italian marble flooring. An 8-seater dining table next to the kitchen is designed to highlight the aesthetic value of the space through a fantastic overhead lighting fixture. The external utility area is also added to maintain a hygienic environment inside the house and the space also multi-functions as a serving area for the outdoors

The site is a beautiful composition of how technology meets architectural and design elements within an urban environment. As said in the client brief, the play of colors was an essential element in the house's overall design. We can see different highlighting colors, like teal, tangerine, burned brown, etc., throughout the house. The pop of colors is not only added by the use of soft furnishings, but the interiors also highlight the use of artworks, frames, and artifacts brought and assembled from across India. As said earlier the client being a huge art enthusiast helped the team a lot in collecting the finest works. The overall furniture composition of the house remains on the minimalistic scale yet plays a highlighting role in giving each room its element. The use of White Italian marble also helps enhance the ambiance of the spaces. As the concept suggests, the site needed to be an amalgamation of inside and outside areas, and introducing different flora and fauna throughout the site fulfills it.