This bungalow in Vadodara features shades of grey

ashen. Color flows across the floors, walls, ceilings and even the furnishings in this bungalow in Vadodara. Narendra Joshi and Pritesh Patel of KN Associates demonstrate the power of repetition in design, with liberal use of exposed concrete. The facade facing the road reveals three overlapping levels, pierced by large square windows, among other levels. “The use of exposed RCC panels and Gwalior mint stone cladding on the walls adds texture to the house and expresses the structural elements that support the frames and volumes,” says Joshi. Circular skylights can be seen on the roof of the corridor and the upper floor balcony. “The circular roof, covered with metal sheets at different levels, allows multiple access points for natural light to enter and fill the house.” Quietly modest, this modest bungalow has no attention-seeking architectural gambit.

Built on a narrow 4,350 square foot site, the building area is 7,780 square feet. The structure is located close to the boundary wall separating it from the outer sidewalk, with only a covered walkway exposed between the bungalow wall and the perimeter of the plot. Using the setback brilliantly, a simple door leads from the foyer into the living room – the heart of the house. This space overlooks the garden at the back. No expensive wall treatments or statement pieces – just calm and a sense of unhurried calm. Kota flooring approximates the subdued tones of concrete which are sometimes lifted by curvy grooves in selected areas of the walls and ceiling. On the floor, as well as under the dining table, the pale ochre-coloured stone picks up the pattern, echoing the pattern on the RCC ceiling above. The adjacent open kitchen is white, gray and black, with a granite island on one side. In the open plan of the ground floor public spaces and corridors, the staircase introduces a long vertical volume, enhancing the sense of space.

“With the use of hardwoods, the emphasis is on nature through the floors, walls, ceilings, doors and selected joinery. The home decor is calm and soothing, with shades of bluish green and grey,” says Joshi. The photo on the wall next to the dining table was taken at the Srinathji Temple in Rajasthan; It depicts a real wall with several swastikas drawn with fingertips, as well as a blue Krishna. The puja space is an open space and not the usual enclosed area. With a single relief on the wall and a brass Ganesh statue in an empty room next to the garden, it is sought to evoke a meditative mood The only decorative touches are the stone and brass inlay on the floor and the pendant lamp hanging from the ceiling. The pattern of the floor, the engraved panel and the pendant lamp share a curved geometry.

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The staircase adjacent to the dining area is the spine that connects the different levels of the bungalow. The adjacent wall in the exposed RCC features a herringbone pattern used in the dining area. Wooden treads extend laterally on either side of the central support, making the entire structure visually light. “The pendant lamp in the stairs was customized,” says Joshi.

In the corridor on the first floor, there is a group of photographs by Joshi depicting stepwells in Gujarat. On another wall, a multi-faceted white terracotta mural is displayed above a custom wood veneer console. The floor and ceiling mirror each other in a herringbone pattern, which is used as a leitmotif in the house.

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In keeping with the aesthetic of the rest of the house, the bedrooms are minimalist spaces with one simple focal point. In the master bedroom, handcrafted blue tiles form the headboard, while lamps are customized internally. The son’s bedroom opens onto a large balcony with outdoor seating area. The headboard has veneer panels and a Kota Yellow sand pattern which draws attention in this functional room.

Despite the modest aesthetic of this bungalow in Vadodara, Joshi and Patel have included artwork throughout the house, most of which are symbolic to the residents in a personal sense — like the wall portrait of Srinathji and the Rani Ki Vav images from north Gujarat.

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