Client: Bandish and Niyanta Soparkar

Year: 2022-2025

Location: Ahmedabad

Site Area: 350 sq mt

Built Up Area: 700 sq mt ( approx.)

Type: Residential

Team: Mona Doctor-Pingel, Ridho Cairns, Mihir Desai, Soundarya Arumugam, Drashti Nadoda,

Structure: Vinod Shah Consulting Engineers

Contractor: Maitri Constructions (Vinay Borikar)

Compressed Earth Blocks: Kesarjan ( Keyur Sarda)

Lime works: Thumbimpression (Manu Narendran)

Plumbing consultant: Chetan Vyas

Ferrocement & Metal Fabrication: Sculptcraft ( Hitendra Solanki)

Electrical consultant: Cosmo Engineers ( Prashantbhai)

Glass and Aluminum works: Numaex (Haresh kacheria)

Interiors, Lighting & acoustic design: Studio Naqshbandi

Landscaping: Studio Naqshbandi with Nareshbhai

Sundaranand is a Co-living shelter near the university area in Ahmedabad, It is designed for a young lawyer-architect couple who approached our studio just after Covid in 2022. From the outset they were very open-minded clients, curious about everything and wanted to be a part of the process of design and execution to the last detail. This suited our firm’s philosophy well since we believe that Process is as important as the Product. However, this did mean many hours of discussion and research on every aspect.

DESIGN BRIEF: to Their Brief was to create a home for themselves which would also include the concept of Co-living: bringing together people from different walks of life and providing them with short term accommodation in the UNESCO Heritage city of Ahmedabad. The Co-living offers space for living, working and entertainment creating a social milieu for conversation across topics. In short, a modern and modified version of a Dharamshala!

DESIGN PROCESS: The design process itself was very interesting because we proposed from the outset that a local Ahmedabad architecture firm should be involved to make it easier to execute. When the clients proposed SEALAB, a young firm led by Anand Sonecha and Marianna P., we proposed a Dreamweaving exercise with them for the concept stage. The client was also on board as a part of the process. They agreed to pay both the firms for this phase equally and then see how to proceed with the working drawings stage. This phase took a couple of months and we had about 6-7 iterations from each firm with discussions on Zoom which were fun and enriching. Finally, the clients felt that it is best to move forward with one firm for the working drawings and they chose Studio Naqshbandi.

DESIGN PHILOS0PHY: In this project we attempted to create built mass with appropriate materials in urban context which responds to the local climatic conditions and is energy efficient.

Spatial organization was done in response to the harsh sun of the tropical climate by locating bedrooms in the center opening up to north for daylight, bathrooms on east and west as buffer from low sun, circulation spaces on south as a protective layer from the direct sun and rain. The extended split level mass on south-west also helps in self shading of the building during the peak hours of sun in the evening. A sunken courtyard on the south is used to introduce light and ventilation into the basement level.

Structural system of brick Jack Arches with a combination of exposed RCC slabs is used to enhance the flow and add unique character to the spaces. Composite walls with a combination of AAC (Autoclaved aerated concrete) and unstabilised Mud blocks for adequate thermal insulation. The material palette consists of green kota flooring, mild steel sections, glass and recycled teak wood doors (lot of it from the old building that existed on site).

Features like sunken courtyard as a gathering space, bio-pond and green spaces that seamlessly integrate nature with the living spaces enrich the living experience. Conscious use of certain proportions and dimensions helped us achieve a harmony in terms of physical ergonomics and enhance the spatial quality.