dhanesh.gandhi.architects

We are so glad to inform that our project “The Brick Box” has been selected as one of the Best Projects on Archilovers 2023 for its outstanding aesthetics, creativity and functionality.

It is one of the most 'loved' out of the 50,000 projects published last year.

Thank you Archilovers for including our project “The Brick Box” as one of the best projects on Archilovers 2023.

F L U T E D O F F I C E
The office (400 sq.ft.) was initially an empty space which had to be incorporated with a large set of requirements by the client.
The proposed space was supposed to have a small waiting area, a receptionist table, staff arrangement for 4 people, 2 individual cabins and abundant storage.
Considering all the requirements, we came up with the idea of adorning the entire furniture with the help of flutes which will make it look aesthetically pleasing. The use of flutes became a prominent feature of the space giving us clean lines and a subtle appearance which helped us render its name “Fluted Office”.
The office entrance gets enriched with flutedalong with large glass panels admitting light inside as well as wooden pivoted panels allowing the air flow inside.
The office tables have been designed to provide a sleek look in the form of a slim table top in laminate/stone and a bold look
in the form of fluted boards as the main support. The wooden decorative supports have been provided in addition to give an ornamental look to the space.
The storage cupboards have been kept subtle with a nice Matt finish laminate in the common areas and the cabin storage gets embellished with wooden fluted panels and solid wood veneer surfaces.
The overall lighting has been kept artful by maximising the indirect lights along with some direct sources from the ceiling. A hanging horizontal task light on the table adds to the beauty of the space.

Designed by : gandhi.architects

Photographed by :
Text by : .dhaneshgandhi

Studio : T H E C E M E N T C U B E
Studio “The Cement Cube” is a small cozy space carved out in such a way that it reflects our design philosophy.
While designing the studio we followed a very minimalistic approach towards its interiors.
Cement polish becomes the core finishing material of the space commencing from the floor continuing on to the walls and ceiling making the space appear bigger forming a monolithic volume.
Cement polished walls and floor becomes the main character of the space thereby providing a very minimal, earthy and clean look.
Leaf impressions on the floor and wall becomes instrumental in accentuating the aesthetics of the space.
The Monochromatic space in cement is complimented by wood in the form of furniture and partitions.
The Main partition has been designed taking inspiration from the “Golden Ratio”adorned with a small pivoted wooden solid panelled window becoming an eye-catcher.
The table has been elegantly carved out in cement concrete emerging as a monolithic mass from the floor.
The Boldness of the cement finished surfaces is balanced by the delicacy and intricacy of the wood.
The cold cement finished surfaces are balanced by the warmth of wood thereby creating a subtle ambience and pleasant environment inside.

Photographed by : .gandhi.architects

H - House
Upcoming project

The house (2500 sq.ft.) sits on a long narrow site in Koregaon’s densely urban setting in the district of Satara.
The plan of the house gets generated by 3 simple lines placed longitudinally along the site. All the rooms within the house have been placed around these lines to create a long narrow house.
A long cozy external courtyard on the north wall dominates the internal space of the house thereby creating a lively space within. Courtyard becomes instrumental in illuminating and ventilating the spaces around it.
The Front (west) facade of the house gets adorned with intricate Brick Screen which acts as a second skin in order to prevent excess heat from the west.
Large projections and dead walls form the rest of the facade responding to the micro climate of the site.
The 3 lines from the plan get elevated in the form of 3 large walls which get intersected by flower beds and brick screen creating a ‘H’ kind of profile, hence the name ‘H - House’.

T H E B R I C K B O X

Sitting on a tight plot in the heart of Kolhapur is the Brick Box, conceptualised by Ar. Dhanesh Gandhi. A four-storey family home spanning over 2500 sq.ft., this residence more than rises above its challenges. The plot was a linear, narrow rectangle of 16.5 ft x 40 ft, posing to be the main challenge for this project. Flanked by homes on either side, the northern and southern walls were designed to be dead walls, with the scope for light and ventilation being limited to the east and west. Given that the western facade was the front-facing side, natural light had to be strategically drawn into the interiors while avoiding the glare of the west. Thus emerged the frontal brick-clad wall which renders this residence its name.

The Brick Box is conceived as a homogenous mass into which voids have been intentionally carved out to cater to the functions of the home. Being a linear rectangle, the architect devised the plan to harness light and ventilation in the vertical dimension, along with the horizontal. To achieve this, the staircase landing is pulled in on both ends, creating a seamless passage of light. Skylights on either end bring in ample light into the space, casting dynamic shadows on the brick interiors. The skylights are mounted on top of two vertical windows that enable a stack effect in this home. Given that the staircase is centrally placed, it draws out the hot air from the entire residence, maintaining a cool, rejuvenating ambience.

One enters the house through the front gate done in sleek metal slats. Right next to it, is the Tulshi Katta, placed in front of a stone wall, complementing the sleekness of metal. The name Riddhi can be seen on this wall, surrounded by four traditional projections made for diyas and garlands. Inside is the parking area that leads to the main staircase, and further down, to the meditation room. The first floor is the main space comprising the minimalistic living room, dining and kitchen. Replete with custom-built furniture in African-Ghana Sagwan wood, the living room offers a pleasant, homely ambience. The earthy tones of mushroom stone flooring balance out the texture of the wood. The walls are painted in a satin matte paint, to create a subtle and non-intrusive background for the main elements within the room. Suspended indirect lighting illuminates the room at night, casting a luminous glow on the wooden furniture. The western wall is punctuated by wooden windows only on the extreme ends so as to keep the heat and glare of the sun away. Since the site looks onto the main street, this also helps in adding a sense of privacy to the house. A brass-finished fan ties into the cohesive palette of the living area.

The second floor houses two bedrooms, each showcasing the overall essentialist approach of the house. Though modern and clean in its form, each furniture piece pays homage to the Indian traditional aesthetic through its elements. The posts of the bed, for example, feature a pyramidal top that is derived from the Shikhar and Kalash seen on top of Indian temples. In the west-facing bedroom, the main wall carries its brick finish into the interiors, giving it a quaint charm. A fabric-laminated wardrobe and a petite writing desk complete the room. A longitudinal niche has been carved out over the desk that provides cove lighting at night time. The bedrooms feature nightstands which are designed on the concept of ‘mass and void’, mirroring the concept of the house, even in the smaller details.

On the third floor are the final bedroom and the utility area, placed on either side of the staircase. All the rooms in the house have been optimised for space and utility, despite the challenges of the plot. Every bedroom is ensuite and has been planned with spaciousness and relaxation in mind. The fourth and the uppermost floor open out into the eastern and western sides by means of a balcony and a terrace, respectively. From the eastern balcony, one can see the Shikhar of the Mahalakshmi Temple, which gives this balcony its very purpose. On the other side, to the west, Rankala Lake can be viewed from the terrace. The terrace is decked out with inbuilt stone seating to create a space for interaction and engagement. Two pivot windows, the architect’s signature, punctuate the walls between the staircase and the terraces.

To step away from the bulkiness of the entire mass, the western terrace is framed in a metal rectangle, adding character to the main facade. The Brick Box has been painted in a neutral, earthy brown on the exterior to highlight the primary brick facade. Windows of the living room, bedrooms and bathroom add a sense of modularity to the facade. The brick courses change in tandem with the sill and lintel levels of these windows, making the onlooker engage with its simplicity.

The Brick Box has been conceptualised as a creative solution to a tight-knit, box-like space. What emerges as the final product is a utilitarian home supplemented by traditional minimalist aesthetics. Rather than pushing against the restrictions of the site, the project transforms them into the characteristic feature of this family home.

Designed by : dhanesh.gandhi.architects
Photographed by : Pranit Bora
Written by : Aparna Kher



.in