Matharoo Associates Designs A Modern Ruin

Nestled within one of the fasted growing cities in India is this cubed family home. Attempting to bring the multiple generations of the Chowdhary family together while also creating a space for the family business, Gujarti-based architecture firm Matharoo Associates designed an expansive home that combines communal living with private areas. The starting point for the design was working out how to give each family member their own space without creating too many divisions. “We like taking mundane things and adding a little delight…”To do this, the architects created a rectilinear central living space that stretches out across the majority of the ground floor. A staircase made up of thin concrete panels acts as a kind of room divider between the living room and the dining room. Double height interiors and an indoor balcony that runs the length of house further enables communication across levels. Smaller rooms located on each side of the fissure are used as private rooms. The project enables a style of living that allows autonomy while also promoting interaction between generations of the Chowdhary family.

The most striking aspect of the building is the pivoting doors. Matharoo Associates is renowned for its manipulation of walls and doors. For this project in particular, the practice built a double height door with seven panels of moving metal. These panels pivot and twist as you open up the door at the front of the house. “We like taking mundane things and adding a little delight,” says Trisha Patel, project architect of the shifting door.