The Hide ‘n Seek House

The upwardly mobile clients were desirous of raising the bar in respect of their existing lifestyle and thus arose the need for a modern house. The pre-condition was that it should conform strictly to vastushastra tenets.

The proposed house was envisaged as a G+2 structure wherein all the public areas would be on the lower level, private ones on the floor above, and the terrace above that would serve as a semi-public space.

The site is situated on a sparsely landscaped hillock and offers an almost 360-degree panoramic view of the entire vicinity. Thus, there is abundant natural light and a strong wind that can become uncomfortable at times. In view of this, the façade has been given an additional feature: horizontal louvres. These louvres act not only as a shield against the elements but also as a self-shading device that has a cooling effect on the façade. This design has the additional advantage of extremely low-cost maintenance.

The aforesaid louvres have been installed in large panels, some of which are fixed while some others can be slid horizontally in accordance with the occupants’ requirement. This has been used in combination with overhangs housing planters all along the periphery of the floor-plate.

When opened, the louvres allow the main wall façade behind to be visible and invisible when shut. Hence the name “hide-and-seek house”.