(THE EVOLVING HOME)

The science of designing homes that go beyond the basics,is what we uncover for you

With a visit to leed architect,hiren patel’s ahmedabad..home in the heart of the city.

A cept product from the 1990 batch who went to switzerland for a year to study and train in advanced architectural forms, techniques and ways of bringing diverse materials together in harmonious blends of practical yet simplistically stylish design,then was spurred to launch his own studio the following year and has never looked back since that’s principal architect and designer,hiren patel for you.
his practice now has over 30 like minded and forward thinking creative minds all putting

Their energies together for conceptualizing and realizing the core design philosophy at the hiren patel architect’s drive for excellence in design-“ designing in a more scientific way.”(and now also leed ap,an industry certification recently awarded to hiren from the grren building certification institute distinguishing him as a building professional with the knowledge and skills necessary to steward green building projects requiring principles learnt to be applied into practise through the leadership in energy and environment design awarness)

As hiren puts it ,”i am now a leed ap and compelled to constantly check out how my own house is working in accordance with grren design concepts…..not only because i want to do a leed ap is meant to do : )certify projects),but also because esentially,i like to stay involved in progress at every level of every design….because at the back of my mind is always a stimulation for finsing out nay hidden qualities,understading the design process better and better.-so i can design better for others- much more miningful than the basics!”

thus, he explained his need for an evolving house plan –“i wanted a home that was climatically compatible, so there are buffered areas throughout that keep the most used areas cool.but i also wanted a very personal space that would allow for design dynamics and provide kids-friendly environment,since i have 2 lovely kids- anu in the 8th standard and karan,who studied in the 4th currently – besides ,dentist wife dinu’s need to consider(she wanted an extremely functional but leegant retreat for all of us and a specious kitchen with a view).so, along came the many sky-lights into my house plan for tecnically sound reasons instead of earlier ones loke putting in a window for esthetics or just for granting a view…… foliage accents like creeps on the south and west walls of the house were incorporated to keep areas contained beyond it cool.that pretty much sums up my basis for this expansive home design outlook”

the mid size neem tree situated in patel residence provided the focus for the evolving home plan and hiren reveals,”we created a garden around it ;thus the plan became “l” type.
He was also very certain about “designing a home with a minimalist philosophy.”As he explains his love for simplicity and designing with nature, with things that are timeless and have a personal connestion besides of course,affording a sense of calmness about them.

This reasoning encouraged the patels to rope in their favourite artist,sharad patel and commission another original art work by him-since they had previously owned another of his designs in their earlier home : “we just had to have sharad patel’s work in r.c.c some where in our home –his work is timeless and we love it!” They enthuse! Since the artist is an elderly person, he agreed to give hiren a sketch,for which his in house team(carpenter suresh chauhan) created a mould that was used for casting the mural.

On a similar not, a sculpture by ratilal kansodria and ishwarlal sagra also adorn various niches in the patel home besides electic art by susant udas , who has also done the extremely clean , frugal lines of art work for the laminated white wooden top of the family dining table,in addition to the painting frame on a hot pink wall that perks up the otherwise pristine white ones of the formal living area,approched by wood encased steps from the first level of the home and by the al-fresco siting area under the courts facing the lily pond in the garden.

The entrance to the home from the garden area is marked by a faux patio on the lawn besides the marble flooring of the partially covered one where an informal seating arrangemaent for 4 taks center stage with a table top of slated wood , just like the chairs.large ceiling to floor glass window,table tops(like the one in hiren’s den/guest bedroom) cabinets and selves in kitchen and master bedroom area besides glass wall (such as the divider between dining area and living room done up in white) make the most of natural lighting and enhance the indoor apace of a home that measures a modest,but expensive looking 1826sq ft on the ground floor and just in little over a 1000 on the first level.

Comfort ,mode creation and the happiness of all at home including visiting friends,is enssured by in grating a sustainable, beatifull and healthy lighting option that makes optimum use of natural, renewable light in maximum space possible as hiren patel’s home does,since it is conceived with well-placed windows,skylights and translucent wall panel throughout to allow natural light to reflect deep inside throughout strategic design.and,where orientation of rooms falls back slightly to in terms of insulation,the natural foliage outside and light,reflective floor and wall colors of polished wood and marble ensure echos of embient light!

global influences are clearly indicative in hiren’s home for all seasons “from assorted travel souvenirs placed around the for bedroom (two on each floor,the kids currently share one with the promise of getting their indivisual sanctuary when they grow out of this communial one ) and two distincs living rooms (one providing formal, morden and sleek single arm rest seating and the other more casual,family space with floor seating adorn with scatter cushions, a long rather western style sofa opposite two scandinavian wood and fibre chairs and a surprise entertainment offering (via the infrequently used hidden projectors housed behind a wall paiting)
Alcoves hold memorabilia reminiscent of the room’s ocupants :the kids spaces have toys, books and games while the parents room and common area have photographs,metal sculptures art instalation and touches of whihimson,like faux besides real palms ,glass holders with floting flowers and tiny mosaic tiled coffee table in the recess to the stairway.similarly,thick walls of the bunglow made it possible to make room for display units, niches area like the study for daughter, anu (right outside the parents bedroom) and inbuilt storage cabinets that are deep enough to provide housing needs various house holds essentials , does ,the cabinets ,in certain places in the patel’s house also double up as walls .

So,from a basic open plot design that brought in the motning sun to a multi terreced home as prefered in morden building style reflective of kerry hill (whose style hiren admires) , where was ample scope for also acomodating his personal love for a variety of materials (ceramic conctrete marble ,wood,mosaic,etc.) In controlled measures that ensuured a bindings synergy…by exploration of area defferentialy.
It is fianaly a harmonious blend of mostly cool and ocasionally vivacious colour,eleptic mix of tecture and materials and minimal ornamentation in play of dorms beside the disciplined triming down of over imposing idea(like doubelheight dining room walls reduce to single height once for freeing up space for guest room connected on other level to it used in a functional and flexible format that articulates the essence of hiren patel’s home.

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