The Residence :

   In designing a residence for himself and his family, Hiren Patel and his dentist wife Dina, have stamped a 3,200 sq ft space with their personalized and individualistic touch, to make it truly a home they can delight in. The house is an expression of simplicity, with the use of pure materials and textures; interesting compositions of warm colours, all highlighted by the smart play of natural light. A penthouse in an apartment block, it was a standard unit offering very few liberties for design around the built structure. It only had unbuilt, potential which Hiren has exploited to the fullest. Any possible changes were feasible only with the horizontal volumes and so presented greater challenges.

   The person best able to explain his work is the architect himself. Says Hiren ‘I was never worried about designing my own flat; I knew I could use the space well, so it would be a great house for me always. I was not concerned that being a residence for an architect, it ought to be different. I wanted a dimple, very practical home NOT an architectural masterpiece. It was meant to be a house for use and not foe showing off. This has brought real beauty to the home—the simple use of materials, cleverly designed bathrooms, getting natural light through the use of a skylight, and the harmonious use of colours.

   ‘I feel that “architecture” should come last, and the user’s credo should be the main concern. If you do not become self-conscious, than perhaps you create to the best of your ability.

   As Zen philosophy stated ‘the art should become artless’. It should be spontaneous and that will bring soul into the work.

   Hiren admits to being inspired by the work of Charles Correa and the simple spaces generated in his houses at Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa. ‘I have tried to imbibe the same simplicity and harmony within these spaces. The composition of blue and white on the riser of staircase is an inspiration from one of Correa’s works.

   ‘The flat has been replanned according to our needs,’ says Hiren and adds that it is the kind of strict control exercised on the kind of spaces, colour and texture, that has resulted in high quality workmanship. ‘The use of an exposed concrete wall in the living room, hiding the staircase behind, gave me complete insight into the challenges faced in achieving the expected quality. This wall was cast twice to get the desired quality. This made me realize how difficult it is make walls like Tadao Ando’s concrete walls.’ Sharad Patel, a well-known Ahmedabad artist, designs the mural on the wall. Two red sandstone slabs placed on testing cubes of concrete, provide seating for guests or a place for footwear. ‘With minimal ornamentation and purity towards form and material, I have tried to achieve a coherence within the whole design,’ says Hiren.

   In the interior, simple furniture has been designed to enhance the clarity of the spaces. A varied collection of art—including sculpture, textiles, photographs, ceramics and paintings, embellish this simple home. The use of colour and texture within the house under strong natural light induces an aura of happy harmony.

The Studio :

   ‘‘If you have a big space, you can think big.’ This, for Hiren, was the concept behind the new studio space for his firm at the penthouse level of a 10-storeyed building in Ahmedabad. Again, this structure had potential and the studio was conceived with a lot of space, to let people be comfortable when working the long hours that are often required, besides allowing flexibility in use pattern. Changing furniture within this open layout provides an element of interest and a fresh new look into the work sphere.

   The space is split into two floors. The lower floor is more formal and impressive, geared towards client houses the informal design studio. The lower floor also includes a spacious waiting area, a meeting room for formal discussions and a large kitchen for the staff to prepare meals for themselves during long working hours.

   All over the studio one sees an interesting play with colour and texture—the kitchen has blue Sohan ceramic tiles mixed with white china mosaic chips. In the waiting area, a freestanding wall of Dhrangadhra stone coheres with the exposed concrete slab and sleekly finished walls and columns in plaster. The space expresses a layering of planes within a single volume.

   A bridge abet h entrance area, connects the architect’s cabin to the workspace on the studio floor, punctuated by a cut-out that lends openness and a volumetric flow within the floors. This spatial character is again emphasized by a low height parapet around the cut-out and sky-light above the bridge.

   On the upper floor, the studio, a 60 ft-long hall with niches on the side along the length, is a more informal kind of setting. The library with a table, where the staff can read, discuss and chat, has a buzz throughout the day. Next to it is the workspace with computers and drafting boards, some arranged across the length of the hall, other along the wall. The drafting board is normally devoid of clutter as all the major work is done on the computer, right from designing.

BACK TO ARTICLES