A predominant tree house motif showcased in various materials, like metal sculptures to wall decor, lighting fixtures to cement sheet cut-outs and chic private spaces flowing into each other sums up the essence of this house.
Dipen Gada & Associates (DGA) comprises a team of able architects, interior designers, consultants and site engineers with one common mission: creating architectural solutions that merge with the beautification of interiors in one seamless program, leaving no distinction where one begins and the other ends.
A close up of the centrally located dining area against the backdrop of the staircase reveals small concessions to modern interior design by virtue of the glass table top and wooden chairs.
Situated in Vadodara, this distinctive residence with modern, minimalist lines, a two-tone black and white facade and an open house plan design is nothing generally associated with the home of a traditional Gujarati business family – and yet, it is exactly such a family that forms the happy inhabitants of Tree House.
The brief, given by the client, Mr. Choksi, to the DGA team was simple: “create a home that veers away from stereotypes.”
In response, the firm came up with a solution where the planning was both simple and functional – an open plan design. This approach helped connect all the essential zones within the house to each other while maintaining the privacy of the personal spaces, like the bedrooms and restrooms, which were further granted retreat-like extensions in the form of an enclosed balcony, a swing or a raised platform for housing indoor potted plants.
A preference for clean lines and austerity is the highlight of the overall design scheme and can be first observed in the design of the front façade of this residence dominated by an interesting cut out of a tree carved into a cement sheet.
This element acts as a source of natural light while simultaneously rendering the wall a vertical recreational area for the natural light to play upon; the light washes over all the interior spaces, binding the distinct zones of the house in one calm, cohesive whole.
Thus, devoid of overly modernist characteristics in deference to the client’s desire for a contemporary home that is steeped in family values, the designers sought to up the style stakes by bringing in graphical representations and sketches of assorted accents in the form of furniture, flooring materials, custom-made lighting solutions and a variety of brass, stone, glass, spray and marble finishes to the inner spaces.
The entry vestibule of the home marks the first occurrence of the tree motif which gives the Choksi home its name, as soft beams of light from the tree cut-out lay awash the access area.
The foyer located at the entrance of the home also has a striking partition made up of double veneered motifs, which admits visitors in to the living room. An L-shaped sofa arrangement and unusual river polished mint stone wall finish with the all pervasive tree motif jet spayed on it keeps the connect of this design element alive right from the facade to the interiors.
An exposed concrete ceiling and an entry wall of exposed brick coupled with a Burma teak sofa-cum-bed with special handmade tiles in the pull out add warmth and comfort to the guest room.
The parent’s room on the ground floor has Italian marble flooring and a subtle design theme. It is attached to an outdoor semi-covered sit-out space with a delicately engraved jhoola hanging from M.S. pergolas coated in wood coloured epoxy paint.
The master bedroom and daughter’s room are located on the first floor. While the former has elegant wooden flooring and serene white paint on walls and ceiling, the latter has Italian marble flooring, PU finish furniture and vibrant wall papers and art to add bling to the teen’s personal scene.
A guest space reserved on the second floor also serves as a family room with an exclusive home theatre system. The terrace garden adjoining the guest room is the perfect visual end to our Tree House tour.
Marked by Katni marble and mosaic tiles in warm, earthy tones and a simple jhoola set in the wooden gazebo leading to a green lawn adorned with a light sprinkling of flowering plants and shrubs, the Choksi’s Tree House home underlines the fact that there’s no outclassing simplicity.
The Tree House project was spearheaded by principal architect and founder of DGA, Dipen Gada, who guided Foram Patel and Dolly Pari in delivering on the concept of a unique interior-architectural venture wherein Anil Mistry provided structural design help and Bharat Mistry helped shape the site coordination.
Text By Deepanjolie Sonya Figg
Photographs Tejas Shah
Contact:
email: dipen317@gmail.com
web: www.dipengada.com
