House with the Black Wall

Located on a cul-de-sac in the quiet locality of Vasant Vihar in New Delhi, this remarkably sited 400sq.yd plot abuts a large park and fronts a district forest across the end of a quiet cul de sac. This residence with two duplex units over 4 floors attempts to offer an alternative to the builder driven trends in individual plot redevelopment in a bid to maximize returns - that of a vertical warren of often poorly lit & ventilated single floor apartments.

The brief called for two independent units to be built on this plot, each with their own independent entrances, both spacious as befits the premium nature of the property, using up the maximum envelope permitted by the byelaws- but through many design ploys to try to replicate the calm reposeful quality, the flow of spaces ,the proximity to gardens & greenery and the graciousness that characterize the now disappearing bungalow homes of the sixties & seventies. Two duplexes above each other thus maximizes views of the surrounding greenery through large but appropriately placed openings while internal partitions in glass enable even rooms in the rear a view of the parks across on the other side.