This grand house in Ahmedabad, India, was completed by architects FLXBL, led by Cunal Parmar, with a team overseen by Arivanandh Manirathinam. Covering some 18,000 sq ft, the house has been dubbed ‘Solidus’, as well as ‘Private Residence No. 09’, in the FLXBL portfolio.
The house combines monumentality with extensive planting
Step inside this sculptural new house in Ahmedabad
From the exterior, Solidus presents itself as an appropriately monolithic form, with shuttered concrete exterior walls that incorporate slots, openings and setbacks to shape the volumes and alignments of the interior accommodation. According to the architects, ‘the project is based on a single architectural operation: the progressive subtraction of a monolithic volume’.
Balconies and terraces are cut into the solid form
As a result of this approach, the single block is struck through with different voids, from the courtyard at basement level to covered verandas on the ground floor and balconies and terraces on the two floors above. ‘The subtraction produces a sequence of edge voids, planted terraces, elevated gardens and light wells through which landscape, daylight and natural ventilation enter the built volume,’ say the FLXBL team.
A view of the ground floor veranda
Careful management of the planting brings vegetation into every level, a ‘connected landscape system across multiple levels’. The studio has taken care to stick with indigenous species and has incorporated rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and automated drip irrigation into the design to sustain and nurture the landscaping as it matures.
Plants also play a key role in providing solar shading and creating a microclimate to mitigate Ahmedabad’s intense heat. The scheme encourages greenery to become enmeshed with the house itself, while the interior scheme also allows plenty of space for large interior plants. ‘Framed views, planted edges, shaded terraces and seasonal growth allow the landscape to remain part of everyday occupation rather than a separate layer surrounding the building,’ the team say.
Custom furnishings are paired with classic pieces
FLXBL not only undertook the architectural design but also the interior, the furnishings and the landscaping. Key modern pieces are given prominent placement in the generous interiors, while spaces like the basement home theatre and the many reception areas offer plenty of opportunity for collection and display.
The basement living area
The ground floor is dominated by the central great room, with a kitchen, veranda, utility spaces and two ensuite bedrooms are also located at this level. On the first floor, a more private lounge has direct access onto a balcony, flanked by a study area and three more bedrooms, one of which has its own private terrace. The second floor is mostly given over to a generous common terrace, along with a lounge, private terrace and service terrace.
Interior features include stone floors, bespoke fabric wall coverings and carpets. The primary staircase rises alongside a brick spine wall, providing a warm central focus in the heart of the house, contrasting with the vegetation that encroaches on the openings in the solid form.
Solidus, Private Residence No. 09, Ahmedabad, by FLXBL
Solidus, Private Residence No. 09, Ahmedabad, by FLXBL