This enormous building in Navsari, Gujarat, at first resembles a glossy shopping centre, or perhaps a corporate headquarters. In fact, Amaltash, as it is called, is a 12,000 sq ft family residence designed by architect Veeram Shah of Design ni Dukaan.
Shah draws inspiration from Le Corbusier’s proposition that architecture should be charged with meaning – capable of shaping rituals and memories. In his collection of essays, Vers une architecture, the architect famously described the house as a ‘machine for living in’ – this was not a call for cold or purely mechanical design, but rather one that functions with clarity, precision and efficiency while still embracing emotion and beauty.
In some ways, Amaltash does operate like a ‘machine’. Its design is deeply climate-responsive, guided by a rigorous solar strategy in which decisions – from the roof form to room placement – are shaped by the environment.
The building’s striking form emerges from a network of interconnected responses: deep patios and extended overhangs temper the harsh southern sun, while an 18ft-high window system draws in soft, glare-free northern light to illuminate the primary living spaces. The house is conceived as a tropical micro-ecosystem, replacing conventional lawns with shaded sit-outs, tree cover and permeable surfaces that evolve over time, alongside integrated systems for rainwater harvesting and solar energy. At a finer scale, the design engages with principles of Vastu Shastra, reinterpreting this ancient architectural framework to align space, nature and human life within a contemporary framework.
Yet Amaltash is not merely a ‘machine’. It is equally a vessel of meaning and cultural sensitivity. Despite its contemporary expression, the house draws deeply from the spatial traditions of the Gujarati home. A central courtyard and shaded baithaks extend domestic life outwards, while thresholds, built-in seating and transitional spaces create a richly layered environment. Sand-finished pathways echo the textures of Navsari’s coastal terrain, grounding the design in its surroundings.
Materially, the project remains closely tied to local craft. Collaborations with over 15 designers and artisans are integrated into the architecture, spanning textiles, lighting, furniture and installations, alongside the use of locally sourced marble, sandstone and granite.
By merging technical rigour with artisanal richness, Shah reconciles two seemingly opposing ideas: the house as a precisely functioning system and the house as a deeply human, symbolic space.
