By way of the Layers Home / Mawi Design

By way of the Layers Home / Mawi Design


Context – Within the lush labyrinths of T. Nagar, Chennai, this residence sits on the far finish of a triangular plot that naturally permits for a paced first look. The transient was to present new that means to an present shell of a constructing whereas attaining all necessities posed by the consumer – a home related with nature, exalting nice vibes, and one that’s easy to understand.

Concept of Design / Design Method – Protecting solely the structural grid of the prevailing block, all different space-making components had been stripped; all the type was reimagined and redefined to go well with a brand new imaginative and prescient, guided by the ideas of spatial layering. The idea of spatial layering is used to articulate depth by the juxtaposition of house, void, mild, and materials, making a spatial continuity that stimulates completely different responses in individuals who expertise them. The interstitial material of the construction is imagined as compositions of opacity and transparency, open or closed, stable or porous. That is achieved by superimposing areas, openings, supplies of assorted natures, landscapes, and different architectural components to create domains which are spatially and visually related.




Design – The prevailing construction, being an enormous mass, was first lightened by breaking it into three wings by the introduction of open/ semi-open courts and gardens. Whereas the rear half was modified to turn out to be extra porous, new applications like an workplace, an entry porch, and a child’s pool had been launched within the foreground. Aside from fulfilling consumer necessities, these areas act as pause factors that present a gradual entry into the principle home.

Why Spatial layering? The idea was chosen to present depth to the straightforward act of arranging areas – to evoke a way of curiosity by the layering of courts and gardens amongst common rooms. This offers rise to a refreshing atmosphere each figuratively and actually – the microclimate of the home being moderated by the varied backyard pockets. The concept is cleverly utilized in two methods to make the imposing construction emote higher – conceptual and perceptual layering. Conceptual layering applies to the massing of an edifice – how the geometry, heights, and volumes are composed to create the essential type of the construction and the way it’s perceived from completely different distances, angles, and viewpoints. Puncturing the constructing with courts and cascades, introducing remoted and light-weight volumes within the foreground as a build-up to the principle home, taking the inexperienced inside and round the home which allowed the blurring between exterior and inside strains, utilizing mild and crops themselves as house making components – such design selections made, assist folks expertise the home intimately. Thus, the massive quantity will get scaled all the way down to understand a single composition of various areas at a time. This helps evoke completely different feelings at completely different factors in the home.

Perceptual layering is that which is perceived within the vertical planes, i.e within the sections. The courts had been launched to lighten the constructing; the place they had been going to be positioned relying on how one would understand them. Layering a semi-open sit-out, an open backyard with an enclosed house permits folks to really feel a way of curiosity and drama as they move by, lastly arriving on the closed room the place they fill with familiarity and a way of peace. Such permutations and combos of differently-natured areas had been framed rigorously to present nice views from numerous factors of the home. The straightforward act of arranging areas transcends to the following degree by the idea of spatial layering, thus giving an experiential and a visible feast.

Materials Palette – The exterior palette has a distinctly tropical theme to it – the essential alabaster tones of the home are nicely complimented by the earthy, heat laterite highlights, cold-cut cement finishes of the courts, and the refreshing aqua hue of the swimming pools. Materials hasn’t been utilized as a superficial movie however they’re the consequence of various applications coming collectively to type the bigger image. The interiors are minimal, neat, and fuss-free. The primary goal was to create easy, pleasing areas which had been usable, and alluring and displays the easy brilliance of all the construction.



Panorama – Panorama performs a vital function within the challenge – a space-making ingredient that gives depth to the design. Completely different areas demanded a special look – the entrance gardens had been planted with tall, thick shrubs that enable solely glimpses of the home creating an escalation as one approached. In addition they body the massive driveway main as much as the porch and counter its hardscape. The courts inside are available diverse spirits – dry, minimal branches offset by rocks and pebbles for a zen backyard, brightly-hued flowers body the cascading terraces which step all the way down to merge with the backyard across the teal-hued pool. A porous laterite wall fringed by small shrubs serves as a display screen to supply privateness to the swimming pools from the doorway of the home. The rear backyard of the home is in an entire temper by itself. Housing a curvaceous koi pond that compliments the inflexible strains of the home, fringed by quaint easy boulders, encompassed by forest- like panorama; it’s the good climax to a dramatic house – the place one can sink in peace publish the dynamic expertise of the home. The residence is a coveted instance that portrays easy architectural brilliance. It’s a candid consequence of a design idea that’s devoid of any energetic exhibition; there are not any components with out objective, no layers with out motive. Each ingredient of the edifice has a spot as a result of it has a objective in stitching collectively a bigger context – By way of the Layers.
