The Prism House, enveloped in concrete surfaces

Today many of the notable architectural projects, be it of residential or of public nature, focus on innovating structural systems and majorly styling façades or the appearance, probably driven by a strong urge for developing iconic landmarks within the urban fabric. This narrative often misses out on acknowledging the vast creative process, hidden in the dialogue between the client and the architect.

As Sir Edwin Lutyens says: “There will never be great architects or architecture without great patrons”.

Designing successfully bespoke residential architecture is an intense engagement with the clients, their values, their stories and their idiosyncrasies and it may turn out to be an opportunity to explore unknown archetypes. Sir Norman Foster states: “I describe the design process as like the tip of the iceberg. What you don't see is the long haul: all the endless auditing and things like that”.

Prism, the different shades of a house

“Prism”, a residence built on two amalgamated plots, each of 668 sq. m in south part of Delhi, attempts to dwell on experiential qualities and spatial nuances of living in a “house”. Spaces within the six-bedroom house, mindful of ecology, climate and Vaastu, defer to requirements of three generations of the family.

The Prism House has been designed by Indian firm Matra Architects & Rurban Planners.

The large double height entertainment & guest block (gazebo), with building related services, located in the basement, has been planned thoughtfully along the north part of the central garden. It faces the central garden and the main house, equipped with formal-informal living areas on the ground floor, bedrooms on the first floor and second floor. Terraces, study, gym with personalised private courts on the mezzanine/attic floor, create a complete and complex living experience.

The plot where the building as per Vaastu directions had to be located, is shaded during the winter months by the neighbouring building. The key idea was to find a design strategy that would harness the favourable southern sun from the roof. This was realized by not only providing skylights that generally are higher on maintenance on top of the roof, but also by placing small and large courts directly under the roof cut outs.

These then feed light through all seasons into the adjacent spaces, i.e. the attic and the bedrooms in the lower floors. Thus the section of the building became very pivotal to the entire project and resulted in a very distinct roof landscape. These sloping roofs reduce the perspectival height of the building, enhance the plasticity of the monolithic concrete blocks and provide spectacular views of the roof landscape, the neighbourhood and the sky, without compromising on privacy.

A sculptural staircase defining space 

The design ensures that the external experience of the imposing and rhythmic saddle roofs continue into the interiors of the main house, subtly organised around a well-lit double height central vestibule with a sculptural staircase that serves as a dramatic and dynamic connection for the family’s activities.

Zaha Hadid declared: “I don't design nice buildings - I don't like them. I like architecture to have some raw, vital, earthy quality”.

The extensive use of light grey exposed concrete walls continued uncompromisingly with precast and insulated concrete sloping roofs, dare to set off against the exuberant interiors and the landscape, akin to the shell of a fruit that has to endure the test of time only to protect the main fruit.

>>> Also discover A45,an Eclectic Penthouse in New Delhi, by Architecture Discipline

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The Prism House

©Edmund Sumner, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Sergio Ghetti, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Mayank Sharma, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Ashish Sahi, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Mayank Sharma, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Ashish Sahi, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Edmund Sumner, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Edmund Sumner, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Matra Architects, courtesy of Matra Architects

The Prism House

©Edmund Sumner, courtesy of Matra Architects

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