The idea emerged from the clients desire for a tranquil multi generational home that included their beloved pet within a compact plot in an urban setting. Rooted in the Zen symbol ENSO a circle of togetherness the concept evolved around the lily pond & rockfall anchoring both movement & stillness. The plan orbits the Enso Garden, with interconnected sit outs & water elements. Living areas are woven around this landscape ensuring architecture grows as part of nature. Linear dynamics, courtyards & transitional spaces support fluidity. Sun path, wind, climate shaped the design. Light is celebrated sunlight our best friend enters every space with intention. The ethos lies in integrating human centric design with material honesty, while remaining deeply responsive to the natural environment.
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Enso is at the edge of a gated community blending privacy with openness. It re establishes green urban axis by placing nature at the core. Landscaped Enso Garden, rockfall & courtyards allow built form to grow out of nature rather than on top. Recessed windows, balconies & glazed openings invite light, breeze, views, softening boundary between inside outside. The house becomes an urban oasis quiet amidst the city where plant life, water & architecture co exist uplifting daily living.The orchestration of large glazed expanses, protected from heat via elevation boxes, instead of obtrusive walls is a conscious calibration to lend a sense of transparency, connectivity & inclusion. Ensos climate conscious architecture responds adeptly to hot & arid climate of Ahmedabad city in western India.
Sustainability is embedded at every level from planning to Natural materials. Passive strategies optimize light & ventilation. Rainwater harvesting, solar panels, green roofs reduce resource dependence. Local flora builds a self-sustaining micro ecosystem. Materials include kotah stone, oak wood, eco friendly Vedic paints, breathable jute, linen. Architecture embraces glazed windows. Façade uses RCC, aluminium louvres, textured surfaces to regulate heat patterns of shadow diffusing harsh sunlight in the central courtyard. Interior spaces are flanked on all sides by green pockets visually & physically linked to the central courtyard, Enso Garden & rockfall. Every design move promotes preservation, balance, and wellness rooted in an ecological, climate responsive vision for urban living.
Enso thrives around a central garden, waterscape lily pond, and rockfall pivotal to the homes design. Native plants and shaded landscapes enhance biodiversity & form a living ecosystem that strengthens the projects nature centric ethos. Rooted in Zen philosophy and biophilic principles, the home is designed for SUKOON a stillness that invites light, breeze, and togetherness. Green architectural gestures breathe life, re establishing a living urban axis. Every element tells a story of nature. The jugalbandi of trees, rock, and built form celebrates harmony. Courtyards, passages & internal flows are integrated with the surroundings. The rockfalls presence introduced sound, light & movement. Crafting stepped geometry to temper sound while retaining natural flow shaped it as a focal point. Functionality was deeply considered each room positioned for outdoors, light, air, orientation, responding to a compact plot. The villa balances circulation & stillness, openness & shade, through calibrated voids & solids. The design prioritises habitat, preservation, human nature relationships. Its core is a connection to earth, sky, water, & people. Material choices kotah stone, oak wood, breathable jute, natural linen, Vedic paints create warmth & rootedness. Louvres, exposed RCC, textured finishes & glazed windows filter sunlight offering garden views. The homes heart beats in its landscape & waterscape. Enso is a place of rhythm, rootedness, and reflection
Enso is how we experience our home. The Enso Garden, waterscape, and rockfall are part of our daily rhythm. We begin and end our days with light on water, stillness near stone, and a quiet connection to nature. Every corner opens to something alive. Trees, breeze, and sunlight move with us. The house brings us together effortlessly. It gives space, comfort, and calm. Enso holds a way of being that feels close to the land, to time & deeply connected to each other. It continues to grow with us.
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Epitomizing the design philosophy by establishing a connect to EARTH SKY Humans and water we believe “Sunlight is the best friend of the Architect” The Enso project, named after the Zen symbol for circle, adopts a holistic architectural approach, integrat
Vinay Panjwani
The ethos lies in the integration of humancentric luxury with timeless elegance, all while honouring the natural world. Biophilic urban living; give life back to the city. Green architectural and interior intervention re-establishing urban axis, enrich ur
Vinay Panjwani
This architectural design thoughtfully balances solids and voids through courtyards and balconies. The facade prioritizes natural light and ventilation with recessed windows and terraces, employing climate-responsive strategies to combat the area's intens
Vinay Panjwani
The heart of the home is the central garden and waterscape, aptly named Enso, around which the entire residence is woven. The gentle sound of cascading water from the rockfall is perceptible in the living room, welcoming visitors with its soothing tones u
Vinay Panjwani
The north-facing, double-height formal living and dining rooms bathe in soft sunlight, enhancing the 'living in a garden' concept with expansive views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Essentially all the living spaces overlook the garden
Vinay Panjwani
A longing for a quiet, within the walls of Enso. life moves in harmony with natures rhythm. The home draws towards stillness to bring some SUKOON (it’s a Hindi word that translates to Quietude/ tranquility in English). It's an oasis where green architectu
Vinay Panjwani
ENSO – rockfall, garden all enveloping the living room and built forms. Enso thrives at the heart of a central garden and waterscape, pivotal to the home’s design. Carefully Selected plants and native species enhance biodiversity, creating a peaceful gree
Vinay Panjwani
The Enso project, named after the Zen symbol for unity and circle, adopts a holistic architectural approach, integrating the building with nature's rhythms. It’s where every corner tells a story of nature, a circle of togetherness, where every element con
Vinay Panjwani
A glazed dining pavilion anchored by natural materiality—where thresholds dissolve, extending domestic rituals into the landscape.
Vinay Panjwani
Enso's material selection emphasizes minimalism, sustainability and natural beauty, incorporating oak wood furniture, kotah stone flooring, and ecofriendly Vedic paints, aligning with the project's commitment to aesthetics and ecological values.
Vinay Panjwani
the spacious & intimate bedrooms feature artistic & styled decor. Balconies extend offering shaded outside views, transforming this home into a unified design that upholds architectural integrity and connects with nature, promoting collective living.
Vinay Panjwani
A corridor of quiet transitions—where light, greenery, and an open staircase choreograph movement and pause within the spatial spine of the home.
Vinay Panjwani
The idea is to create spaces which serve as a celebration of life within the Home. Biophilic Architecture meets Zen in an Urban city. the façade which creates patterns of shadow on the façade which will also control the harsh sunlight in the central court
Vinay Panjwani
The idea is to create spaces which serve as a celebration of life within the Home. Biophilic Architecture meets Zen in an Urban city. the façade which creates patterns of shadow on the façade which will also control the harsh sunlight in the central court
tHE gRID Architects
Contextual Considerations Diagram: "Five contextual anchors—climatic, cultural, social, urban, and natural—guide the Enso Villa’s planning, shaping a home rooted in place, purpose, and quiet balance."
tHE gRID Architects
Elements Contributing to Design: "Design elements converge around climate adaptation, biophilia, and native ecology—establishing a central garden as the villa’s sensory and spatial heart."
tHE gRID Architects
Design Concept & Planning Mind Map: "Conceptualized through architectural clarity and biophilic intent, the Enso Villa unifies water, orientation, and transition into a compact yet expansive design gesture."
tHE gRID Architects
Enso Villa Design Elements Table: "Layered across materiality, light, landscape, and wellness, the villa’s design narrative unfolds as a calm, climate-conscious living environment."
tHE gRID Architects
The plan revolves around an Enso Garden, incorporating a sit-out and rockfall with living spaces woven around it. This core element significantly influences the architectural layout, emphasizing linear dynamics and precise spatial organization, featuring
tHE gRID Architects
The first floor comprises of all the private spaces – bedrooms and library cum study, all designed to provide comfort and tranquility away from the home's communal areas.
tHE gRID Architects
The second floor features a guest bedroom and terraces designed for recreational activities, providing a welcoming space for visitors and a versatile area for relaxation, entertainment, and enjoying panoramic views in a comfortable, inviting setting.
tHE gRID Architects
The home's NORTHERN FRONT FAÇADE maximizes its location and orientation. The orchestration of large, glazed expanses, protected from the heat via the elevation boxes, instead of obtrusive walls is a conscious calibration to lend a sense of transparency, c
tHE gRID Architects
Exteriors feature exposed RCC and white textured finishes, with aluminium louvers and mild steel structural elements accentuating the façade.
tHE gRID Architects
A small sit-out in the east provides a serene space to enjoy the morning sun, offering a peaceful retreat in the urban life.
tHE gRID Architects
Nature has remained a crucial part of human existence. The presence of water in biophilic design enhances our living spaces, fostering a connection to the environment that promotes well-being, reduces stress, and increases our daily happiness through the
tHE gRID Architects
Enso a Japanese word, is a sacred symbol in Zen Buddhism meaning circle, or sometimes, circle of togetherness. The design prioritizing habitat, preservation, balance, and a deep connection with nature defines the essence of an urban home. The center being
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
India
Mr. Chirag Utsav Pandya
Residence
05/2025
905 sq. m
Confidential
tHE gRID Architects
Snehal Suthar & Bhadri Suthar & Manasvini Suthar
inhouse
inhouse
local
Vinay Panjwani
Bio
Founded in 2002, tHE gRID Architects is a Research based design studio in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, founded by Bhadri Suthar along with her spouse and partner Snehal Suthar. They actively contribute to the design fraternity by serving as visiting faculty and jury members at various architecture and design institutions. Their work reflects a deep sensitivity to human-nature connections, resulting in environments that are meaningful, and guided by ecological awareness. Through research and innovation, they aim to enrich and inspire future generations. The studio works across architecture, interiors, landscapes, and furniture. Their approach draws from vernacular knowledge and engages with contemporary architectural practice. In addition, the studio engages in experimental projects, research and design explorations. The future of architecture lies in empathy, humanity, purpose and a deep connection between people, nature, and the built environment, and collective responsibility