Bhimtal Residence

Status- Unbuilt, 2016

Location- Bhimtal, Uttrakhand

 

The requirement was for a small apartment as a first-floor extension on the terrace overlooking the Bhimtal Lake.
 

The design drew its cues from a need for light-weight construction and considerations for wind and sunlight, especially the use of photovoltaic panels that are best oriented Southwards for maximum efficiency. To keep the unit independent an external staircase was used to arrive at the upper level from the garden.
 

The building form derives out of the meeting of the plan geometry that comes from the unit below and the logic of rectangular rooms to maximize space and allow the easy placing of conventional furniture, and a pure north-south alignment for the roof.
 

This meeting gave the building an angular, wedge-like exterior for, that on the inside creates large volumes and lofts for storage/ sleeping spaces for children, and imbues the interior with both excitement and space that would otherwise be impossible to achieve in a more traditional roof form and building system.
 

Also perched above the lake and visible from a great distance, the form would look quite exciting to onlookers as it caught the sun at different times of the day, and was lit up from the inside at night