Conceived and designed as an intelligent, adaptable and sustainable family home in Surat, Gujarat, Hiveâs design is seeded in the profession of the client Kamalbhai Mistry, part of a successful company engaged in making machines for the diamond industry. The site is located in Vesu, an upcoming part of Surat. This particular project was part of four plots taken for the extended Mistry family.
A Rimadesio dining table and B&B Italia chairs can be seen in the dining room (left); enjoy the play of light and shade in this bridge that leads to the entrance (right)
Being well-informed about architecture and given his core competency in mechanical engineering, Kamalbhai was very clear about what he wanted as a homeâa smart structure rendered in metal and a mono-space living area. He also shared an almost 90-point brief with inputs connected to diverse pointsâfrom structure, landscape, planning, materials, sustainability, insulation, HVAC and plumbing, along with entire yearâs sun path study.
The architectural presence, undoubtedly, is established by the solar sensor-based facade, which lies at an exciting intersection of art and engineering. Its geometry is inspired by the hexagonal structural patterns found in nature such as those of honeycombs and carbon crystalsâgiving the project its name. Analysed as per the structure, function and mechanism, its design is based on structural strength, transformability and bio mimicry. The unique opening mechanism of the facade positions are derivatives of quality of light exposure and thermal comfort levels inside the house.
The internal program has been conceived as open and fluid, both in plan and volume. Devoid of dividing partition walls, the fluid spaces on the ground floor have a sensorial segregation of public, private and semi-private zones through modulations in the outer envelope along with a bespoke sculptural entrance vestibule. The upper level, accessed via a sculptural staircase, accommodates two bedrooms. The connection to greens remains steadfast owing to the presence of a small garden attached to each bedroom.
For us, the speciality of this project lies in the client who was open-minded and intrepid, ready to experiment with ideas that didnât have many precedents. The client viewed this building like a product/machines he deals in, which is why the insistence on âmanufacturingâ it flawlessly. He wanted something unique in every detail which put lot of pressure on us to deliver. Therefore, all the ideas that went into its making were backed with intensive research and prototyping.
Monarch Champaneri, Nilesh Gajera, Niralee Champaneri are lead at OpenIdeas Architects, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Ahmedabad and Surat started in 2009. www.openideas.co.in
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