grand circular aperture within square brick screen dominates AKDA's family house in india

located on a quiet residential street in new delhi, india, an impressive circular aperture within a square brick screen dominates ‘safdarjang residence’, a family house by AKDA studio. the intricate façade is deeply inspired by louis kahn‘s work — which left a permanent mark on the architecture of the indian subcontinent; a somber, monumental, yet calm monolithic style.all images courtesy of andre fanthome

the architects sought to promote the fore-going modernity in order to achieve sustainability and traditional craftsmanship. drawing from kahn’s work which is characterized by puncturing vast brick and concrete walls with geometric voids, AKDA attempts to generate a sense of calmness within the urban harshness. the structure includes four apartments elevated above a parking level while is surrounded by neighbors on both sides.

the one longitudinal side of the plan features the bedrooms, kitchen, three bathrooms, staircase, and elevator, while the other half serves as an expansive living space. furthermore, an open atrium takes shape on the top level and is connected through a staircase with the terrace. meanwhile, the brick screen is elevated off the ground to frame a perfect square surrounding a circle. on the façade, stainless steel frameworks —taking form as angles on the top and bottom of the screen and as a ring within the void— support the brick tiles.

AKDA chose each segment of the house in order to achieve high performance, built-in robustness, and energy efficiency. the architects paid attention to the insulation, as the structure accommodates double glazing aluminum windows and the terrace is covered by inverted pots overlapped with terracotta tiles. moreover, the air-conditioning adopts variable refrigerant volume based on active monitoring of indoor use.

inside, the exposed brick walls contrast with the board-formed concrete of the slab. the flooring is clad in locally sourced paving slabs, sprinkled with mustard yellow stone in the atrium and the bathrooms. moreover, blue handmade tiles are set in the backsplash of the open kitchen, while LED lighting is set throughout the interior.

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project info:

name: safdarjang residence

architects: AKDA

design team: amit khanna, ankita misra, krishna yadav

location: new delhi, india

constructed area: 800 sqm (8,611 sqft)

plot area: 200 sqm (2,153 sqft)

elevator: schindler

windows: schueco

bathrooms: jaquar

flooring: kota stone

wooden flooring: kronotex

air conditioning: mitsubishi VRV