05/11/2023
// Perennial House //
Set in a typical residential plotted development in the peripheral urban fabric of Amritsar, Perennial House is built in strong contradiction to its neighborhood dwellings. Within a linear site of 26’ x 62’, surrounded by plots on three sides, and facing the road on the south, specific attention to tackling the extreme climate of the region, as well as building a strong architectural vocabulary is given. Taking cues from the client’s desire for an abode of relaxation, and a love for gardens, trees, and pets, the spaces are planned to look inwards to a green open-to-sky courtyard that runs deep inside the house. The spaces flow between one another, exuding a sense of openness while retaining their functionality.
In response to Amritsar’s extreme climate, with temperatures dropping to 0deg in winter and rising to 45deg in the summer, mass placements and terrace projections are carefully planned to shield the interior in the summer while allowing the winter sun in from the south. The winds running east-west are trapped, accelerated, and humidified by the long and narrow courtyard garden, which brings daylight, air, and a view of the landscape to almost all rooms. Blurring the line between inside and outside, bay windows serve as little nooks that open into the garden, serving as moments of pause and relief. The ground floor fits the main functions - the living, kitchen, dining, and two bedrooms, with just a lounge and guest bedroom on the upper floor, that overlooks the courtyard. This flows into a first-floor terrace garden facing the road.
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