Courtyard Residence
2021
Location
Ahmedabad, India
Area
480 m²
Client
Private Client
Services
Architecture, interior design, and landscape.
A contemporary haveli for a modern family. Stone, shade, and a stepped water court hold the house together, borrowing the logic of Gujarat's courtyard homes and adapting it to the way people live today.
Context
A family of three generations wanted a home in Ahmedabad that respected the city’s tradition of courtyard houses without copying it. The plot is deep and narrow, and the climate swings between intense heat and monsoon humidity.
They needed privacy for different households, shared spaces for festivals and meals, and a house that could adapt as the family grows.
Concept
We took the haveli’s logic and rebuilt it for today. A stepped water court sits at the center of the plan, and every room opens onto it or onto a shaded veranda. Local stone, jaali screens, and deep overhangs keep the interior cool and quiet.
Private suites occupy the upper floors, while the ground floor is a continuous sequence of shared rooms that can open fully for gatherings. The water court cools the air, catches the rain, and gives the family a place to sit and watch the light change.
Materials & Sustainability
Local sandstone and lime plaster are used throughout, with hand-carved jaali screens made by craftspeople from the city’s old quarter. The thick masonry walls hold the night’s coolness well into the afternoon.
The stepped water court collects monsoon rain for reuse in the garden, and a rooftop solar array covers most daytime loads. Deep shade and cross-ventilation mean the main rooms rarely need air conditioning.
Credits
Client: Private Client
Design Team: Otlo Architecture Studio, Mumbai
Structural Engineer: Gujarat Structural Works
Stone and Jaali Craftsmen: Local artisan guild
Photography: [Photographer Name]
Every Great Space Starts Somewhere.
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