Angan(Courtyard) House

In the heart of every home, the Angan stands as a sacred court. It is a personal yet a public
space that witnesses the playful childhoods, festive celebrations, gatherings and even
tranquility for one. This project does an honest attempt to re-introduce the idea of court in the
design, amalgamating it with the modern needs.
The client spent their early days in the old city of Pune. The process started with taking
references from the core city, the site being located nearby. Two distinct fabrics seen on either
side of the Mutha river : the old, dense fabric and the new, scattered development. Despite its
density, the old fabric has developed organically and therefore lacks defined boundaries.
Narrow lanes, chowks, and courtyards blur these lines, fostering engagement. In contrast, the
new development that emphasizes planning has resulted in gated communities and various
forms of compartmentalization. The site also finds itself in between a gated community,
therefore the idea to de-compartmentalized is further explored taking references from the old
fabric and with the idea of a courtyard, an element found in traditional old wadas.
Further the idea of de-compartmentalization is given an architectural language in the form of a
courtyard, also seen in traditional old wadas which are the client’s brief as well. The angan or
the courtyard here controls the compartments (programs) by balancing the privacy, bringing in
transparency and multifunctionality.
The form development started evolving with two blocks which connected through the service
core and formed a courtyard. The design of the central courtyard becomes the focal point of
the structure where the idea of inside- outside connectivity is formed. This connectivity in
design is not only overlooked outside but also inside the house. The angan (Courtyard) acts as
the exterior facade for the private spaces inside.
The warm material palette draws inspiration from the language of traditional wadas, therefore
the use of exposed bricks, wood and gray metals. This warm language is balanced with green
landscapes and hardscapes in the interior and at the peripheries. The overall structure appears
as a lightbox, especially because of the well lit courtyard, the use of transparent partitions like
louvers, screens and fins keep the interior visually connected, bringing in natural light and
ventilation as well. The ground floor houses parking and utility, with the first floor opening up
at the courtyard with public and semi-private programs around, the private bedrooms taking
up the second floor, open up in the same courtyard.
The facade was developed with the concept of Jharokha, (a traditional bay window) an
architectural element with intricate design that is primarily climate responsive and also fosters
connectivity. An attempt to re-imagine this element in a modern and minimal way, it evolved
from wooden louvers to finally into minimal metal fins that complement the brick facade.