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The Verandah Clubhouse
The Verandah Clubhouse
Lonavala, India
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The Verandah Clubhouse
Lonavala, India
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2015
SIZE
10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft
Photos
The project is situated within a larger housing scheme in Lonavala, Maharashtra. The site used to be a Parsi Sanitarium, which in its new avatar was to become community housing. Since the first day when we saw the existing structures we were keen to reuse them as part of the project in some form. The buildings were simple tiled gabled roof structures with load bearing walls and verandahs in the front. Over time they had been expanded with lean-to roofs at the back. These structures were nothing overtly special but had good character, large volumes and were made of resilient materials. They were representative of their time but more importantly along with the large mature group of trees around them had a wonderful vibe and atmosphere marking a special place on the whole site. The preservation of our past as markers of our history is important for the future generations to see. Thus it was important to retain these structures and we proposed to the clients that we could convert this ensemble into the amenities wing with all public leisure and recreation facilities housed here. The rear extensions were not in good shape and it was decided to demolish them. We also realized that the remaining area was not adequate for all the programs required and would need extension.
It was decided to amplify the character of the existing buildings with careful restoration and renovation but also add the new components representative of our time. The first step was to interlink all the three parts by joining and extending the verandah to connect all the new buildings. There is nothing better during the monsoon time than to sit under a verandah and watch the rain. Components like the stone plinth; stone column base, wooden columns and rafters were rescued, recycled and reused from other similar structures on the site. Layers of paint was stripped off all the woodwork and polished highlighting the beauty of old timber. Windows were restored and in-filled with colored and patterned glass. Heritage tiles on the floor are laid as if light streaming through the windows has highlighted them and made them come alive.
Secondly a raw concrete box seems to pierce all the 3 parts interconnecting them internally and adding all the service spaces and wet cores in the gaps between the buildings. Exposed board formed concrete was the single material used on all 4 sides - inside and out. This piece is raised and appears to float off the ground – contrasting with the existing rooted buildings. Round skylights punctuate the spaces bringing in light from above. There are strategically placed built-in wooden benches in these interstical spaces offering a pause between activities and a view outwards through carefully calibrated openings at seating height.
The existing buildings had loadbearing walls right in their center, and for them to be used efficiently for their new programs like the gymnasium or the indoor games room this would have to be addressed. Back to back steel I sections were joined to create built-up sections that spanned across the width of the structures opening up the centers for beneficial use. The central bay had a larger steel mezzanine and stair inserted over the steam room and changing rooms for accommodating the library and reading room. Here again the center was opened up not only at one level but also along the full height and involved complex structural jugglery where the load of the existing wooden trusses was transferred onto an interconnecting steel hanger column. The reading room overlooks the lounge space below from where the stair originates.
The final step was to add the Multipurpose Hall to the ensemble. A group of three trees prevented immediate continuity of the concrete box. We decided to repeat the exact same size and footprint as the existing building but with an inverted roof with the same angle and slope as the existing buildings. This along with other gestures completely inverts the spatiality of the older buildings. The space goes from being dark to one filled with light from above. The division between the 2 parts is implied but it is really one space at floor level. Space that is inward looking and centered in the old building is here inverted to become extrovert and flows diagonally to the outside.
All these varied elements are brought together by the articulated ground plane and plinth that ties together all the existing trees and buildings –both old and new.
It was decided to amplify the character of the existing buildings with careful restoration and renovation but also add the new components representative of our time. The first step was to interlink all the three parts by joining and extending the verandah to connect all the new buildings. There is nothing better during the monsoon time than to sit under a verandah and watch the rain. Components like the stone plinth; stone column base, wooden columns and rafters were rescued, recycled and reused from other similar structures on the site. Layers of paint was stripped off all the woodwork and polished highlighting the beauty of old timber. Windows were restored and in-filled with colored and patterned glass. Heritage tiles on the floor are laid as if light streaming through the windows has highlighted them and made them come alive.
Secondly a raw concrete box seems to pierce all the 3 parts interconnecting them internally and adding all the service spaces and wet cores in the gaps between the buildings. Exposed board formed concrete was the single material used on all 4 sides - inside and out. This piece is raised and appears to float off the ground – contrasting with the existing rooted buildings. Round skylights punctuate the spaces bringing in light from above. There are strategically placed built-in wooden benches in these interstical spaces offering a pause between activities and a view outwards through carefully calibrated openings at seating height.
The existing buildings had loadbearing walls right in their center, and for them to be used efficiently for their new programs like the gymnasium or the indoor games room this would have to be addressed. Back to back steel I sections were joined to create built-up sections that spanned across the width of the structures opening up the centers for beneficial use. The central bay had a larger steel mezzanine and stair inserted over the steam room and changing rooms for accommodating the library and reading room. Here again the center was opened up not only at one level but also along the full height and involved complex structural jugglery where the load of the existing wooden trusses was transferred onto an interconnecting steel hanger column. The reading room overlooks the lounge space below from where the stair originates.
The final step was to add the Multipurpose Hall to the ensemble. A group of three trees prevented immediate continuity of the concrete box. We decided to repeat the exact same size and footprint as the existing building but with an inverted roof with the same angle and slope as the existing buildings. This along with other gestures completely inverts the spatiality of the older buildings. The space goes from being dark to one filled with light from above. The division between the 2 parts is implied but it is really one space at floor level. Space that is inward looking and centered in the old building is here inverted to become extrovert and flows diagonally to the outside.
All these varied elements are brought together by the articulated ground plane and plinth that ties together all the existing trees and buildings –both old and new.
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