Get your home interior design budget estimate

back arrow

Kitchen Budget Calculator

A home in New Delhi that makes a solid case for courtyards in city life

  • Ideas & Inspiration
Sep 12, 2019
cleft house interior

 

On the outside it’s a windowless monolith but within, Anagram Architects has created a bright and airy home with a courtyard—perfect for a joint family in an urban setting
 

How to live in a house that is open to the elements in New Delhi


The Anagram Architects office calls it the Cleft House—a name it earned from its indented shape which is the result of varied floor plans across four levels—but I would much rather call it The Introvert. It’s not the three levels of security our team had to clear to gain access to this residence in north Delhi, but its windowless façade that makes it seem like a brooding, introverted character. “In a typical house in Delhi you have large windows in the front or balconies, but [this plot] didn’t have a good view, and there’s too much noise and dust. Also, the client was very particular about his privacy,” explains Vaibhav Dimri, principal architect at Anagram and the one heading this project.
 

With all the natural elements blocked out from the front, Dimri created a courtyard at the heart of the house to ensure light and air circulation. “The courtyard typology works really well here not just because there is no view, but also with the climate. A typical courtyard house reduces the number of surfaces where the heat gain can happen. But we tweaked it a little and created an urban conditioned space. We covered this courtyard on top and made it rain sheltered; the wind can flow through, since the structure is open from the front and back. A large evaporative cooler throws in conditioned cool air, but doesn't consume a lot of energy.” With four levels stacked on top of it, this really looks like a contemporary interpretation of a courtyard. Guests love it, says Priya Kumar, the lady of the house. They think “it looks like a hotel, since there is a glass lift and balconies.” Having said that, the swirling staircase is a dramatic architectural component that immediately catches your eye when you enter this home.

 

Why Anagram Architects Calls This Cleft House

Standing on the ground floor, looking up at this rather tall courtyard, one can see why the architects named this project Cleft House. The two floors in the middle jut out into the courtyard, creating the impression of a dent. These floors—the first and the second—house the private living quarters of the Kumar family. And to maximise the square footage available here for the bedrooms and lounges, they were made to extend out into the courtyard.
 

cleft house exterior

The exterior of the Cleft House—finished in white and black Indian marble—has a gap in the middle, to which it owes its name.

Then there is the metaphorical implication of the project name. “In an urban scheme of row houses, this actually makes a dent,” says Dimri. Priya’s husband Munit was very clear about what he wanted as his joint family home; the brief was “build something I have not seen before”. Did the architect deliver, I ask Munit? “People are amazed to see this house, they want to see it again and again.” That is a ‘yes’ then. 
 

This is the second in the two-part series on the Cleft House. In the first part we see how the family of six uses the seven-floor building.

A portrait of Vaibhav Dimri
Vaibhav Dimri, principal architect at Anagram and the one heading the Cleft House project.
Delhi Home_home theatre

The walls in the screening room on the first floor have linear lights from Vizion Lighting.

delhi home kitchen
The kitchen is from by Euromobil Italy.
Delhi home courtyard
The central courtyard sports epay wood decking. The evaporative cooler is concealed within vertical epay panels and helps cool this space which is open to the elements from the front and the back of the house.
delhi home living room
The furniture in the living room is from Désirée, Italy. The flooring has been done in statuario marble.
cleft house staircase
The furniture in the dining room is from Désirée. The flooring has been done in statuario marble.
cleft house dining room
The chandelier that runs through the spiral staircase is from Jainsons Emporio.
cleft house staircase and lights
The chandelier that runs through the spiral staircase is from Jainsons Emporio.
cleft house interior
The master bedroom on the first floor, as viewed from the spiral staircase.

Get started with Beautiful Homes by Asian Paints

Leave your information and we will call you to book your preferred consultation slot

Please enter your Full Name
Please enter your Pincode
Please enter your Mobile Number +91
Please enter your Email ID

By proceeding, you are authorizing Asian Paints and its suggested contractors to get in touch with you through calls, sms, or e-mail.

tick

Thank You!

We value your interest in Asian Paints - Beautiful Homes. We will get in touch with you to customise your package.

Tell us more and you may qualify for a

special appointment!

Get a special appointment
1/ 4

What’s the status of your home possession?

2/ 4

What’s the condition of your home/space?

prev Previous Question

Will you be living in your space during the renovation ?

, Previous Question
3/ 4

Is your interior design budget over 4 lakhs?

prev Previous Question
, Previous Question
4/ 4

Book next available appointment slots with our experts!

prev Previous Question

DEC 2023

27 FRI
31 MON
1 TUE

JAN 2024

01 WED
02 THU
03 FRI
05 MON
06 TUE
07 WED
08 THU
arrow

Please Select Date and Day

Previous Question

Something went wrong!

We were unable to receive your details. Please try submitting them again.
To reschedule or cancel, call toll-free
Submit again

Appointment Scheduled!

Thank you for giving an opportunity to Asian Paints Beautiful Homes Service! Our Customer Experience Specialist will get in touch with you soon.

Appointment Date & time

17 Oct 23, 03.00PM - 04.00PM

To reschedule or cancel, call toll-free

Thank You!

Our team will contact you for further details.
Interior Design Budget Calculator

Get an approximate budget for your home interior design by sharing your space details. test

Similar Articles