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Alfaz Miller Sobti Bungalow (Dehradun)
English architecture never followed a rigid timeline, with clear divisions between periods and styles of buildings. The only thing that follows is a true attempt to organize themes and philosophies of the project in a rough chronological order, because many periods coincide with each other and a unique style is created out of it. There is a unique charm for English country style architecture and that is what this house corresponds to being in India. It is a pure architectural delight with spacious, functional and minimalistic approach that caters to the clients needs and wishes. The owner of this house commissioned ABM Architects to salvage a site plagued by seepage and resulting deformation. What ABM received was a structure with bad proportions. Short of complete demolition, it has been virtually rebuilt, true to English country style, in its architecture and in the interiors. The existing structure was revamped completely and its entire facade overhauled to redress issues of water leakage.
FIRM NAME ABM Architects PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT Alfaz Miller EDUCATION/AFFILIATION B.Arch BUILT UP AREA 3500 sq.ft. AWARDS AD50 Good Homes (Lifetime Achievement) Society Interiors (Excellence in Architecture & Interior Design) TEAM SIZE 8 people CONTACT ABM Architects Millernium, 665, Veer Savarkar Marg, Dadar West, Mumbai 400028 INDIA T +91 22 24444403 / 01
PRODUCTS/VENDORS Paint: Asian Paints CP Fittings / Sanitaryware: Kohler Furniture: Fusion Access Furnishing: Bharat Furnishing, Ego Flooring: Classic Marble, Greenlam Kitchen: Siemens, Nirali Electrical: Schneider Air Conditioning: Daikin CONSULTANTS/CONTRACTORS Structural: Juzer Tinwala Associate: Riyaz Himany Architect: Subhash Tamhane Consultant: Latika Amersey, Jayant Ambekar Landscape: ABM HVAC: ABM PMC: ABM MEP: Nimish Shah
pristine The house now stands proud in its renovated form: with sloping roofs; flowing brick arches with white trims, and a generous garden in full bloom. The high roof made with locally available slate creates a grand first impression of the property. The generously re-designed bay windows bring in the green environs. The living room has quaint charm with its cozy seating, wood-finished flooring and stone-clad fireplace. Antique light fittings, ornate fans and wooden rafters make for muted luxury. The dining area offers picture-perfect views all day from its French windows.
Top Left: Dining room Top Right: Family room Bottom Left: Master bedroom bay window
“A sense of calm runs through the decor palette, unifying the distinct tastes of the residents with modern comforts. The result is seamlessly flowing and intertwining spaces with minium number of internal walls, columns and partitions. �
Top Left: Powder room Top Right and Bottom Left: Drawing room Bottom Right: Guest bathroom
a place for everything The main highlight of the project is the location of the house which faces the valley on the East, and hence gets a strong morning sun. This lights up the whole house and accentuates the true 'British' style design. The client gave ABM liberty to design with a view to achieve their objective.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
5 4
3
1
2
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FIRST FLOOR PLAN
6 5
4
8
3
1 2
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GROUND FLOOR PLAN
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
1. DINING
1. MASTER BEDROOM
2. VERANDAH
2. BALCONY
3. LIVING
3. MASTER BATHROOM
4. KITCHEN
4. BATHROOM
5. POWDER ROOM
5. GUEST BEDROOM 6. GUEST BEDROOM 7. BATHROOM
the challenges There were three major challenges to overcome during this project one -the dilapidated condition with a leaking roof, damp walls and fungal growth on the exterior. Two - the bad proportions of the doors and windows, obstructing the valley and mountain views. Three - the low skill sets of the local Contractors.
the influences “When the brief was so clear it was there was nothing more to think further, only an in depth study on English Architecture was necessary. Without the study this project wouldn't have been according to clients' aspirations and expectations.� - Alfaz Miller
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS Harneet Singh TEXT CREDITS Aahana Miller
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