Delhi-based firm Harsh Vardhan Jain Architect has converted a derelict lot in South East New Delhi into a beautiful vertical home clad in glass panels and topped with a lush green roof. The architects designed the Garden Roof Parasol to be an urban oasis for a pair of newlyweds. The team ensured the home was filled with natural light and vegetation to create a sense of serenity within a hectic city landscape.
The architects were approached by a soon-to-be-married couple who were looking to move in after their wedding. The building site is located on an “urban fringe” lot, between a bustling urban area and a planned settlement in South East New Delhi. The compact lot presented a number of challenges for its small dimensions, which included a one room structure, a stairwell and a courtyard.
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To create a light-filled urban oasis for the newlyweds, the architects decided to use a combination of glass, steel and greenery. According to the design scheme, the strategy was to create an overarching roof over the existing structures to unify the space. By taking the design vertical, the architects could add a double height volume to the home.
The new building was framed from prefabricated steel beams that were also used to create a solid platform for the roof. The existing masonry walls that were on the site were reinforced and filled with insulated glazing. An exterior ramp leads up to the entrance way — a small deck with a spiral staircase that provides access to the green roof.
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The interior living space, which is flooded with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling glass facades, has minimal furnishings to reduce clutter. Many of the furnishings are flexible, such as the television console with built-in storage that doubles as access to the small study built into the former stairwell.
The first floor houses an open-plan living area and a small kitchenette. Throughout the space, steel and fluted glass doors slide shut to separate the rooms or open to expand the space. From the bedroom on the upper floor, a small steel spiral staircase leads to the home’s vibrant rooftop garden.
+ Harsh Vardhan Jain Architect
Via Archdaily
Images via Nakul Jain / Harsh Vardhan Jain Architect
