A skylit stairway and a generous terrace are highlights of this Chennai home

The Silmaril House designed by AWOL Design Studio, set in chaotic environs, proves a warm and minimal haven for a three generational family.

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Yash Jain; courtesy AWOL Design Studio

The brief

AWOL Design Studio was assigned the refurbishment and design of a 5,200 sq ft duplex which was spread across two floors of a commercial property, in a multi-use building at Anna Nagar, Chennai. The client ordered open spaces, clean lines, and abundant natural light; and two specific requirements — the children’s wish for open spaces with minimum obstacles to run free around the house, and the adults’ request to create spaces to entertain their large group of extended family and friends.

The civil intervention

Since the building was situated in an extremely busy street, the design team’s primary goal was to maximise the functionality and aesthetics of the existing structure. “We knew we had to elevate the residential space, move certain non-load bearing walls, introduce buffer spaces, and create an open, calming haven in the middle of all the chaos,” says Karran Kumar, principal architect, AWOL Design Studio. “While there was no need to re-tailor the space, we worked with the former architect to ensure that the internal walls were in accordance to the vision we had for Silmaril. The facade, too, was designed by us,” adds Inesh Sah, principal architect, AWOL Design Studio.

The design intent

Given the brief, the context, and the clients’ needs, the architects decided on a minimal and open design. The intent was to create a juxtaposition of serene expanses and cosy personal nooks that elevated the feeling of ‘home’ even when situated right in the bustle of the city.

The spatial configuration

The lower floor of the house is split into an office that covers half the space and a family living room, gym, store room, and guest bedroom which covers the rest. The first floor has the central lift lobby and foyer. On one side sprawls an expansive family living space flanked by a balcony, a pooja room, and the grandparents’ bedroom. The other half of the plan features an open dining surrounded by the kitchen, master bedroom, children’s bedroom and a magnificent sky-lit stairwell leading to the terrace. The terrace itself is a welcoming, tiled, open-to-sky space peppered with seating, and framed by potted plants lining its boundary.

The design and material details

Since the focus of the design was to create a home that looked and felt free, the spaces feature large windows and glass sliding doors to draw in natural light, and create a connection with the outdoors. Reflective marble flooring and wall details add to the uninterrupted feeling. They also form the perfect base for the chic and contemporary furniture selected. Most of the furniture in the house is sleek and sophisticated, and predominantly features greys, beiges, or wooden tones and textures with some pops of colour and black to create contrast and depth respectively.

The highlights

One out of the two highlight of the house is the stairwell which connects all the floors of the house and the terrace. Stunningly sky-lit, and cleverly multi-functional, the stairwell features massive windows and staircase with seating that helps transform this otherwise utilitarian element into a mini-amphitheatre for the family. The 4,000 sq ft terrace also deserves a special mention. With comfortable flooring and double-level planters adorning the perimeter, this space looks ever ready for a hearty party.

The challenges

“The design and execution phase for Silmaril went smoothly. However, our primary challenge was that we were brought in when the shell (load-bearing structure) was already in place. We had to align/realign our vision with the existing one, and understand the dynamics of an already functioning team of professionals,” say the architects.