Simple Elegance

The apartment of architects Akshay Heranjal and Aditi Pai in Bengaluru is an inspiring story of simplicity and the esoteric. It was designed with the idea of condensing the gap between the built and the greens.

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Niveditaa Gupta, courtesy The Purple Ink Studio

The site

Shunyo is part of a project called Axis Vanam which was also designed by The Purple Ink Studio. Housed on the top floor of this building, this 1,000 sq ft apartment is co-owned by the principal architects of The Purple Ink Studio. Shunyo was designed with the intent to create an inspiring story of simplicity and the esoteric and to activate a surrealistic experience scattered between time and space. The space, being extremely personal, serves as a multifaceted living pod where passions take a stance ahead and above bare necessities.

The 1,000 sq ft unit plan — consisting of a living, kitchen, dining, entertainment area, two bedrooms and bathrooms — was reconfigured, opening up spaces to accentuate the multi usability of all the areas. With a multitude of spaces that can adapt to various functions from being a full-fledged home to an art gallery, hosting a chef’s table or a party, the entire pod allows a seamless transition between all the areas, with art at its centerstage.

The design intent

The entire space has been conceptualised in black with undertones of grey and white — with an idea at exploring two completely different spatial experiences. With the spaces bringing in a lot of natural light during the day, the light bounces off the concrete surfaces often highlighting the relationship with the outdoors, through the two long decks that are favoured by green pockets. On the other hand, the intentional contrast between the black walls, cast-in situ furniture and the fabrics is highlighted when the light goes down, setting the mood for an intimate, and sometimes theatrical experience.

The spatial flow

A large monolithic cast-in situ concrete table placed centrally holds the long perspective of the living space together, often blurring the lines between cooking, dining and entertainment. The lighter variables like the bar stools and sofa are planned to allow various possibilities in the use of purpose each time, allowing the user, greater exploration of the space.

The lobby is treated as buffer space, allowing the user to pause and connect to the free-hand art done on the wall, which has many stories to offer. The life-size art leads the user/visitor into a sleep-play space, which is re-arrangeable and playful. The furniture is multifunctional and can change as per the user requirement, making it an interactive lounging space or an end to end giant bed when required.

On the other side, the use of the continued black from the living, allows a seamless transition between the central living into the bedroom. This area forms an unhindered space with limited furniture, balancing the “chiaroscuro” between the natural light and dark surfaces of the furniture and artwork. The interiors make way for the greens to come-in and blend seamlessly with all the spaces. The extended cantilevered spaces in the form of balconies and planter box adds to the overall greenery of the space. Dramatic bath spaces on either side, complement the sleeping pods.

The material palette

The space is conceived as a large monolithic concrete block, which is left bare, minimal and sometimes untouched, from which, the individual spaces were scooped out. With this idea in mind, the rawness of concrete in its varied forms becomes the main canvas throughout. The ceilings are left completely exposed and raw, whilst also allowing the character of the plywood shuttering joints and lines that were formed during the slab casting to remain untouched.

The floors are in polished concrete (IPS) adding a partially refined character to the entire space. This was done on site and finished with the help of the local masons. The central monolithic table was also cast-in situ using manual grinding, honing and polishing, and this forms a symbiotic relation with the rest of the cooking space, which is also in polished concrete.

The walls have a polished plaster finish in the cooking space, while the rest of the spaces have an overlay of black and white, used effectively to inject a sense of warmth into the space. The furniture pieces are all custom made locally, and crafted in a combination of wood, dark polish and black board paint. The use of simple dhurri on the floors, and white linen sheer softens the impact of the concrete and portray the seductive side of the space.

Project: Shunyo
Location: Bengaluru
Area: 1,000 sq ft
Principal architects: Akshay Heranjal and Aditi Pai