The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial by Keta Shah and Varun Shah

The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial by Keta Shah and Varun Shah is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award de Bronce in Deseño de Espazos Interiores e de Exposición Competition Category.

BronceInteriorismo· 2020

The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial

by Keta Shah and Varun Shah

Client: Workshop Inc

A' Design Award de Bronce Winner in Interiorismo Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #97841

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial

O Retiro é unha casa de fin de semana situada nos arredores de Vadodara, India. O interior inspírase na espacialidade monolítica das casas vernáculas indias nun contexto contemporáneo. Os grosos muros de carga foron esculpidos en nichos e moldeados en forma de camas, mesas e almacenaxe, e logo cubertos cunha textura de cemento gris para formar unha superficie homoxénea. Tons suaves de azul e verde, xunto con elementos de madeira e metal, realzan o espazo. As xanelas personalizadas, unidas por unha única panca, permiten a ventilación cruzada e enmarcan os campos do exterior. O ambiente tranquilo favorece un estilo de vida sinxelo e relaxado.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronce

The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial gañou o A' Design Award de Bronce, un recoñecemento altamente prestixioso outorgado a deseños sobresaíntes que se distinguen pola creatividade, o enxeño e a sagacidade. Os gañadores Bronce son artefactos amplamente hábiles e sorprendentemente creativos que autentican a vasta experiencia, imaxinación e enxeño dos seus deseñadores. Espérase que The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial sexa un obxecto moi apreciado, admirado e querido, notablemente profesional e innovador. Este deseño gañador do A' Design Award de Bronce incorpora as mellores prácticas da arte, a ciencia, o deseño e a tecnoloxía, e é excelente pola súa atención ao detalle. The Retreat Deseño de Interiores Residencial satisfai espléndidamente as necesidades, toca os desexos, encanta os sentimentos e atrae a curiosidade.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Retreat is a weekend home that takes cues from the monolithic spatiality of vernacular Indian houses, in a contemporary context. The monolithic shell creates surfaces to sit, sleep and incorporate other functions. The material palette plays with textures and soft colours to enliven a stark space, which focuses only on the essentials. It offers a homogenous space and a clutter-free environment that focuses on a simple, relaxed lifestyle and mental wellbeing.
Dimensions & Packaging: Built up Area: 205 sq mt.
Tags: residence interiors, indian interiors, indian residence, weekend home, home, house interior, farmhouse
Production Technology: The interiors are designed within an existing single-storied, load bearing structure with 18" thick walls. To create a homogenous environment, walls were carved in to create niches, and modulate the surfaces as beds, tables or storage, and enveloped with a cement texture. Repurposing an outdoor planter into the circular centre table and old brass glasses into light fixtures, the design delves into the uniquely Indian characteristic of "Jugaad" - non-conventional and frugal innovations that come about due to restrictions of cost and the availability of materials.
Design Challenge: Most of the furniture is custom-made or built at site to blend with the surfaces. The challenge was also to develop a simple system for the fenestration that allows for maximum openings at a minimum budget. The design of a series of window panes connected by a single lever that also functions as the handle, was an exercise in simple mechanics. This system is used throughout the house and allows for cross ventilation to keep the house cool in its hot and dry weather.
Research: Field Research
Objectives: To study the vernacular houses of the region to design a space that is rooted in the context
Methodology & Tools: Photographic and illustrative documentation during field visit. Analysis post visit.
Insights: Situated in a rural India, the mud houses respond to the hot & dry climatic conditions of the region. A single material, mud plaster, envelopes the floor and the walls to make the space cool, sustainable, and hygienic. Owing to economic limitations, furniture is bare minimum, and storage and ledges are created within the walls for various functions.
Inspiration: Located outside the city of Vadodara, The Retreat is envisioned as an escape from the chaos, noise and the fast-paced life of the city. Inspired from the vernacular mud houses found in the surrounding vicinity, a subdued natural material palette is used to create a cocoon to recharge yourself from the daily grind. The premise was to use local knowledge and create a liveable space using that keeps you grounded and as close to nature as possible.
Project Duration: The project is Located in Vadodara, India. The project duration was 10 months and was completed in March 2019.
Operation Flow: The weekend home consists of two bedrooms and a fluid living space that incorporates the living areas, dining, kitchen, bar and lots of free space to lounge. Custom designed fenestrations allow for maximum openings, and frame the greens outside. The vaulted ceiling defines the central bay of the house and visually leads to the outdoor space that overlooks the fields beyond.
A grey cement texture envelopes the entire space to create a homogenous environment, accented by soft blue and green tones, wood and metal elements.
Team Members: Architect: Keta Shah
Interior Designer: Varun Shah
Image Credits: Tejas Shah