ant studio fits old indian farmhouse with futuristic and spiraling floor extension

‘anahat farms’ by ant studio blends futurism with vernacular indian architecture 

Rising like a meandering volume from the ground, the ‘Anahat Farms’ in India is a distinct experimental fusion of futuristic and traditional architecture. Completed by local practice Ant Studio, the structure flows and wraps around an existing family farmhouse building, with new openings and courtyards that allow nature to seep through.

all images © Andre J Fanthome

Home to a family with an immense passion for animals and polo sport, the old stable farm housed a three-bedroom structure with minimal connection to its context. The architects had a choice to either build from the ground up or add another floor and renovate the structure. With deep-rooted beliefs in practicing sustainability, the team decided to avoid demolishing the house and instead invest in more ecological and experimental choices. 

Principal architect, Monish Siripurapu, comments: ‘We firmly believe architecture should have a blend of the past and the future. With the help of computational tools, we were able to align the vernacular of Indian architecture with the new language of fluidity that seeks to break the limits of architectural achievements.’

a new floor extension that spirals around the old house

The new floor — hosting bedrooms and living spaces — works its way up like a spiral to the top of the old house, connecting the different elements found along its course. The skin is made up of zinc panels, a durable and effective material against North India’s harsh climate. Ant Studio angled the louvered panels in such a way as to diffuse sunlight and allow natural ventilation to seep into each space without breaking the framed views.

At the new ground level entrance, guests are greeted by a sculptural installation that separates the foyer from the living room through a porous, fluidic screen. The architects shaped the sculpture using terracotta tiles recycled from the old building roof, effectively reducing site waste.

opening up to the surrounding landscape while maintaining pockets of intimacy 

The existing home interior was revamped using a subtly enigmatic palette of exposed material textures. Brick and lime cemented walls paired with terrazzo and polished concrete flooring offer a stark yet soothing contrast to the immensely futuristic facade. This intuitive distinction between the outer ‘form’ and internal ‘function’ creates warm and nostalgic spaces that evoke the family’s childhood homes.

Concluding the overall design approach, Monish states: ‘The final form is both open to the environment while being private to the residents. We aimed to achieve pockets of intimacy within the open natural setting, in a building with tremendous opportunities to open up to the surrounding landscape.’

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existing house

layering diagram

project info:

name: Anahat Farms

completion year: 2021
architecture and interiors: Ant Studio 

principal architect: Monish Siripurapu

project architect: Ashwyn Motwani

design team: Anushree Wagh, Astha Chopra, Parag Chaudhari, Paras Sood

clients: Vinod Sharma, Managing Director, Deki Electronics, Deepika Sharma

roofing systems: VM zinc

structural engineering: Designroots, Kulvinder Singh

MEP consultants: GSP Design

MEP contractor: Ashok Sagar

fabrication team: Kulvinder Singh, Imran

civil contractor: Tejaram Nagarwal

site engineering: Sonu Kumar

window manufacturing: NCL Buildtek ltd.

photography: Andre J Fanthome /  Studio NAC

film: Studio NAC 

direction: Nakul Jain

edit: Vaibhav Passi

music: Corn Fields by Charlie Jefferson

cinematography: Andre J Fanthome, Nakul Jain, Vaibhav Passi, Achintya Mishra Jassi

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom