Über Cool Rajan Bhatt of Bezel Designs & Communications (P) Ltd. designed a fashionable abode for a client in Gurgaon. The house exudes luxury and has all the facilities of a modern hotel, with the warmth of a home; flamboyant yet subtle, with well-defined public and private spaces...

1. design at home
Rajan bhatt of bezel designs & communications (P) ltd designed a fashionable abode for a
client in Gurgaon. The house exudes luxury and has all the facilities of a modern hotel, with the warmth
of a home; flamboyant yet subtle, with well-defined public and private spaces
Über coolÜber cool

2. T
he client, a businessman in his early 50s, wanted
the house of his dreams for himself and his
family—his wife and two sons. Apart from the
basic functional needs he had two requirements—a
full-fledged home theatre and a standalone place
for worship and meditation. Since the architect had worked
with the client and his sons before, he was given a free hand
to do the house.
The stylish 8,000sq ft bungalow stands on an odd-
shaped, five-cornered plot but utilises all the corners
effectively. The USP of the house is that although its
functional aspects have been given priority, all the design
features have been seamlessly integrated within. The architect
was involved right from the stage of plot selection to the
building and designing of the interior spaces including the
furniture and lighting, and this explains the cohesiveness of
the entire structure.
The house has four levels–basement, ground, first and
the second—connected by an internal staircase. The design
sensibility can be seen right away as one enters the main
gate,whereinthemandatorysitesetbacksandthechallenging,
awkward shape of the five-cornered plot have been creatively
utilised to incorporate landscaped greens, a driveway with
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3. A deck next to the kitchen
offers a quiet corner for the
family, while refreshments
can be served from the kitchen
through the service window
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4. parking space for three cars, space for housing a generator,
water features, and utility areas.
The contemporary and clean lines of the structure’s
exterior are what make it particularly striking. The primarily
white exteriors with a dash of rough yellow Jaisalmer stone,
the steel pergolas tying the front and the side, and the 35’ tall
and 6’ wide slate cladded feature wall add to its elegance.
The blank southwest facade has been adorned with
steel in a wave-like pattern and Teflon-coated fabric
installation art, to prevent direct sunlight from falling onto
the building and to keep it cool in summer months. As per
the design requirement for a standalone place of worship, a
steel-and-glass pyramid has been created to worship and
meditate, and is aligned perfectly with the entrance.
The regular entrance door welcomes one into the
entrance foyer. This space has a business-like yet warm
atmosphere with dull green rattan furniture and, rusty orange
cushions, placed above a striped ochre, mirror-polished
The basement has a salon like bar, a high-
tech home theatre with colour-changing LED
lighting, plush recliners and a workspace
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5. sandstone floor. A tall, almost ceremonial door of seasoned
Burma teak opens right into the formal seating space. A simple
yet effective design detail has been used to establish a visual
connect of the entrance foyer with the outdoors— mirror image
water bodies with fountains separated by a large glass enclosure.
This space is all elegance, with large white panel marble flooring
and almost stark furniture in white suede with walnut trims.
Two floral chairs with mustard suede petals right next to the
water feature and inverted onion dome lights above make an
interesting corner composition.
The kitchen is large enough to accommodate a well-
articulated cooking space and a separate nook for the washing
area. The beige countertop and Burma teak shutters give it a
functional yet warm feel. The large windows bring in the
natural light and make it look spacious.
The dining area is cheerful and happy flanked by the
brightly lit yellow staircase well on one side and the semi-
open deck on the other, making it a space of contentment.
The master bedroom and the boys’
bedrooms on the upper floor each have
their own terrace or balcony
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6. This semi-open deck next to the kitchen, offers a quiet
corner for the family to sit out while the beverages and
eatables can be served directly from the kitchen through the
service window.
Another demand from the client, a full-fledged home
theatre-cum-entertainment zone, has been incorporated in
the basement. The architect has transformed a dreary, dark
basement into a high-tech haven with a fashionable salon-
like bar, an acoustically treated home theatre with professional
level AV system, controlled colour-changing LED lighting
and top-of-the-line recliners and a library cum workspace.
The internal staircase is an important feature of the
house. It is a complete RCC structure where each step is an
independent, suspended entity, tapering towards the sides
and jutting out of a RCC sheer wall that continues from the
basement till the topmost floor, cutting out the harsh
southwest sun. As one moves through the upper floors, one
encounters the personal spaces—the master bedroom and
Each toilet is minimalistic and
monochromatic. They are finished in slate,
marble or Jaisalmer stone
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7. the boys’ bedrooms. Each of these suites has its own terrace
or balcony. The toilet of each suite is monochromatic and
minimalistic. Each toilet is finished in a single type of stone
—slate, marble or Jaisalmer—with high-quality stainless CP
fittings and contrasting white ceramicware. Large mirrors
with LED lights embedded in them add to their dimension.
A lot of thought has gone into making this building
climatically conscious, if not downright ‘green’. The wet areas
of the house are located on the southwest wall, and this acts
as a thermal buffer for the rest of the house. The sloping roof
finished with slate tiles provides a greater volume to the top
floor rooms, thus allowing a false ceiling which also helps in
thermal insulation. Windows used are white UPVC with
double-glazing to keep out the noise, and are extremely
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8. effective in maintaining thermal control.
Rainwater management and harvesting have been
carefully tackled. Besides making provision for harvesting the
water in the open landscaped areas, the metal gutters on the
edge of the sloping roof ensure that all the rainwater from the
roof and terrace levels reaches the harvesting pit. LED lights
have been used in the entire building both for the outdoors
and indoors to keep the power consumption at its lowest.
Says Rajan, “Besides the awkward shape of the plot,
the other challenge was to integrate the rich finishing
material pallete—12 kinds of natural stone, stainless steel,
glass, Teflon-coated outdoor fabric, painted mild steel
perforated sheets, an interesting dash of pine wood in the
exteriors; seasoned Burma teak for all the furniture and
doors; satin and textured finishes of paints in both outdoor
and indoors—harmoniously.”
The stylish 8,000sq ft
bungalow with four levels
stands on an odd-shaped, five-
cornered plot but utilises all
the corners effectively
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Photographs: Bharat Aggarwal; Text: mrinmoyee r paul