Archana and Ramana's House by Lalith and Jyothi Architects

About the Principal Designers:

Lalith and Jyothi understand how a built space impacts people’s emotions. This attribute enables them to create purposeful design solutions. Their practice seeks meaning through collaboration, craft, and nature. Working since 1994, both Lalith and Jyothi bring their unique traits to the table that allows the firm to experiment and diversify.

Explore more of their work on: lalithandjyothi.com 

Reach out to them here.

Project Fact File:

• Project Name: Archana and Ramana’s House
• Project Location: Hyderabad
• Year of Completion: 2022
• Principal Designer: Ar. Lalith Mitta and Ar. Jyothirmayi Mitta
• Photography By: Kaushik Srestalura and Naveen Janga 
• Built-up Area: 220 sq.m./ 2300 sq. ft.

Description as provided by the Designer:

Cocooned in a bustling neighborhood of Hyderabad, Archana and Ramana’s house at NCC Urban radiates love and warmth. Curated for a family of four - parents and their kids, the home is designed to nurture the family bond. 

The existing layout of the house was reinvented to create well-spaced rooms that respect the family’s need for socializing and privacy. Hence, the living area is designed as one large space, segregated; yet seamlessly integrated into three units- a formal living area for visitors, a dining area, and an informal living area for the family. An extended deck has been created for the family to enjoy cozy evenings with a beautiful view of the city skyline. 

The formal living area accommodates a comfortable seating arrangement with seatings made from recycled wood. The space is defined and held together with a wooden membrane that has been thoughtfully crafted in chunks of recycled wooden slats with insertions of Jaisalmer angled ribs. This has been an intentional separator to seize the journey and anchor it in a way that lends to the journey further. 

The other side of the screen serves as a background for the prayer nook. The screen is topped by a space frame that scales the space in a way that a sense of warmth is experienced. This gives a person standing under it a territorial definition - making him/her feel that they are in the realms of the pooja space;  yet being one with the rest of the space.

This space frame interestingly also lends to becoming a functional element to adorn the flowers and torans at times of festivities. A dining table abuts the pooja corner where the family gets together to eat, laugh, and share their day. The kitchen has a modern and sleek design with clean finishes which makes the space functionally efficient. 

The informal living area serves as a common space that leads everyone into their rooms. In essence, this space binds the family together and accentuates a sense of privacy in the home. The entry to all three bedrooms cannot be directly experienced from the living area. This has been done to create a sense of privacy and to establish a definition while entering into one's own private space. A chamfered wall cladded in ribbed Jaisalmer stone leads to the master bedroom equipped with a walk-in wardrobe on the other side of the wall. 

The ribbing is done by hand and is a total charm in terms of its texture and grain. it lends itself to giving company and accentuating the entire experience of going into the bedroom. The entry into the children and the guest bedrooms is from an incidental transition wherein, yet again, the ribbed Jaisalmer stone wall not only lends to giving company but also ends up becoming the focal point of the dining area. The only difference this time is that the wall isn't chamfered. 

A hint of local art and culture is seen in the home. The furniture is customized and made from recycled teakwood and finely crafted maddi wood which is locally available in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and has been sourced to create the artifacts which just don’t fit into the space but become one with it. The flooring is in calibrated Kota stone - polished to mirror finish in the living areas and the leather finish Kota has been used in the bathrooms and the decks. 

With ample attention to details like designated space for daily essentials has been thoughtfully integrated. All in all Archana and Ramana’s house is a fine example of a smooth and healthy collaboration - of holding aspirations and realizations of the same. Every spatial narrative has been beautifully crafted and the entire space comes together as a gesture of generosity and grandeur.