INSIDE OUTSIDE
A unique design perspective makes the Pool Yard House by Chandigarh-based firm Studio Ardete stand out
Located on a busy sectoral road in Panchkula, the Pool Yard House was designed for an elderly couple. The client, Pawan Garg, runs his own business in the industrial area of Chandigarh and loves to entertain, which became the underlying principal behind the design of the home. The brief was to visualise a house exuding comfort, designed for relaxation and leisure. The concept was to place emphasis on the courtyard and pool areas, with these acting as the focal point of the home.
The facade has been designed in two individual masses. A screen comprising of vertical slats reduces visual contact with the busy street outside, while still allowing the occupants to have a view of the trees
lining the road across. Another distinct mass is created by the staircase facade clad in dark grey textured stone. Small rectangular voids have been created in this facade to break the monotonous mass. These small windows with reflective glass add a sculptural dimension to the home. A water body planned near the entrance gives the interiors a tranquil feel.
Transparent walls have been used to interconnect the various spaces of the house, and to link them to the outdoors as well. The sitting room located in the front is designed as an extension of the landscape with the cantilevered roof reinforcing the connection of the inside to the outside. The transparent walls are further used to accentuate the presence of the pool from different areas of the house.
The main staircase and the wellness areas have been connected to the rest of the spaces via the courtyard, establishing a strong correlation between the inside and the outside, a fact that achieves greater impor-
tance when the climatic zone, characterised by both, extreme heat and cold, is taken into consideration.
The colour, texture and material palettes of the home have been kept subtle, with use of wood and stone stealing focus. Colourful artworks stand out against the toned down ambience of the interiors.
The lighting takes into consideration individual spaces. Quirky light fixtures that draw attention and bind the elements of the space together have been used. Natural light filters in from the double-height courtyard, illuminating the spaces inside during the daytime. The plan was conceived around a pool and a courtyard. The plunge pool is on the first floor and can be seen from many areas, making it the nucleus of the house.