Modern Classical villa in New Delhi

Situated in an important site in the heart of New Delhi, this house combines the best of old and new. The brief called for a modern classical villa that would sit comfortably alongside the historic buildings nearby, particular those designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. At the same time, the house has to work as a flexible family home with very high quality services and finishes.

The design of the house is inspired by simple classical buildings of the Regency period, combined with Indian materials and traditions. The use of pierced stone screens (jali) gives the house a distinctive appearance, together with the use of local dolphur stone and natural lime render. All of the walls are built in solid brickwork to give the house plenty of thermal mass, which is essential in controlling temperatures in the Indian climate. The overall floor area of the house is around 10,000sq ft. The interiors of the house are being kept deliberately clean and simple, and include two dramatic top lit staircases and geometrical floor patterns.

The design has been carefully coordinated with landscape, lighting and services consultants to ensure that all aspects of the design are in tune with one another.