The area surrounding the Siri Fort in Delhi is steeped in history. Thought to be nearly a thousand years old, the ruins have been only partially excavated, while the rest of the protected area is a forest full of mature trees. The views are serene and splendid for the handful of properties that overlook the verdant fort. Lining the north side is a row of houses that squarely face the ruins.
The building is nearly half a century old, and multiple owners have renovated the ground floor several times. On the first visit, it was hard to see whether the building had “good bones” - the floor & ceiling were both on multiple levels, there was stuff piled high in every room, and there was evidence of water damage around a central shaft and the front and rear courtyards.
There were no drawings, and it was also a tiny project by footprint, unlike anything that the firm had attempted for a while.
The choices of materials are strongly inspired by the client's original brief - warm wood is complemented by egg-shell terrazzo cast in situ. The bare walls and ceilings have a soft textural plaster finish. In the bedroom, the old oak wood from the demolition is repurposed into inch-wide strips, used to create a true hardwood floor. Materials have been chosen elsewhere for robustness and practicality, evidenced in the stainless steel kitchen, aluminium windows, and automated lighting and security systems.
