1

THE COURTYARD HOUSE

by Urban Narratives

made with love in India

THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 3

Project Location : Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana

Architectural Firm : Urban Narratives

Principal Architects : Anmisha Reddy, Shashank Rao

Project Team : Rohan, Teja Kumar

Plot Area : 3,300 sq. ft.

Plot Dimensions : 52’ x 65’
No. of Rooms :4
No. of Car Parks :4
Built-up Area : 4,000 sq. ft.
Timeline : Oct 2018 - Oct 2020
Cost of Project : INR 4,000-4,500 per sq. ft.
Vastu Compliance : Yes

“The house is in vogue yet employs minimal interiors with niches for all
the utilities required.”
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 5

Site Context
SITE PLAN 0 1 2 5 10

The Courtyard House is nestled within a peaceful sub-

urb in Kukatpally, located in the northwestern part of
Hyderabad, Telangana. The project site is east-facing
and measures 52 x 65 ft in a well-known residential
neighborhood. The site was surrounded by residential
units on three sides.
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 7

Client Brief
The client requirements stated that the family wanted
to have easy access to each other at all times. Further-
more, as the family is composed of three generations,
the design had to accommodate the playfulness of
children, the rigor of the middle-aged, and the grace
of retirement into a single-family unit.
 THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 9

5 6 7 8

3 1

Ground Floor Plan

Planning around the courtyard
1. Living Room - 5.0 x 4.0 m
Another challenge was to make the house Vastu compliant, which
2. Pooja Room - 2.0 x 1.6 m also set specific guidelines for the zoning. Considering these require-
3. Kitchen / Pantry - 5.0 x 3.6 m ments and restrictions, the designers realized that if they could not
4. Dining Room - 5.0 x 4.0 m 0 1 2 5m surround the house with nature, they could surround nature with
1. Living5. Room - 5M x x 4M 4. Dining Room - 5M x 4M 7. Bathroom - 2.8M x 3.5M the house - giving rise to the courtyard house.
Servant’s Room - 2.0 1.8 m
2. Pooja6. Room
Bedroom 1 --4.0
2M x 1.6M
x 3.0 m 5. Servant’s Room - 2M x 1.8M 8. Home Theatre - 5.4M x 4M
3. Kitchen
7. /Bathroom
Pantry - 2.8
- 5M x 3.6M
x 3.5 m 6. Bedroom 1 - 4M x 3M 0 1 2 5m
8. Home Theatre - 5.4 x 4.0 m
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 11

Water Body
The house is surrounded by a slim
waterbody that leads to the family temple.
Stepping stones on the water create the
illusion of floating as they guide you to a
quieter, more spiritual backyard.
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 13

Courtyard
Learning from the ancient Chettinad Architecture connecting the residing family with nature.
in Madras, it became evident that integrating a Introducing the courtyard house also helped create a
courtyard was one of the most efficient methods for balance between the built and unbuilt spaces.
obtaining views, ventilation, and light while also
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 15

13
14
12

10
11

First Floor Plan

Natural Material Palette
9. Balcony - 3.6 x 1.8 m
The natural materiality is another enticing aspect of the design. The
10. Lounge - 5.0 x 4.0 m wood used is a 300-year-old reclaimed solid teak wood making the
11. Bedroom 2 - 4.0 x 3.8 m somber texture of the finishing another noticeable design feature.
9. Bedroom
12. Balcony 3 - 3.2 x 1.8-m3.6M X 1.8M 12. Bedroom 3 - 3.2M X 1.8M The balcony on the first floor with a tree acts as a transition between
0 1 2 5m the exterior and interior.
10. Walk-In
13. LoungeCloset - 2.6 x- 1.65M
m X 4M 13. Walk-in Closet - 2.6M X 1.6M
11. Kid’s
14. Bedroom 2 - 4.0 x- 4.04M
Bedroom m X 3.8M 14. Kid’s Bedroom - 4M X 4M
0 1 2 5m
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 17

Circulation and Visual Connectivity

The visual connection formed between spaces circulation is designed through a play of voids
enhances interaction among the family members, throughout the site. Thus, a controllable environment
and the courtyard became a datum that connected emanated from the same, where one could feel safe
all the levels of the house, visually and spatially. The and not overwhelmed while enjoying the space
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 19

15 16

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Second Floor Plan

Open Spaces
15. Multi-purpose Room - 5.6 x 4.0 m
Residential units surround the site on three sides and restrict the
16. Bedroom 4 - 5.2 x 4.0 m viewpoints, creating obstacles to lighting, ventilation and hindering
17. Terrace - 10.0 x 3.5 m indoor air quality. Hence, the terrace on the second floor acted as a
breathing space in the house that overlooked the courtyard
0 1 2 5m
15. Multi-purpose Room - 5.6M X 4M
16. Bedroom 3 - 5.2M X 4M
17. Terrace - 10M X 3.5M 0 1 2 5m
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 21

Bedroom Finishes
Wood and white walls complement each other, while
an exposed concrete finish adds depth to the details.
The entire house is floored with Kota stone; the mas-
ter bedroom on the first floor is an exception where
hand-made cement tiles are used for the flooring. The
outdoor areas have Kadapah stone flooring.
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 23
A

A’

A’

SECTION AA’
Section through the central courtyard passing
through the entrance foyer, living area, and the
pooja room on the ground floor, Kid’s bedroom
SECTION AA’ and the bedroom on the second
on the first floor,
floor.
SECTION AA’
0 1 2
 THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 25

B B’

B’

SECTION BB’
Section through the central courtyard and the
staircase passing through the dining area on the
ground floor, the passage on the first floor with a
double-height void, and the lobby overlooking the
terrace on the second floor.
’ SECTION BB’ 0 1 2 5m
0 1 2
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 27

EAST ELEVATION
0 1

TOP - East Side Elevation

BOTTOM - North Side Elevation

NORTH ELEVATION
0
THE COURTYARD HOUSE | URBAN NARRATIVES 29

Unique Material Applications

Windows Carpentry on site by Ram Bhajam
Windows:
Tiles:
Tiles Nexion from Transfomia
Facade Finishes Lighting:
Lighting Futura from Luminary Studio
01 / Metal Jaali
02 / Exposed Concrete Color:
Color Asian Paints from Srinivasa Paints
03 / White paint finished
wall with exposed Sanitaryware and Bath Fittings:
Fittings Grohe from Transfomia
RCC Chajjas 01 02 03
Furniture and Furnishings:
Furnishings Quadro
Carpets and Rugs:
Rugs Ikea, Nasar
Hardware:
Hardware Nayan Hardware
Modular Kitchen:
Kitchen Scantilia from Sharath
Ply and Laminates:
Laminates Greenlam from Sri Rama Ply
Veneer:
Veneer Hansoor from Gopal Plywood
Wooden Flooring:
Flooring Welspun
Security:
Security Yale from Nayan Hardware
Air Conditioning: Samsung
Conditioning
Home Automation: Pert
Automation Systems
Others:
Others Kota Stone from Kochi Granite
Flooring Materials
04 / Outdoor Kadappa
Stone Flooring
05 / Kota Stone Flooring
06 / Bharat Flooring
Key Contributors
04 05 06 07
07 / Wooden Flooring
Structural
Structural: Alom Engineers
Civil:
Civil Srinivasa Rao CH
Landscape: Blooms
Landscape
Facade: LBR Industries, Prabhakar
Facade
HVAC: Samsung
HVAC

Photo Credits Akshay Admiulam

Wooden Elements
08/ Wooden Ceiling with
LED light strips in
between
09 / Reclaimed Solid Teak
Wood ceiling
10 / Wooden Finished
wall combined with
white paint finish 08 09 10
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