Blend of outdoors and indoors in New Delhi farmhouses
New Delhi-based team3 has designed The Equilibrium Farmhouse, which is a farmhouse project set in natural surroundings without compromising on modern-day amenities and comforts. One of the major challenges faced was to devise a way in which the outdoors is woven into the indoor living experience without sacrificing thermal comfort. Set within a 2.5-acre plot, five sister homes are developed for the same family. The property allows for high levels of privacy and security, allowing each home to open out into the landscape. The Vaastu-compliant homes are designed for a lifestyle that loves entertaining while maintaining a clear distinction between private and public spaces.
The farmhouses feature a modern aesthetic with a natural material palette, used in timber screens, pergolas, and external staircases in natural acetylated wood. Extensive glazed openings create imperceptible distinctions between the outdoors and indoors while regulating the indoor temperature, with glazed corridors planned alongside landscaped patches rendering the feeling of walking through nature.
An expansive living and dining space in Farmhouse 1 opens out onto a deck that abuts a swimming pool in the landscape. The glazing can thus be opened up to create shared spaces for entertaining, and landscaped courts navigate the level difference between the ground level and the basement. The basement houses an entertainment lounge, a home theatre, and a gymnasium. These public spaces are bordered by an internal court, beyond which one finds the kitchen and master bedrooms. The court is a green pocket bringing in light and greenery. The upper level houses the bedrooms, each opening onto large balconies or terraces.
The inset windows, shaded balconies, and internal courtyards ensure minimal heat gain, reducing the load on mechanical cooling. Abundant natural light and spaciousness limit the dependence on artificial lighting during the day. The minimal interior scheme has neutral earthy tones introduced in the marble flooring. Landscaping on the site creates soft boundaries between one house and the other, and private gardens and internal courts are planned with landscaped elements that become focal points.
