The Centaurus House: Oasis of Luxury

• November 18, 2023
• By: Priyanshi Shah
• INFLUENCERS

Located in a dense area of New Delhi, Ar. Sumit Dhawan creates this out-of-the-ordinary coalesce of luxe and minimalism called “The Centaurus”. This residence with a 12,500 sqft footprint has been very intelligently arranged in the blocked territory of Rajouri Garden, New Delhi. This resplendent home manifests a rich yet contemporary theme and exhilarating surprise elements. The house narrates a flux where the overall interior resonates a true harmonious balance.

The exterior aspect was defined to be intricate with an international regal charm, also exhibiting an intriguing vibe. Although the interior grammar briefed by the client required it to be judiciously designed with a moderate yet calming spirit. As the nearby residences were designed without any setbacks, total seclusion remained another essential requirement. It was imperative to consider exclusivity in the façade due to the three-side construction around the property. Since most of the homes in the neighbourhood had an indigenous feel, it was necessary to carefully include the client's suggestion to incorporate international standards. Consequently, a striking façade was designed, including a variety of materials such as stone, wood, and perforated aluminium screens.

Spatial Arrangement of Spaces

One enters the house through a stilt floor which assimilates enormous landscaping instead of typical car parking. With a double-height entrance lobby and a 5’ wide entrance door, the area gives a larger-than-life essence and a sense of intrigue just as you enter the house. An office with a serene white vibe is outlined here incorporating ingenious furniture configurations arranged in a minimalistic style. 

Subsuming uninterrupted natural light through large windows overlooking the greenery outside, the office confers onto a splendid tenor. Moving towards the ground floor, on the left of the staircase lies a prepossessing lobby with a tantalizing openable timber ceiling fabricated with a seamless series of ribbed battens concealing all the services of the floor. The notion behind having all the services in a common area is to avoid jeopardizing the privacy of the bedrooms. The lobby stands sandwiched between the dining area and the study. The dining area consists of a feature wall with vertical wooden panels on different levels and a vibrant lighting element with an array of globe pendants dangling over the center of the dining table.

The central strip courtyard is planned to allow an adequate amount of light and ventilation inside the house throughout the day. The family lounge follows a similar design scheme as the rest of the floor with another lighting element which seems like an art piece itself. The living room on the right of the staircase is an astronomical corollary of grace. The central floating fireplace hanging from the ceiling is the prime intercept of this room. its tube-like structure manifests an illusion where it seems to be perennial from the upper floors. A semi-circular arrangement of globe lights is another eye-catching element in this room. The grey feature wall boasts back-lit stellar-like profiles creating an illusion where stones seem to be bent.

Moving onto the first floor, the lobby here serves as a showstopper with a low profile yet classy furniture setup and the same openable timber ceiling as outlined on the ground floor. The turquoise blue décor piece on the wall creates an alluring juxtaposition with the rest of the subtle primary colour scheme. This metal art piece is made of copper with oxidizing properties due to which the piece continues to change its colour over a while, giving it a vital characteristic while granting a unique identity to the space for years to come. The focus lights directed at the piece accentuate its beauty enormously.

Moving forward, the guest bedroom serves to be an epitome of class. This gleaming expanse acquires a neutral colour scheme with gold accents and an exclusive geometrical lighting installation dangling from the ceiling which forms the focal facet. The entire room is done with porcelain, which is a scratch-resistant and waterproof material, turning the room into a zero-maintenance space. 

The kid's room is a well-designed space with a recessed area for study and fabric padding for acoustics. The art installation on the headwall adds aesthetics and provides dimmable light for kids. The room features an artist's artwork, highlighting the user's age. The master bedroom is designed for old-age parents, featuring a white colour scheme and a pop of colour through furniture and a grey veneer ceiling. The front bedroom features a floating bed with track and pendant lights.

A clear view of the terrace garden on all sides is implied by the glass façade of the second-floor lobby. The TV unit in the client's master bedroom is a suspended panel from the ceiling that divides the space into two sections: one for the bed and the other for seats. To draw in the client and his spouse, the overall decor concept is kept understated, white, and simple with clean lines that evoke their simplicity through the space's layout. The seating space is enlivened with international-style seating combinations courtesy of the unique lighting feature, which consists of a flowing network of globe lights.

The basement while acquiring an entirely different look from the rest of the house demonstrates an industrial aura, forming a perfect air for partying where the young generation can rejuvenate. A prop installed here with numerous signboards with different city names inscribed bestows a sense of paragon to the seating area.  Two sunken gardens incorporated here ensure ample ventilation and natural light for the smartly engineered gymnasium and the spa.

The house uses passive strategies like cavity walls with insulation materials, thermal break fenestrations with high-performance dgu glass, monolithic spray puff on the terrace, shading devices, and on-grid solar panels. The façade is zero maintenance, featuring punched and perforated corten-looking aluminium and leather finish stone. Private greens in every toilet provide natural light and ventilation. The house serves as a physical and ideological retreat, an intergenerational home for gathering family and friends.

Specifications:
Firm name: Cityspace’82 Architects 
Project Name: The Centaurus
Project Location: Rajouri Garden, New Delhi
Principal Architect: Ar. Sumit Dhawan
Built-up area:12,500 sq. ft.