Panjab House, Ludhiana

Panjab House, located on a prime site in Ludhiana, belies the density of the surrounding area. Slightly elevated above neighbours, the compound imparts the feeling of privacy, and the structural orientation and strategic window placement take in broad views of the market.

The primary concern was to ensure a structure protected from the harsh sunlight and heat. This became entwined with the desire to create an abode that revelled in the sense of space — a home that brought the family together but left enough room for the individual personalities to thrive and bloom. This meant the architects had to ensure places of congregation and places of solitude in the spatial narrative.

Additionally, Planet Design & Associates endeavoured to pair enclosed volumes with open areas to amplify this sense of freedom and luxury. The construction from scratch prioritized the maximum use of space, focusing on exuberant natural lighting, spaciousness, integration of rooms, comfort and high quality in all aspects of the residence, and exclusivity in its execution.

The residence was made for a large family that likes to receive friends and family for gatherings and celebrations. A house that holds the maximum number of guests in a sanctuary of natural landscapes refers to tranquillity and warmness. The challenge was to design a project that integrated the environments and their characteristics meanwhile preserving the modulated private spaces and exclusivity for all while giving away all the comfort of a luxurious villa inside a city.

At the heart of the house is a wooden deck, right at the entrance, which helps define and divide the areas between the formal and the informal seating areas. The wooden deck adorns a piece of wooden log sourced specially from Himachal. The entire house is designed and constructed with a sense of connection with nature through transparency with windows. With the floor to ceiling windows, a sense of openness and inside out is created. The lobby is linked by glass connectors, lending elegance to the flow, while the relationship between spaces fosters a sense of intimacy. With an open view of the backyard, the dining room looks out onto the kitchen and the living area. Both the ground floor and the first floor have two bedrooms each, both with attached washrooms, and each bedroom has been designed tastefully according to the needs of its occupants.

The entire house has been created with contrast and simplicity with the Minimalistic Design in mind. The exterior and interior walls are cladded with Tile, Fabric and Veneer with subtle steel detailing. All are specially thought out with a contemporary touch with the Italian Marble.

The starting point was the natural beauty of the place. The terrain and design create a unique and particular symbiosis, and it brings a unique beauty to the place. The combination of rustic and contemporary elements results in the most precious in the house, not to mention the exuberant view that can be admired from various environments, such as living, dining, lobby, and the rooms on the upper floor.