Hooghly Villa stands tall with its dominating demeanour over 3000 square feet land in Barrackpore, West Bengal. Brainchild of Architect Ayan Sen of ASAUDP, the structure is the abode of the Chaudhuri’s whose personal aesthetics and philosophy have been reflected all over the design of the villa. Poseidon Engineering and Services lend their hand as the structural consultant while R.R. Enterprise and Eltech Engineers filled in the role for MEP Consultants.

Inspired by Terracotta Art

Terracotta art and Sculptures are an intricate part of Bankura, Bishnupur, Murshidabad and Barrackpore in West Bengal. The traditional craftsmanship in the Bengal region features adobe brick and fire brick as building materials since time immemorial.

Many structures that have been erected before the beginning of the Islamic rule in India carries within itself, the marvels of brick masonry and earth architecture. For example, the ruins of Kanisk’s Karnasubarna City, reflects the different facets of the Terracotta art form. Mughal Nawabs and British East India Company also made many prominent structures composed of Earth blocks.

Numerous temples located at Bankura and Bishnupur, the Katra Mosque, Kathgola Bagan of Murshidabad, Char Bangla Mandir at Murshidabad, and Fort William of Kolkata stand tall, reflecting the wonders of terracotta. Besides, the Town Hall, Lalkuthi Fire Station at Barrackpore, buildings situated at Barrackpore Cantonment, and many other mansions of Kolkata express the mastery in Earth Architecture by the masons of these regions.

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The Contemporary Narrative of Terracotta

The Hooghly Villa site is situated at the edge of the river, therefore enhancing the aesthetics by multi-folds. The Architect and ASAUDP Team came forward with a beautiful composition for the external facade that features glass, concrete, metal and exposed brick. The dark grey concrete texture and glass catches the tranquil expressions of the design while the Terracota colour lends a dash of brightness. The exposed brick with its Terracota hue works in harmony with the dark grey exterior. The medley of concrete and glass also proves to be playful.

Modular Bricks of size 190mm X 90mm X 90mm, produced through the mechanised process at the Mechanised Brick Factory situated at Palta was used in the project. Palta, a hub of skilled brick masons, made the execution of this project rather easy. The ASAUDP team opted for concrete textured emulsion acrylic paint in dark grey that makes sure to bring in the exact same texture of concrete to the facade. The different shades of grey and the bright Terracotta create a contrasting yet perfectly complimenting visual balance that is synonymous to the contemporary redefinition of the local culture and tradition.

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A pergola on the terrace and the louvred openings in the form of louvred metal frames, showcase the interplay of light and design. The Hooghly Villa also features large canopies, a reminiscence of tropical architecture. The villa never fails to amaze onlookers with its jaw-dropping architecture that has been enhanced by its strategic position on the banks of river Ganges.

In the evening, the decorative hanging lights make the black powder-coated metal frames, the louvres and the Terracota bricks glow up. The LED uplights give a warm glance over the coveted Terracotta edges. These lights consume less electricity, thus making illumination reasonably cost-effective.

The balanced enigma of these four elements radiates a dramatic effect that makes the bank of the river, look phenomenal. The developed volume wrapped with these finishes delivers a calm yet influencing expression. The cantilevered giant canopy over the entrance has been covered with MS-C sections. The ceilings paired with the cantilevered giant canopy looks very pleasing. A tranquil aura surrounds the villa, owing to its soothing design.