THE HOUSE WITH A GARDEN

This private villa in Gurugram reimagines zoning regulations into a garden showcasing how restrictions can be positive too

Zoning regulations have determined the character of cities for centuries. Ever since the first fire in London, following which the mandates of setting buildings apart came into being (ostensibly to avoid fires spreading from thatched eaves), city planners have championed the use of offsets, or “setbacks”. Quite impossible to implement in densely populated urban centers where land is at a premium, these regulations have nonetheless pervaded the design of suburbia around the world. Gurugram, set southwest of Delhi, is no different.

Land parcels of 500 Sq.Mt. in Gurugram must follow a 4m setback to both the front and rear of buildings and they must further contend with a 7m x 3m linear open space eating into the building footprint that is mirrored to one side with adjacent plots. This has created a built form of narrow driveways with high party walls abutting three storey buildings, canyons of darkness from which most of the building must draw their light and ventilation.