The abundance of hotels and new hotels around Nainital has created a surplus of unused materials that tend to collect dust in hotel storages and parking lots. These materials could range from tiles, MS pipes, rebars, GI sheets, and pre-cut stones (if we are lucky). My projects utilize all the necessary materials to create a place which we can call home.
Project Name: Two in a den, Stoner’s creek
Studio Name: Dhruv Kandpal
When deciding on the building layout, all the mandatory parameters are always checked while keeping in mind the composition of the building’s harmony with the surrounding landscapes. I have a tendency to romanticize living, and I try to capture it in architecture. I aim to create a moody, cozy, and nestling environment in my work without overshooting any budgetary restrictions (which are usually very tight).
To combat the harsh cold climate, I used rubble stone masonry and Rattrap bond for air pockets when stone was more expensive than brick.
“Limitations are an artist’s best friend,” and I have kept this quote at the back of my mind during times of need.
During construction, I had to rise up to the challenge of working with unskilled masons who were handed over tasks to build arches and lay Rattrap bonds with exposed brickwork, whereas all they knew was to lay random bricks and plaster all over it. With the right training from me, being their mentor and friend, they became extremely confident in their skills and soon hand-built my vision into reality.
