The House of Stories is a literary marvel designed by Mathew and Ghosh Architects and located in the heart of Bengaluru, where the city’s vibrant narratives converge. The home, which was commissioned by a special client who is a fiction writer and former architect, is more than just a place to stay; it’s a skilfully planned architectural symphony in which creativity and imagination coexist harmoniously.
The Tale Unfolds
Seasoned architects Mathew and Ghosh, who had a fondness for narrative-driven design, set out to integrate the whimsical world of storytelling into the field of architecture. The House of Stories is more than just a building; it’s an area where the client’s creativity can flow, where every room is a different chapter, and where every nook and cranny has a story to tell. The client can live among stories, a protagonist in their architectural narrative, in a home designed by architects that blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality.
“In the House of Stories, we aimed to create a haven where every corner whispers a narrative, a haven for a client who understands the language of both words and bricks.” – Mathew and Ghosh Architects
Choreographing Imagination
The House of Stories is planned similarly to how a complex novel’s plot is created. By meticulously planning the spatial arrangement, Mathew and Ghosh made sure that the architectural narrative flowed naturally. Spaces flow together like chapters, each showcasing a different aspect of the client’s artistic identity. Every room is an intelligent paragraph in the architectural design of storytelling, from the private writing alcove with a commanding view of the city to the comfortable reading nook drenched in natural light.
The arrangement invites exploration and takes the reader on a narrative journey with well-placed plot twists that will surprise and delight. It’s a literary maze where rooms link together like plot points and hallways lead the reader—or resident, in this case—through the house’s developing story. After passing through the lot’s front green, the trip starts with a zinc-clad wicket door that opens on its own on hinges and in tandem with the entire door, which is pivotable. It is also mechanized to open louvres for ventilation within the larger door at its upper portion using pulleys. It marks the entrance, with the gargoyle front lowered. The house opens past the door into a room that resembles a cave and gives the impression of being somewhere unknown. As the walls rise higher and the roof continues to move higher, the roof takes on facets. The movement is directed by the light slits in the twisting and turning concrete walls and the sunlight streaming through the small skylight slits. The living room, the main gathering place of the house, is where the unravelling cavern-like passage ends. There is a skylight/sky gap between the roof and the tilted concrete walls on the east side of the kitchen, which divides the cavern from the dining and utility areas. Because of the way they fold, the slanted walls add multiple effects to the room. They create a link between hidden passageways and let in natural light, giving the impression that the house is always a covered shelter from the sun.
Crafting a Genre-Defying Narrative
The House of Stories’ architectural style is a masterwork that transcends genres. The way that Mathew and Ghosh create their style reflects the client’s ability to nimbly weave genres together in their written works, combining modern elegance with a hint of whimsy. The interior spaces are characters in and of themselves, each adding to the overall story, while the exterior facade, with its play of light and shadow, reflects the suspense of turning pages.
“Architecture is the silent co-author of our lives. In the House of Stories, we let the spaces themselves become characters, each with its own narrative arc.” – Mathew and Ghosh Architects
A Tale of Function and Fantasy
The House of Stories idea goes beyond the bounds of traditional architecture. It is a union of fantasy and utility, where the sensible and the fanciful coexist. The client was a fiction writer looking for inspiration and a former architect with an eye for structural beauty. The architects welcomed the challenge of creating a space that catered to both of their identities.
The basic idea behind the concept is that architecture ought to have layers, just like a well-written story does. The House of Stories creates a multi-faceted experience where each element adds to the overall story by telling its story not only through its physical spaces but also through its underlying structure.
Building with Character
Characters influence the selection of materials in the House of Stories. The warmth of wood, evocative of old-fashioned storytelling, and the sleekness of contemporary materials, representing the author’s contemporary flair, are the two facets of the client’s personality that the architects reflected in their palette selection. Similar to writing a novel, the construction process required careful elemental weaving to produce a compelling whole.
“Building with character involves more than bricks and mortar; it’s about imbuing every element with a sense of purpose and personality.” – Mathew and Ghosh Architects
Where Fantasy Meets Function
The House of Stories is an example of creative design elements that seamlessly combine fantasy and functionality. The house is elevated into a realm where imagination reigns supreme through dynamic spaces that adapt to the client’s ever-changing creative needs, interactive installations that spark inspiration, and a poetic integration of technology
The Futuristic Quill
With technology acting as a futuristic quill, The House of Stories gives its clients the ability to easily pen their architectural story. Smart home systems react to the preferences of the occupants like a well-trained character who knows exactly what the author will do next. The eco-aware subplot of the story is embodied by sustainable technologies, guaranteeing that the House of Stories tells stories in an environmentally responsible manner.
“In this digital age, technology is not just a tool; it’s the ink that writes the story of our modern lives.” – Mathew and Ghosh Architects
A Literary Dwelling Beyond Words
Designed by Mathew and Ghosh Architects, the House of Stories in Bengaluru is a live example of how architecture and narrative can coexist. The client, a former architect turned fiction writer, is not just entering a home when they travel through the tastefully designed spaces daily—rather, they are entering a multi-layered book, a literary residence where each page turn offers a fresh experience.
“The House of Stories is a canvas for life’s narratives – a stage where we are both the author and the protagonist, and each day is a new chapter waiting to be written.” – Mathew and Ghosh Architects
The architects have created a living, breathing epic in this architectural marvel, where the functional and the fantastical coexist and each element adds to the enduring tale of home. The House of Stories is more than just a place to live; it’s a literary and architectural prose in which the inventiveness of the architects and the client’s inventiveness blend harmoniously.
Reference List:
Architects, M. and G. (2020) House of stories as entwined with cryptic enigmas: The plan, Mathew and Ghosh Architects. Available at: https://www.theplan.it/eng/award-2020-House/house-of-stories-as-entwined-with-cryptic-enigmas-mathew-and-ghosh-architects (Accessed: 06 January 2024).
Shah, D. (2021) House of Stories: Mathew Ghosh architects, Buildofy. Available at: https://www.buildofy.com/projects/house-of-stories-bengaluru-mathew-ghosh-architects (Accessed: 06 January 2024).
