The major challenge was to create a youthful student’s co-living with common spaces in a plot of 3400 sqft. The technology and timeless youthfulness are introduced through designed elements creating spaces at various levels. Design is a reflection of emotional energy without a boundary of the structure. This project sets new standards with regards to a holistic student living experience. Tribe Stays Mumbai is an innovative 75 bed hostel ensuring all the facilities and services for a comfortable and healthy lifestyle. A very young, lively and modern design with minimal interiors accommodating the students in luxurious setting, balancing out there private and social life is what, achieved through this design.
Project: Tribe Stays Student’s accommodation
Location: Mumbai, India
Status: Project completed in December 2019.
Architects: Unitecture
Principal Architect: Sheel Powar
Associate Architect: Parimal Murdale
Structural Consultant: Mayuri Gohil, Nameeta Choudhari, Dinesh Nainani
Photography: Fabien Charuau
Creating a comfortable and luxury student housing in Vile Parle, Mumbai, where real estate pricing is relatively high compared to the other part of the world is the important task of the project. The student Housing where you will have to balance student’s privacy and collaborative space, in a smaller scale area is defined by various pockets created through architecture. The approach to the building is a connection through a small alley to main road. The various volumes unfolding on the path to the building and cafeteria, extends into the building as in form of terraces. Thus, creating a Mediterranean alike journey through spaces of the building, became a major theme of the project. The surrounding of the building is also highlighted with landscape boundary and graffiti to enhance the theme also to create building’s own introvert ambience. The Tribe Stays student housing building for 75 students in an area of 10000 sqft built up with seven storied structure consists of all the common activity spaces like library, discussion area and cafeteria on ground floor while upper floors accommodate the room modules. The terrace comprises of a gym area and a hangout area with promising views on all sides.
The project designed with minimalistic and rustic interpretation of Mediterranean village. The spaces are designed with subtle color scheme with highlighting youthful elements as a pop-up art. The spaces designed in the building are kept simple and uncluttered. These communal spaces hold the spirit of the building as students hang-out and interact there. Art plays important role in architecture as it allows people to relate to a building through art. So, the wall adjacent to building entrance area is decorated with graffiti art which shows cityscape.
It is the new generation of youth hostels – innovative and integrative. This project sets new standards with regards to a holistic student living experience. Considering Time and cost constrains, most of the units used are in modular construction format creating a system of reusing it. The dry wall systems are used for partitions. The re use of the building itself is a big step towards sustainability. The sustainability of the project tried to achieved through various energy saving elements.
Considering the cost constrains, material palette had a limitation. It heavily relies on neutral impact materials, soothing colors and nonlinear planes, it’s been a major elemental palette. The rooms are done with natural stone finished, vitrified flooring, and pastel colored ceilings with white wash walls. The furniture used is modular in plywood and laminate finish. The ground floor is done in patterned stone which blends harmoniously with the typical Grecian landscape. There is symmetrical balance between patterns, textures and colors throughout the building. The tight and trapezoidal space at ground floor is designed as a fresh and airy cafeteria. The blue louvered windows against white washed surfaces create emphasis to whoever visits the café space. The outdoor seating is adorned with landscape becomes a cozy relaxing space for students. The stair is bounded by ropes to make it look visually light and also secure. Every floor has different color tone to define the floor. The stairs and cafeteria have been provided with textures to have a little rustic tint to the contemporary material palette.
Unitecture
Unitecture is an international award winning multi-disciplinary firm believing in ‘intelligent creativity’ headed by Dhairyasheel Powar. Unitecture believes architecture is process of evolution. It can bring more to the building along with aesthetics and the form. It believes to work with an evolution science which can merge arts and technology in a balanced way to create an impact on human behavior.
Like human beings, every building that unitecture designs has a unique character and a personality. These are based on the region, defined use and the needs of the habitants. It believes that the habitants of any building perform better, then the design of that space contributes to the experience it offers.
Sheel, having several years of experience in the International geographies, he brings his expertise in design from his global experience and knowledge of built environment. Before starting his practice in India, Sheel has studied and worked in Europe for seven years with Architects Bjarke Ingels, Julien De Smedt, Andrias Kipar in Copenhagen, Milan and London. He has studied in Shivaji University, Kolhapur, The Royal Danish Academy of Arts in Copenhagen, Denamrk and Domus Academy, Milanm Italy from where he brings his know how in architecture, technology and urban design.
