Hiren Patel Architects is an architecture firm based in Ahmedabad, practicing since 1985. The firm provides services in architecture, landscape design, interior design, and green building consultation. Most of their work revolves around residential architecture, which presents itself as the forte of the firm. Their dynamic creations embody the harmony between nature and the human-made. Hiren Patel believes that art and architecture are interdependent, and this is lucid in his designs.
1. The Urbane House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat | Hiren Patel Architects
This house follows the principle of ‘form follows function.’The characteristic language of the house is formed by the sharp lines that compose it. What leads to the very urban look of the residence is the fusion of nature with the crisp form of the building. Artwork is installed throughout the interiors to break the monotony of the otherwise bland structure. The strategic use of glass has helped in bringing the landscape into the interiors.
2. The Brick House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This elegant residence proves that rustic, traditional materials do not stand in the way of a sophisticated look. The project is a combination of natural materials and well-lit and ventilated spaces. The architecture, landscape, and interiors are worked upon in a way to allow nature to intermingle with the structure and interiors of the house. The courtyards intersecting the place are the source of ventilation and light and spaces where the outside interacts with the inside.
3. The Frill House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This house was built with significant importance given to the landscape. It is climate oriented house plan. The residence has a summer garden and a winter garden. The plan forms a “Z,” thus creating two garden spaces on the north and south side, designed according to the seasonal considerations of summers and winters. Each area in the house has a view of the garden creating a poetic experience of the gardens. The white exterior stands out in the green landscape.
4. The Green House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
The green house is designed by using principles of sustainability and energy efficiency without compromising on functionality and aesthetics. The use of locally available materials was encouraged during construction to avoid any harm to the workers involved. Natural light is maximized while aiming at heat reduction. The exterior wooden screen allows light to enter while blocking the interiors from view, also casting shadows that change throughout the day.
5. The Courtyard House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
The Courtyard House is designed with a grid of 7’x7′. The design of the house is such that each space inside faces open space and the garden, which is the primary design concept. The central courtyard has a reflection pool, which is a significant element in the house. Large openings and skylight is provided for sufficient light to pour in throughout the day. The unnecessary heat gain is kept at bay using screens and deep verandahs catering to the climatic requirements of Ahmedabad.
6. Gopin, Surat, Gujarat | Hiren Patel Architects
The house is located on the outskirts of Surat on the bank of the river Tapi. The project focused on respecting the views of the site towards the river and the natural light. Drawing inspiration from the organic planning of the countryside villages of India, the house tries to recreate a similar mood. Play of light and shadow, mass and space, concrete, and nature is prominent. The large distances between the masses provide recreational zones, and green spaces are the paths of seasonal winds.
7. The Tropical House, Veraval, Gujarat
The house is just a few minutes away from the ocean and is situated in the Indian tropical climate. The architects tried to achieve a private residence that complements the tropical landscape and surroundings and vice versa. A passage covered with native plants leads to the vestibule and a verandah facing plantation on three sides. The courts in between rooms offer natural light and better cross ventilation. The backside of the house showcases a swimming pool and several flower courts.
8. An Ethnic Restaurant, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This restaurant is a unique amalgamation of ethnic values and modern requirements. The restaurant is a part of ‘ShreekunjMandapam’- a ceremony venue in the city’s heart. With a wall made of ethnic stone on one side and a screen inspired by wooden blocks on the other, the structure reflects the rich past of architecture. Natural stone is used for the flooring to maintain the ethnic environment and to lower the carbon footprint. The wooden ceiling is inspired by the traditional ‘Pol’ houses of Ahmedabad.
9. Amoeba, Surat, Gujarat | Hiren Patel Architects
Hiren Patel Architects beautifully worked with nature in this project too, but this time with an office. They wanted to create an office in a garden to avoid the feeling of working in a box. The Amoeba is a cluster of four glass cubicles and the semi-open spaces around these act as creative spaces. The glass provides transparency while the cantilever protects the insides from excessive heat. The dynamism of the spaces is maintained by the play of light and shadow throughout the day. The installation of artworks adds a pop of color to the otherwise simple design.
10. The Lake House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This small house in the outskirts of Ahmedabad has a lake for an artist as well as an art collector. The client was an artist himself and preferred a very simple compact structure house. The large lake complements the lush landscaping around the house which covers the house in green. It is a composition of simple geometric forms and a play of vertical and horizontal planes adding creative depths to passages and volumes.
11. Avirat, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Hiren Patel Architects, with this project, conceptualized a very fresh and unique design of a mall. The philosophy of this design was a mall revolving around the axis of a garden. Halfway in its construction, the building was recreated with the same line with which it began. A mall with a garden implanted within it was a novel concept that the architects explored.
12. The Magnifica | Hiren Patel Architects
The Magnifica is a design of a farmhouse in the countryside catering to different needs. Utmost importance is given to the landscaping, similar to other HPA projects. The country roofs crowning the structure merge well with the landscape. The clubhouse is home to sports and leisure facilities and along with the club a relaxing swimming pool adding to the landscape. It embodies a perfect weekend getaway for its members.
13. The Garden House, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This one-story home designed by Hiren Patel Architects displays a contemporary design intermingled with greenery and abundant natural light. all the spaces in the house have an unobstructed view of the garden outside. The structure has projected roofs to protect the glass openings. The facade is a combination of box forms topped with an overhanging wood-finish flat roof and stone-clad walls in local sandstone embellishing it.
14. Dadamiya Mosque, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
This mosque is built in a densely built residential neighborhood. The challenge was to integrate the mosque with the urban context and give it an ‘institutional presence and scale’. The wall of tapering masonry surrounding the prayer hall is a bold and urban gesture. The mosque can accommodate around 2,700 people and is constructed of reinforced concrete and brick, covered with a rough-textured render.
15. Balaram Palace Resort, Palanpur, Gujarat | Hiren Patel Architects
This work by HPA is a work of neo-classical architecture with private woodlands and landscaped gardens making it a heritage property. After the renovation of the Balaram Palace, suites and other deluxe facilities were added to it. The project aimed to meet the demands of accommodation without diminishing the glory of the palace. Semi-permanent tents, unlike the conventional model, were pitched on the property with the capacity of withstanding inclement weather.
