India is rethinking the future of housing through new typologies. Defined by historical and cultural influences, the country’s contemporary architecture centers on discussions of how best to modernize. Built over millennia, India’s housing projects are made to address diverse scales, programs, and functions. Exploring a revitalized urban landscape, these modern housing projects have begun to set a new tone for the future.

India’s architecture has to mediate rapid urbanization with respect to its climate, culture, and tradition. Questions of cultural preservation are especially pertinent in post-independence India after the dominance of western influences. From Charles Correa’s body of work to Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh City, India holds a history of multicultural designs. As the second-most populous country in the world, it is experiencing a growing housing demand. Balancing vernacular styles with advances in construction techniques, the following projects take a deeper look at what new residential design looks like in India.

The House Of Secret Gardens / Spasm Design

This is a private home in Ahmedabad as an expression in Dhrangadhra stone. The stone has a mottled texture and bone-like coloration, available in blocks and slabs from quarries nearby.The cellular structure of the sandstone holds intermittent microscopic air gaps, acting as an insulation panel. This led to the idea of cladding the entire body of the house as a monolith.

Shikhara House / Wallmakers

Set against one of the silent hilltops of Trivandrum, this site was located at the highest point in a wooded surrounding. The client was somebody who loved to travel and planned frequent escapades to distant lands, all over the country. The idea of a ‘hand’ blocking harsh sunlight was re-imagined as a slanting wall along with the site, a modern Shikhara.

Stacked Student Housing / Thirdspace Architecture Studio

The design for a small student housing project in the town of Belgaum India explores the section as a device to layer a series of semi-private living spaces vertically. What seems like a straightforward division of space in the plan is actually a complex layering of self-contained living units.