Studio Apartment / A Square Designs

a rooftop apartment in Kolkata with a youthful and modern vibe.

Project Name : Studio Apartment
Project Location : Alipore, Kolkata, India
Architects/Designer : A Square Designs
Principal Architect : Ajay Arya

Photographer: Atul Pratap Chauhan

Text description by the architects.

It’s a rooftop apartment spread across 2,000 sqft. It is located in Alipore, Kolkata.

Zone 1: En-suite style one-bedroom unit which comprises 1100 sqft.

Zone 2: Informal living setting measuring 600 sqft. that connects to the terrace space.

We converted an extra room to form a large closet and bathroom.

This is amongst our newest projects in the green and leafy neighborhood of Alipore in Kolkata. This space has a youthful and modern vibe. Post-Covid, everyone yearned for more private spaces within their homes. So this renovation project came along.

We had a few rounds of discussions with the client, and we decided to innovate with the spaces rather than just renovate. Designed for a young couple who are high on life, travel often and like to make their weekends fun, we wanted to create a fun, functional and zesty environment reflecting their sensibilities. So, what we have is a home with a cheerful look and playful energy.

One enters the foyer space which leads to the informal living space in the front, and the en-suite bedroom unit on the right.

The bedroom predominantly features blue and military green colours, balanced with natural wood tones. I love these colours, and during the discussions we had with the client, we got to know that they loved these shades too. So we went ahead with the palette.

Furniture pieces were collectively curated from International brands like Arketipo and Bo Concept, Josmo from Goa. Other pieces are from our home grown furniture brand Ochre At Home.

The corner hanging light is by lighting designer Arjun Rathi.

The suspended lights above the dining area were hand sketched by me and executed by Avenue 48, Kolkata. The bedside table lamps are also from Avenue 48.

“I loved designing the informal living space with its large window panes on all three sides, and is flooded with lots of natural light.” says Ajay.

Since it’s a rooftop apartment, the challenge was to make sure the space does not get too warm in summer afternoons. So the ceiling has been insulated to ensure that the interiors don’t get heated up. The motorised louvered blinds take care to keep harsh sun rays at bay.

It’s not too modern, or not too classic, but has elements from both styles, yet remains trendy and stylish. I generally go with what’s in vogue to keep it fresh and ensure that there’s balance and warmth in the interiors. And the unique color palette bears our signature mark.

We have stuck to the modern vibe, we haven’t mixed styles. But we have experimented with the dining set-up, by doing away with synonymous chairs all around. We have gone in for a fun setting comprising chairs, low back puffs, and an upholstered bench.

The large window panes ensure that sufficient natural light illuminates the home during the day, and louvered blinds regulate heat transmission. The insulated ceiling makes sure that heat from the rooftop is not too much. These features ensure that dependence on electricity is minimal.