A villa in Aligarh with a global aesthetic

Studio Bipolar takes inspiration from their client’s travels across India and the world to design the expansive 18,000-square-foot Wanderlust Villa.  

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Niveditaa Gupta; courtesy Studio Bipolar

The brief

Studio Bipolar was assigned by a family in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, to revamp and develop their 20-year-old house by adding three additional floors on top of a one storeyed structure. Luckily, the old structure was designed to accommodate expansion in the future which proved beneficial to the design team. The client wanted a home that took inspiration from all the places they’ve travelled to in India and around the world.

The design intent

“As the clients took great pride in their adventures, they wanted their home to capture the same through insightful architecture and interior design. Be it an Irish bar feel, Moroccan Riad or even a 60s style cinema theatre, we’ve tried to stay true to the look completely without any compromises,” says Sanjana Mathur, principal architect, Studio Bipolar. “We pride ourselves in having an adaptable design philosophy that works in tandem with the clients aspirations rather than sticking to a certain aesthetic. Especially when it comes to homes, as each family member has their own unique demands from the space,” adds Ujjwal Sagar, principal architect, Studio Bipolar.

The design and material details

The ground floor was designed with a contemporary fusion sentiment and the same was highlighted in the formal living room — with eye-catching statuario marble across the floor and feature wall. Brass inlays and bespoke furniture is used predominantly in this room to contrast against the patterned stone. To counteract the cool white of the beautiful marble, a chevron patterned walnut veneer clad ceiling was designed for this space. Across the living area, in the formal dining, the onyx marble dining table is inlaid with brass details and the walls are furnished in a minimal aesthetic to let the heavy material palette stand out.

The ornate staircase leading up to the first floor was retained and rejuvenated by a subtle change in polish. The stairs open into an informal lounge which showcase sweeping curved walls clad in walnut veneer panels, backlit by warm cove lights. As this floor was designed for the younger son who preferred a more contemporary aesthetic, a cooler grey marble was chosen to contrast the warm beige tones of the rest of the house. The walls were kept minimal with simple groove designs, and custom-designed furniture in deep orange leather was used to complete the look.

The double-height teal library is set close to the informal lounge, and was conceptualised as a fusion of classic and modern styles. Here, 22ft windows look onto a terrace which overlooks the front gardens, and let in streams of sunlight at different times of the day, highlighting the rich tones of the walnut wood veneer and the deep teal coloured walls. Extensive panelling was fabricated for the focus wall by local artists and used generously in the teal expanse to stay true to the fusion aesthetic. A floral inlay pattern in the marble floors gives a sense of scale to the length of the room. Handcrafted brass balusters line the solid wood staircase leading up to the second floor.

“When our clients approached us with the brief for the second floor, the simplicity of the concept soon gave way to a highly challenging design process and an even more complex execution phase,” shares Sanjana. An Irish bar aesthetic was the keystone of the mood board, and was realised through deep cherry coloured polish over teak veneer. The ceiling coffers are lined with solid teak wood moulding coves. Archways were designed to frame the bar area while also disguising the structural columns smartly within them. A round window-partition was created between the bar and the lounge, with a circular framework of gold beams focusing on the billiards room like a crosshair.

The bar counter was designed with a classic style, using black Marquina marble. On the floor, a mosaic tile in navy and white was used; and on the curved, vaulted ceilings, a lattice of brass plates on a base of regal, blue paint. A pair of brass deer-heads were placed at the centre of these vaults to complete the look. The dining and billiards room are adorned with identical mirror panelled ceilings which reflect the cherry wood textures below while adding visual volume to the spaces.

“The client always referred to the home theatre as the cinema, and we understood why while designing it, as they wanted almost 25 seats of plush leather recliners to fit within the volume,” says Ujjwal.  A 60’s style pattern was chosen for the carpeting while the doors to the cinema feature radial grooving within the veneer, reminiscent of the window partition in the bar. A glass elevator would take you from Ireland to Morocco, the jacuzzi area. Before entering the Moroccan Riad inspired jacuzzi area, one has to walk through the arched corridor which is lined with arched French windows, which highlight the black and white ‘patang-chal’ pattern of the floor. The ceiling itself vaults above each window till the entrance of the jacuzzi room.

The jacuzzi was created by using 18 different tile patterns in harmony. The space explodes in carefully curated shades of terracotta, blue, green, and white which gives an illusion of an indoor ocean. The abundance of colour and pattern transform this space into a quiet, luxurious oasis for the family. Arched niches tiled with tree-patterned stone mosaics add a warm touch of yellow to the room. A double-height cut-out was made directly above the jacuzzi and a brass chandelier hangs through it, reflecting like stars in the water below.

Fact File

Project: Wanderlust Villa
Location: Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Area: 18,000 sq ft (built-up)
Principal architects: Sanjana Mathur and Ujjwal Sagar
Design team: Reetika Khemani, Suchetna Singh and Manan Talwar