studio sangath uses recycled brick and terracotta to shape artists’ refuge in india’s alloa hills

studio sangath’s Courtyard as Compass

Just outside Gandhinagar, India, the Alloa Hills Weekend House folds gently into the land, allowing the terrain to dictate its rhythm. Studio Sangath approached the residential project with quiet attentiveness, designing a retreat that prioritizes stillness and intimacy with the surrounding topography. Tucked into a bend in the Sabarmati River’s landscape, the house offers its residents a reprieve from the acceleration of city life, but also extends its welcome to artists, writers, and filmmakers seeking time away to create.

At the core of the brick and terracotta residence is a courtyard that both divides and anchors the interior spaces. The inner garden draws the horizon inward, reframing nature as a constant companion rather than a distant view. This spatial arrangement extends outward into a stepped terrace that spills into the surrounding terrain, intended to host everything from quiet evenings under the sky to informal performances. Studio Sangath’s design orients the home to receive the landscape with open arms, dissolving barriers between shelter and scenery.

images © Vinay Panjwani

a house shaped by Recycled Earth

Designing its Alloa Hills Weekend House, the architects at Studio Sangath choose materials with consideration for the natural context. Beginning with compressed bricks composed of recycled brick kiln waste, the team brings a tactility to the structure and grounds the project in its environment. This thoughtful approach lends a sense of stewardship to the project, as the walls themselves seem to speak to the layers of earth they emerged from. The result is a home whose material story resonates with the cycles of renewal around it.

Along its longitudinal axis, the home is bordered by wide verandahs that mediate between enclosure and exposure. These shaded galleries soften the edges of the building, giving the living spaces breathing room to interact with sun, wind, and rain without confrontation. When the doors are left open, the home becomes a quiet pavilion, with air and light moving unimpeded through its rooms. Morning enters with a softness, while the evening light brushes the courtyard from within, establishing a rhythm of illumination that changes by the hour.

Studio Sangath sites its Alloa Hills Weekend House near Gandhinagar, India

A Language of Terracotta in alloa hills

Material continuity defines the sensory experience of Studio Sangath’s Alloa Hills Weekend House. Terracotta finds its way into nearly every surface, from the pigmented concrete walls to the red-toned brick floors and sun-warmed pavers. This shared language of texture and tone allows the architecture to unfold slowly and cohesively, offering a lingering, tactile warmth. In the Alloa Hills, the architects craft a home that moves with the day, is generous with its thresholds, and is fluent in the language of the land.

the open terrace extends the interior outward and creates space for stargazing or small gatherings

a central courtyard brings the surrounding landscape into the heart of the home

the home welcomes not only its owners but also artists and creatives seeking quiet inspiration

recycled compressed bricks reduce the building’s environmental impact and ground it in its setting

deep verandahs offer protection from the sun while promoting natural ventilation and shade

when the doors are open, the home becomes a breezy pavilion connected to the outdoors

project info:

name: Alloa Hills Weekend House

architect: Studio Sangath | @studio_sangath

location: Alloa Hills, Gandhinagar, India

principal architects: Khushnu Panthaki Hoof, Sönke Hoof
built area: 600 square meters

photography: © Vinay Panjwani | @panjwani.vinay

The post studio sangath uses recycled brick and terracotta to shape artists’ refuge in india’s alloa hills appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.