In Ahmedabad, Two Families Stay Connected At This 22,000-sq-ft Home Designed For Multigenerational Living

When space isn’t a constraint, the multigenerational living typology translates to more room for everyone—sometimes, even under two separate roofs. Families enjoy a sense of privacy all the while staying connected in both the familial and physical sense. For a recent project in the heart of Ahmedabad, the city-based architecture and interior design studio OpenIdeas dipped into the metaphor of a bridge as a means to connect the homes of two generations. Spread across 22,000 square feet, the design accommodates two homes in different blocks—one for the client and another for his son.

The undulating bridge crafted from exterior-grade Luna wood, concrete, and MS fabrication is visually striking and symbolic of the bridge between generations, ideologies, and experiences. The insertion of this clever design element introduces additional layers of functionality aside from linking the two homes. Envisioned as elevated blocks, both homes link to common entertainment areas accessible at the upper level, thereby minimising ground coverage and effectively maximising the outdoor space. Strategically positioned sunken courts, water bodies, green pockets and sprawling green lawns are well within reach on the ground level but also always in view from both homes.

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Sandwiched between the father and son’s homes, the elevated entertainment area is designed to facilitate familial interaction. It is also the focal point of the project that’s aptly named the Link House. This sun-soaked communal space opens out to an outdoor pool and stepped gardens. At the poolside, the flowing curves of the ‘KYMA’ wooden bench by ANDBlack lend an organic touch to this space that looks out onto gardens and green pockets.

At the 880 sq ft entertainment area, grey Italian marble and light-toned wood provide the perfect setting for fluid design elements and a palette grounded in earthy, neutral tones. In this warm and welcoming communal space, two Cosmo ‘BOL’ sofas by HC28 are a visual delight with their curved bonbon-shaped back and salmon-hued upholstery. A pair of grey HC28 ‘bear’ armchairs make for a beautiful fit in this versatile seating configuration, while a gracefully curved ‘LOOP’ bench by ANDBlack completes the modern look. Resting atop a Jaipur Rugs carpet, the ‘Syro’ centre table by DeCastelli, a triptych of organically shaped tables, fits in beautifully. 

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“Ascending the flowing bridge, the house unfolds meticulously planned spaces, ingeniously segregated to cater to the needs of both father and son. Another entrance at the ground level below the bridge gracefully cradles the parent’s abode, offering them tranquillity and security,” says Monarch Champaneri, Principal Architect, OpenIdeas.

The interiors of the parent’s home carry an understated, modern aesthetic, marked by soothing, luxurious grey tones. The two-bedroom home spread across 4,420 sq ft, draws from a muted colour palette for the ultimate sense of refinement. A Poliform ‘Mondrian’ sofa and Flexform ‘Boss armchair’ seated around a Cattelan Italia ‘Amerigo’ centre table are some of the design highlights from the living room.

In the dining room, a Molteni&C ‘Diamond’ eight-seater dining table makes a striking yet subtle statement with its origami-inspired legs and Piliform’s leather ‘Stanford’ chairs. Art by Rachna Dave and artefacts from Claymen keep with the theme of refined luxury.

In the master bedroom of the parent’s home, a sleek Cassina ‘Acute’ bed with a leather bedframe and headboard sits beautifully against a marbled accent wall. Art by Rachna Dave, a carpet by Jaipur Rugs, and a host of objects sourced from Address Homes and H&M Home do well to add pops of colour and curiosity to the otherwise neutral private space. 

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The son’s house with its plush white Statuario marble flooring relies on iconic, design-led pieces of furniture for a more playful take on the contemporary. “Design highlights include the use of a premium material and colour palette comprising a dash of colours. We’ve used fun and curvilinear furniture here,” says Champaneri. The wildly iconic B&B Italia ‘Camaleonda’ sofa system lends a playful character to the living room, as do the muted colours of a Jaipur Rugs carpet. A glossy B&B Italia ‘Terminal 1’ bench with its fluid form functions as an armchair and chaise lounge.

From the Rugiano ‘Grace’ bed and side table to an ‘Infinito’ architecture light by Davide Groppi, clean and contemporary design elements pervade the son’s cream-toned room. The ‘Taccia’ bedside lamp designed by the Castiglioni brothers for Flos might be a revered classic, but its intriguing form, which gives the illusion of an upside-down hanging lamp, adds to the contemporary aesthetic of this 3,680 sq ft home.

Both homes are also connected to the basement level where serenity reigns at the 6140-sq-ft home spa. Circular skylights, concrete walls, and a grove of tropical foliage emerging from a soothing water body lead the way to a natural light-infused private spa.

By infusing each home with a distinct character, without straying away from the contemporary aesthetic, the team at OpenIdeas effectively carved out individual yet connected spaces for two generations of this family in Ahmedabad.