FORMAL LIVING ROOM

The formal living room in Sanctuary adopts a restrained modern language with no direct visual cues referencing Indian design. Instead, its connection to Indian architectural principles is expressed through spatial planning and elemental transitions.

The space is defined by ample natural light and a clear visual axis that extends into a linear water feature—an organizing element that creates a seamless connection between key public and semi-public zones, including the living, dining, kitchen, powder room, and foyer, while also subtly extending toward the private bedrooms.

Though contemporary in material and expression, this gesture draws from traditional Indian planning where water, light, and connectivity play central roles in defining hierarchy and flow.

ELEMENTS THAT MAKE A ‘HOUSE’, A ‘HOME’

A Buddha statue anchors the entrance foyer, offering a moment of stillness as one enters the home.

Positioned directly beneath a skylight, it is bathed in natural light that changes throughout the day, reinforcing a sense of calm and presence. This element sets the tone for the home's layered balance between serenity and spatial clarity.

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Open-Plan Kitchen & Dining: Merging Californian Modernism with Vastu Shastra. This open-plan kitchen and dining space marries Southern California's modern minimalism with the ancient principles of Vastu Shastra, a traditional Indian architectural system focused on creating harmony and positive energy flow. The layout carefully follows Vastu’s key directional guidelines, where the kitchen is ideally placed in the southeast, the direction associated with the element of fire, promoting health, prosperity, and warmth. The dining area is oriented towards the west or north, inviting positive energy to nourish the space. The exposed concrete walls and clean lines maintain a minimalist aesthetic, while large windows allow natural light to flood in, enhancing the sense of openness. This design creates a balanced environment where every detail aligns to foster well-being, tranquility, and harmony.

Courtyards were introduced in Indian architecture decades ago and were seen as a technique to enhance air circulation throught the principle of Stack Effect, an air movement driven by buoyancy. When air is passed through the interiors, it heats up and starts rising, while escaping through the courtyard.

At the heart of the home lies a sunken seating area, inspired by the traditional Indian courtyard concept where rooms revolve around a central open space. Though fully enclosed, a large overhead skylight brings in natural light, creating a sense of openness and calm. This space serves as the informal living area—modern in its exposed concrete aesthetic, yet intimate with low, modular couches arranged for conversation and gathering. It functions as the nucleus of the home, anchoring daily life and family events while maintaining visual and spatial connectivity to surrounding rooms. More than just a design feature, it acts as the home's central spine, guiding circulation and fostering a communal atmosphere. The blend of sunken design and skylit volume evokes a sacred pause within the architecture—an introspective, grounding core that marries tradition with contemporary living.

The bedrooms, being the most intimate spaces are an amalgamation of elements that make this culturally inclined modern home into what could be the most personal and elevating idea of a home. The exposed concrete with Indian architectural symbolism is maximised in the bedrooms with brass inlays, wooden jaali partitions (serving both functional and aesthetic purposes, allowing for natural light and ventilation while providing privacy and shading), heavy wood worked head boards, intricately woven carpets and ample natural light that enhances the space multifold.

The master suite in Sanctuary is intentionally placed in the southwest corner of the home—an orientation rooted in Indian architectural principles, where the southwest (or Nairutya) is considered ideal for rest, stability, and grounding. This zone is traditionally associated with strength and permanence, making it a fitting location for the most private and restorative space in the house.

The tactile honesty of concrete is paired with moments of warmth—layered textures through brass inlays and carved wooden partitions, headboards and bed frames make the blend between modern and cultural symbolism a space more than just surface level design.

Sanctuary redefines what it means to design a culturally rooted home in a modern world.
By integrating the raw clarity of exposed concrete with the quiet intelligence of Indian spatial symbolism, the home moves beyond aesthetics into meaning.
It rejects superficial ornamentation in favor of elemental depth—light, orientation, flow, and proportion.
Spaces breathe with intention, guided by centuries-old logic yet fully aligned with contemporary Californian living.
This is not a mimicry of tradition, but a translation—precise, contextual, and relevant.
Designing without overt symbols challenges both architect and occupant to seek meaning in space itself.
The result is a home that is emotionally resonant, materially honest, and spiritually grounded.
It offers a new language of minimalism—one that carries memory, culture, and permanence.
In doing so, Sanctuary becomes more than a home; it becomes a statement of identity through architecture.
This project is a blueprint for how modern homes can evolve—by honoring the past, without replicating it.