The rustic beauty of bricks is celebrated in these 7 Indian homes

May 28, 2023

By AD Staff

Few materials possess the timeless charm and captivating allure of bricks. The beauty of bricks weaves itself into the tapestry of design, creating rustic Indian homes that stand out not only for their architectural form but also as artistic expressions. Tradition meets modernity as the enduring material lends itself to extraordinary forms. From contemporary city-centre apartments to serene weekend getaways, we unveil a curated list of homes that celebrate the unparalleled beauty of bricks, showcasing the humble material's versatility.

Designed by Vaissnavi Shukl, this weekend retreat nods equally to each family member. When it came to the aesthetic, the family didn't have anything specific in mind. "We just knew we wanted exposed brick. The rest was up to Vaissnavi," they say, adding that another important consideration was keeping things low maintenance. The red brick backdrop was complemented with plywood finishes, leather-finish kota stone flooring, wooden furniture and aluminium-frame windows. “Of particular note is the fact that the exposed brick isn’t an aesthetic intervention but rather a load-bearing superstructure. The masons painstakingly carved individual bricks to make way for electrical conduits and other services,” she explains.

Inside, the sunlight is measured. Long slit windows, pergolas and clerestories draw it in, while the exposed RCC brise-soleil minimises the glare of the harsh western sun. On weekends, when the family visits, the swing in the open verandah becomes the perfect perch to swap stories and share snacks. “Since the swing faces westward, we can see the whole property and watch the sun set to the sound of soft music,” the owners sign off. - Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar

Also read: 6 Indian homes that prove earthy finishes are a timeless trend

Patiently placing each shifting brick, AD100 Shonan Purie Trehan gifts her parents a home of artistic freedom and precise craft. The house, hidden behind giant mango and neem trees in Delhi’s Golf Links, weaves many personal stories and memories for the family, that are evident in the imagery and detail as you walk around - all created in collaboration with various craftsmen who seem to have relished the process of creating the story, and skilfully and ingeniously crafted by Shonan and her team. Elements of Art Deco, surprising images in the intricate inlaid floors, handcrafted tiles, clever artworks, and beautiful personal photographs come together with vivid colours of furniture creating a visual feast for the eye.

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

The plan cleverly deconstructs the rectangular shape of a standard plot and thereby creates a fluid and poetic experience of space. It brings the garden, patio, and pool into a dynamic relationship with the interiors, and how each space is used and experienced. The sculptural handmade brick exterior is an embodiment of both the artistic freedom and the precise craft in this home. Each shifting brick is patiently placed with imaginative purpose. - Mohit Gujral

Also read: 5 most beautiful homes in the July-August 2023 issue

An elderly couple reached out to Nayanika Natesh, Principal Architect of NNAD Studio, to conceptualise the architecture and interiors for their 1,800-square-foot Bengaluru bungalow. Aptly called the ‘The Garden House,’ the clients desired a home that offered a unique experience of living in synchrony with nature. The couple are passionate proponents of environmental sustainability and wanted a home that used upcycled and refurbished architectural components and furniture. Located in the suburban neighbourhood Banashankari, this one-of-a-kind brick-clad Bengaluru bungalow features a number of open and green-doused nooks to relax and reflect.

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

​​The core of ‘The Garden House’ is an open living, dining and kitchen area, where the clients spend most of their time. The interiors of the home features a minimal colour scheme and material palette. The monotony of the interiors is broken by decor pieces and soft furnishings. “With shafts of daylight pouring in through the clerestory windows, filtering through the intricate iron filigree, the living room hosts a range of versatile seating arrangements. Peppered with vintage switchboards, curated brass antiques, and timeless handloom fabrics, this zone cascades into a sunken seating area with brick-based benches and light furniture that keeps the milieu airy and flexible,” adds Natesh. - Pallavi Mehra

Also read: 7 Indian home renovations that breathe new life into nostalgic spaces

“If I had to restrict myself to using just three materials for the rest of my architectural practice, those would be concrete, brick and stone. Together, they would take care of everything,” says Amit Khanna of Amit Khanna Design Associates. Which is exactly what he’s done in this three-level villa in Gurugram, the resultant colour palette and aesthetic recalling the timeless quality of ancient monuments.

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

One wing of the home has two levels, offering an inscrutable façade in brick; part of it is perforated by a jaali which wraps around its corner. During the day, it screens and filters the light which it permits to pass through. After sunset, light from within the home plays peekaboo, glimmering through the courtyard between the washrooms and the jaali. The materials have been sourced from surrounding areas with a view to reducing the carbon footprint. The bricks used for the monolithic block are thin, sourced from Sinauli in western Uttar Pradesh. “They are known as ‘nikki,’ which means tiny,” says Khanna. Their elegant shape enables narrow horizontal apertures when they are used to create a jaali, as opposed to the square gaps which thicker bricks would offer. - Devyani Jayakar

When Thiruvananthapuram-based Rajnath R and Preetha B discovered architect Srijit Srinivas’ admirable work through a design publication, his feat with exposed brickwork and their eco-sensitive results cemented the couple’s belief that he was the man for designing their home. The duo met the architect with a clear brief:“They wanted their home to be a private oasis amidst the bustle of their locality. This presented an acute design challenge,” says Srinivas.

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

The architect walked into a challenging plot which measured about 2,178-square-foot and was set on a by-road in a busy neighbourhood - with a homoeopathy college and hostel at the front and to the right, and residences on the left and rear sides. He opted for a simple form for the building with a platonic cuboid that had a slight slant in front, as dictated by the site. This is complemented by a stunning brick lattice treatment on the front facade to effectuate the much needed privacy for living and sleeping spaces on the upper floor, at the same time allowing unhindered entry of cool breeze for air-circulation. - Deepa Nair

For the Bhadani family, a build of their own had always been on the cards. The challenge was, finding the right architect. Their fate changed one summer when an evening stroll around a neighbourhood in Gujarat led them to a residential construction site. “It was for an upcoming bungalow in the area,” says Tarun Patel, founder and principal of MISA Architects, and the architect behind that bungalow. “They liked it so much that they asked the security guard who designed it.”

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

In a bid to keep the home secluded, Patel hatched a plan. “Usually, urban houses on big, busy streets are created like fortresses: lofty, impermeable and somewhat cold. This one had to be a departure from the norm,” he explains. And so, to conjure privacy without compromising the interior, he designed the facade in an alternating brick pattern that would welcome the light while warding off prying eyes. “I remember I did a series of drawings to arrive at the smallest brick-to-cement ratio. And since the brick bond technique was new for the contractor, the team needed extra help in understanding and executing the jali design. I laid down some bricks at the site myself, to demonstrate the technique,” recalls Patel, who introduced concrete bands along the window sills and lintels to stabilise the brick walls and fortify the structure doused in the beauty of bricks. - Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar

Jitendra Sabalpara of Design Work Group evidently recalls the classes he attended in architecture college well. Louis Kahn’s famously imagined conversation with a brick and his entreaty for the rational use of materials in construction has clearly inspired him. He subscribes to the view that materials impart a sense of their own best use, imbibing the lesson Kahn wished to pass on to his students—that architects should see both the limitations and the potential of materials, and use them appropriately. In Jitendra’s design for this Surat bungalow, brick is not just considered a material to build with, but is integral to the design.

By Alisha Lad

By Kasturi Gadge

By Rashmi Haralalka

With a façade in brick, black granite and concrete, this four-storey, five-bedroom home stands out from its surroundings. The client had requested a home with an identity of its own, which has been supplied amply by the façade itself. “The exposed brick wall, large arched opening and metal screen (a contemporary jaali) provides a breathable skin to the house, making it climate-responsive. The use of granite stone cladding complements the earthy colour of brick,” explains Jitendra. - Devyani Jayakar