Tiered Realm House And Studio / Fictional Project

Architects: Fictional Project
Area: 3500 ft²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Syam Sreesylam
Lead Architects: Chinchukumar Sreekandan
Design and Execution: ChinchuKumar Sreekandan, Julie Ann tharkan, Francis Kurian, Naina Johnson
Graphics and Design: Madhu S murthy
Graphics: Hiba Farsanah Hanif
Program / Use / Building Function: Artist Studio and Residence
City: Chennai
Country: India

Tiered Realm House and Studio residential-studio hybrid designed by Fictional Project in Ambattur, Chennai, reimagines suburban typologies as layered spaces of collaboration and introspection for an artist couple working in mixed media and textiles. The design unfolds as a sequence of tiered levels connected by a central void, blending work and domestic life through split-floor arrangements, internal gardens, and variable light. The west-facing brick facade rises gradually from the street, concealing interconnected realms that include ground-floor workshops, a living zone, and a rooftop terrace with stepped seating overlooking a distant lake. Workspaces along the east and west edges accommodate differing creative processes, separated yet visually connected across the vertical core. The home culminates in social spaces at the top, while material details like IPS floors, Athangudi tiles, recycled wood, and pigmented plasters emphasize artisanal collaboration and spatial identity. Each tier serves as a realm within a broader, cohesive architectural expression that reflects the layered, mixed-media nature of the artists’ practices.

Tiered realm house and studio / fictional project

“Tiered Realm” is based on the idea of home as more than a dwelling for two individuals; it is envisioned as a space that supports work and community, alive with creative energy and shaped by the pursuit of individual meaning within a collective environment. This residence and studio was designed for an artist couple engaged in mixed media and textile practices. The home was conceived as a container for the dynamic interplay between work and life, while celebrating collaborative artistic processes and long-standing personal relationships. The project is located in Ambattur, on the outskirts of Chennai, a neighborhood characteristic of expanding Indian suburbia, where brightly colored two- to three-story houses occupy closely arranged plots. “Tiered Realm” diverges from the standard ‘BHK’ typology, presenting a burnished brick facade that rises gradually from the street along the western edge of the site, concealing a layered sequence of interconnected spaces organized around a central vertical void.

The realm of work engages directly with the street, opening generously along the edge and guiding visitors into the home. At ground level, there is a space intended for large-format work and accommodating larger groups, supported by a storage area discreetly positioned toward the rear. An indoor garden extends along the north-south axis, grounding the open core of the structure and receiving light from a skylight located at the northern edge of the roof. This overhead light filters down across the various spatial layers, revealing the interconnected nature of the interior spaces.

The staircase functions as a central seam that connects the various realms of the house, rising through split levels of differing proportions. Each landing expands to form alternating zones dedicated to work, rest, and recreation. This stepped arrangement of volumes creates spatial dialogues across the realm of work, where every space also acts as a staggered gallery facing its adjacent workshop across the vertical core. The mixed-media workshop, located on the west side, is the largest and features a subtly treated edge that filters incoming daylight. Along the eastern side are the textile workshops, which reflect the dual character of the artistic process, flourishing through both collaboration and moments of solitary reflection. The lower textile workshop supports elongated worktables, while the upper space is enclosed with a system of wooden shutters, offering a quiet, atelier-like retreat.

The residential realm sits at the top of the house, featuring a compact kitchen designed as a space where close friends and family can come together for a meal. The second-to-last landing of the staircase opens into a living area and a private bedroom that includes a balcony facing west. The uppermost level is dedicated to social gatherings, with a terrace that includes stepped seating and offers views of a distant lake, creating a setting for evening get-togethers.

Material explorations further reinforce the spirit of artistic collaboration throughout the project. The workshops are unified by a restrained material palette featuring durable IPS flooring, while the residential areas are brightened with handmade Athangudi tiles. The pigmented plaster finishes on the interior walls were developed in consultation with the artists, with colors chosen according to the specific functions of each space. Lighter tones are applied in the work areas, while deeper hues define the spaces intended for rest and reflection, allowing shadows to be embraced. A sliding door made from recycled wood incorporates ceiling and column ornaments salvaged from older buildings, creating a welcoming collage along the street edge. Brick bands laid in varied patterns animate the street-facing facade, highlighting the craftsmanship embedded in the local context. The brick envelope expresses a series of interconnected relationships that extend inward, mirroring the nature of the artist’s mixed-media practice. Deconstructing and reassembling elements to uncover new connections becomes a fitting metaphor for the architectural process itself, where each tier defines a distinct realm within a cohesive whole.