Beton Brut Residence by The Grid Architects in Ahmedabad, India

The Beton Brut Residence by The Grid Architects is a striking example of neo-brutalist residential design in Ahmedabad, India. Designed for a small, creative family that values both seclusion and social connection, the home is a sculptural response to climate, culture, and material honesty.

A Brutalist Expression of Shelter and Identity

Inspired by the poetic image of an Indian woman shielding herself from the sun with her pallu, the Beton Brut Residence merges brutalist architecture with cultural sensitivity. The design features raw concrete, clean geometry, and a monolithic silhouette, offering both climatic protection and spatial luxury.

The home is organized around a southwest-facing plot, requiring protection from harsh sun exposure. The architects employed a series of deep cantilevers, skewed volumes, and staggered terraces, creating shaded zones and gardens that wrap around and within the built form.

Climate-Responsive Architecture

The sun-path study informed the building’s shell, leading to a strategic “erasure” of lower volumes to derive canopies and overhangs. These protect glazing and reduce thermal gain. The result is a layered composition with multiple cantilevers, shaded outdoor spaces, and terraces planted with drought-tolerant species.

The stepped gardens and shaded voids not only improve thermal comfort but also encourage biodiversity, attracting local birds and butterflies while moderating the microclimate.

A Sensory Entrance and Spiritual Spatial Flow

The journey into the home begins under a robust concrete canopy framing a three-meter wooden door inset with stone. Inside, a corridor unfurls into a sequence of living, dining, and private areas, all visually anchored by a patinated sculpture at the rear courtyard.

The architecture opens around a central landscaped court, topped by two skylights that flood the core with filtered natural light, emphasizing the textures of concrete and timber-formed surfaces.

Each space is thoughtfully integrated with green pockets, glazed openings, and contextual art installations — producing a dynamic flow that connects body, mind, and environment.

Indian Soul, Brutalist Body

While the concrete form is bold, its heart is emotive. Inside, reclaimed Haveli panels, antique mandapas, carved vessels, and handcrafted jharokhas provide a cultural counterpoint to the building’s modernist rigour. A large jharokha in the living room even connects visually with the upper level, blending vernacular memory with contemporary functionality.

The furniture is clean-lined and functional, respecting the architecture while offering domestic warmth and usability.

Honest Materials and Subtle Richness

Concrete is the architectural protagonist. Its natural grey tone and timber-formed surface textures establish a tactile narrative. This is complemented by Kota stone, sandstone, reclaimed wood, and teak furnishings, forming an unadorned yet refined material palette.

No cosmetic treatments are used—only the inherent beauty of raw materials enhanced by natural light and architectural form.

Daylight and Connection to Nature

The dual skylights in the stairwell and court allow glare-free illumination that animates the home throughout the day. Extensive glazing ensures every room is bathed in natural light and maintains a visual link to the surrounding greenery.

The central court also serves as a thermal buffer and emotional anchor, anchoring the home in serenity.

A Home of Conviction and Culture

The Beton Brut Residence stands as a symbol of architectural integrity and Indian modernism. It seamlessly fuses neo-brutalist aesthetics with vernacular philosophy, respecting both climate and culture. Designed to nurture individuality while celebrating family, it speaks to the future of contextual and responsible architecture in India.

“Architecture is meaningless without a relationship between man and nature. Beton Brut embodies that connection.”
– The Grid Architects