MARVEL PIAZZA
STATUS // COMPLETED 2015
CLIENT// MARVEL REALTORS PVT LTD
LOCATION // PUNE, INDIA
Located near the airport, the site has severe height restrictions, meaning a maximum of four storeys. This provided HB Design with the opportunity to continue their exploration of liveable high density, but, for the first time in India, with a low-rise development – as opposed to seemingly ever-higher towers.
The approach has been to take a simple pinwheel configuration of four apartments clustered around a common core. These clusters vary in terms of apartment sizes and numbers of bedrooms depending on location. The larger units enjoy the better views with more greenery, while the more compact units are in tighter parts of the design. Starting with a simple chequerboard matrix, clusters are then carefully shifted and offset to create a series of interconnecting landscapes, so avoiding repetitive massing.
As part of HB Design’s ongoing strategy to provide the highest quality experience for the occupants, all vehicular traffic is underground, freeing up the entire ground plane for pedestrians to create a rare experience at street level. The landscaping was developed in parallel with the architecture, resulting in a very intimate set of details and landscaping elements. Brick was chosen as the dominant façade material, giving the whole an intimate and natural feel. This is complemented by modern detailing and the insertion of key non-brick highlights, giving the design a uniqueness which distinguishes it from more formulaic architecture.