yinjispace

INTERIOR
D'WELL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Ishita Sitwala
EDITOR
Gina
Collection

Located on the outskirts of Surat, India, The Courtyard House is a 920-square-metre modern farmhouse resting in the northeast corner of an expansive plot, far removed from the noise and bustle of the city. As a cherished family retreat, it embodies a longing for slow living—a tranquil home close to nature, where moments are shared in harmony.

In conversation with Rakshit Shah, Partner Architect at D’WELL, it became clear that their work seeks a rhythm that can be felt through daily life—somewhere between structural order and emotional atmosphere. While the home’s layout is arranged concentrically, its heart lies in a 9×9-metre sunken central courtyard—both an effective microclimatic device and the spiritual anchor for the family’s everyday life. Balancing intimacy and openness, the courtyard aligns axially with surrounding spaces, allowing light, breeze, and life to converge.

The project draws partial inspiration from the Chettinad architectural tradition of southern India—known for its long axial vistas, internal courtyards, and layered thresholds. Here, D’WELL avoided direct replication, instead interpreting its spirit through a restrained, minimal vocabulary: honouring material authenticity, maintaining spatial clarity, and shaping a sensitivity to light and shadow that encourages residents to slow down and reconnect with time.

They also layered the interiors with antique furniture, local ceramics, and found objects—not out of nostalgia, but to create a warm counterpoint to the raw, natural finishes, giving the home a grounded, lived-in quality from day one. For them, quietness in space is not merely silence, but a form of restraint and clarity—present in the tactility of materials, the play of light, the transitions between movement and stillness, and the gentle atmosphere that supports everyday rituals. Such a home does not demand attention; it leaves room for presence, allowing one to focus on the moment itself.

Nestled in the outskirts of Surat, the aptly christened COURTYARD HOUSE is a 920 square-metre farmhouse, set on the northeast corner of an expansive site away from the urban chaos. The house is envisioned as a sanctuary for the clients’ family who sought a tranquil spot for slow living—a place to embrace nature and the rhythms of shared family life.

Semi-open connections throughout the structure passively cool the interiors, creating an atmosphere of comfort in Surat’s otherwise humid climate.

Drawing inspiration from early Chettinad style tropical houses, the centrally aligned axial views extend outward to the landscape and the sloping roof over the courtyard carefully frames the open sky above, creating a visual connection with nature that feels infinite yet intimate. As the sun moves across the sky, light filters through the courtyard and textured deep walls, casting shadows and bringing subtle changes in tone and temperature. Hand-applied sand-textured plaster walls match the site’s soil tone, and rough-cut Kota stone mosaic flooring flows seamlessly from interior to exterior enhancing silent conversation of the building with its context.

Accents of natural wood are used in furniture and door detailing, adding warmth, contrasts and a unique personification to an otherwise sculptural massing of The Courtyard House. Vintage artefacts, large earthen pots, and handpicked furniture adorns the rustic gathering spaces while sunbathed landscapes blur the limits between indoors and outdoors. A single, sloping roof—clad in custom cement tiles—ties the structure together with a contemporary edge, while also ensuring thermal efficiency.

The findings of understated contemporary language to striking traditional building materials effortlessly lends purpose and character to the minimalist spaces and helps render a quaint aesthetic of erstwhile tropical houses. Meanwhile, the heart of the house i.e. the Courtyard quietly stands in the centre; head high as a witness to all the activities around the house.

Rooted in local terrain yet refined in its execution, discreetly playing with the skyline, The Courtyard House makes a thoughtfully crafted abode shaped by land, light, and the quiet rituals of family living.

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