Chaabi House: Where form follows fiction

When we were handed over a small booklet at the SYSTEM architect's office on a recent winter afternoon, the first thing that caught my attention was the phrase "form follows fiction."

It was remarkable how ingeniously they adapted architect Louis H. Sullivan's renowned axiom "form follows function," which refers to the idea that a building's exterior design should reflect the different interior functions.

We got to examine the meaning and message behind SYSTEM architects's principle "form follows fiction" while exploring one of their latest projects, 'Chaabi House', a 1,035-square-metre residential building located right beside the Shitalakshya River in Rupganj, Narayanganj.

The first thing we encountered in the house was a security area, two gates and a wall that does not allow visitors to see the entire house. It can only be seen after passing this area, though still not entirely.

The wall that abruptly ends at the front yard separates the two parts of the house. A solitary door is placed nearly at the end of this dividing wall. It remains open almost always. What is the function of this door or the curious wall?

"We built the house for people to embark on a journey to arouse their curiosity and create memories. To do that, we tried to use the element of surprise. We've designed it to make people pause for a while and think," explained Enamul Karim Nirjhar, the lead architect of Chaabi House.

The wall and the door are a few examples of how the house is designed to put people in what Nirjhar terms "situations," that will help create stories.

"We wanted this house to hold onto stories and memories. But you can't force stories or memories, they have to be spontaneous. All we can do is create 'situations' and allow people to react to them and hope that great memories would be born out of them."

As an example, he pointed towards the "address-desk." It's an elevated wooden stage with three microphones. But the curious part is that the microphones aren't connected to any amplifier.

When asked why that was, Nirjhar answered, "Maybe someone visiting would see the microphones, seize them and start a speech imitating political leaders. I imagine that the people with them would laugh hearing his speech. And thus, a great memory would be created."

The residence encourages exploration and curiosity. The layout prioritises openness and a connection with nature. The main entrance welcomes guests, while the other two entrances integrate with the natural surroundings.

Chaabi is a family residence designed for Mr and Mrs Mahbubul Alam and their son and daughter. They wanted to build an alternate home, away from the capital's chaos. At the same time, the SYSTEM Architects were looking for a client who would let them build a house that connects with your emotions.

"I genuinely believe that if you look for something from the heart, the universe has a way of putting you together with someone looking for similar things. That's how we found Mr and Mrs Mahbubul Alam. Or, they found us," explained Nirjhar.

The architecture of Chaabi seamlessly connects indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing filtered daylight to illuminate the interiors. The ground floor hosts bedrooms, a home theatre, a dining room, a swimming pool, a gym, a guest room, a kitchen and a staff room.

A water feature by the living room and a south-facing opening provide calming views of nature. A narrow walkway along the water's edge leads to a spacious open area. Besides the water feature and swimming pool, there's a pond beside the house.

The first floor features a family area for enjoying the rain, with a door opening to an outdoor space.

"We wanted the family and the people who'd visit this house to enjoy all the seasons, especially winter and monsoon," Nirjhar said.

Additional spaces include a guest room, a kitchenette and a corridor leading to the family living room. Then there are a few bedrooms and a study room. The master bedroom is connected to an open field through a long flight of stairs.

The bedroom over a contoured land was placed as a courtesy to the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Mahbubul Alam.

"We tried to give each family member what they needed while designing Chaabi. The daughter's room is placed on a small hill-like place as a statement on how we need to elevate women to help them surpass the obstacles they face in society. We placed the son's room in the back as he likes his privacy and prefers secluded places," said Nirjhor.

The choice of materials in the construction of the residence is a deliberate reflection of its architectural vision. A distinctive yet delicately employed combination of concrete for walls and ceilings, along with Mahogany wood for doors and windows, showcases the complete versatility of these materials.

Concrete, typically associated with a robust and industrial aesthetic, is used here in a sensitive manner, contributing to the overall character of the structure. Mahogany wood, known for its warmth and richness, serves functional purposes as doors and windows and adds an aesthetic layer to the design.

SYSTEM architects used glass without grills to invite "filtered sunlight into the living spaces." This optimises natural lighting and provides a seamless connection with the surrounding environment. The absence of grills offers unobstructed views, fostering a sense of openness and visual continuity with the outdoors.

The flooring contributes to the overall aesthetic by including matte tiles, offering a subdued and refined finish. The choice of matte tiles adds an element of sophistication and complements the overall design scheme, creating a cohesive and harmonious atmosphere throughout the residence.

Beyond the physical elements, the design incorporates emotionally resonant features. One of them is a few "memory traps," strategically positioned in areas where ambient indirect light is present. These designated spaces are repositories for cherished memorabilia from the homeowners' ancestors, especially their parents and grandparents.

This thoughtful addition allows the residents to reflect upon and treasure the memories of these items. The interplay of light in these memory trap areas creates a visually engaging and emotionally evocative space. They make the residence a deeply personal living space.

"We can't design a farmer's house even though we want to. What we can do is work with businessmen. The modern world is making people more and more disconnected from their emotions. We wanted to intervene there. We wanted to nurture the human side of people by connecting architecture and emotion," said Nirjhor.

Chaabi's design aims to create a peaceful environment, fostering a connection with nature and establishing physical and psychological ties with the surroundings.

"I see this house as a poem and so do the clients, which is what probably led them to say when we started the project, 'You write, and we'll interpret it in our way."