Villa Shodhan, Brutalist single-family residence in Ahmedabad, India
Villa Shodhan is a three-story concrete home shaped with raw surfaces and strong geometric forms throughout its design. The flat roof and large sun-shade screens on the walls help control the intense light and heat from outside.
Le Corbusier designed the villa in 1951 for Surottam Hutheesing, secretary of the Millowners' Association, who wanted a house reflecting his social and economic standing before his marriage. The plans were then sold to fellow millowner Shyamubhai Shodhan, who kept them despite a new site and different lifestyle. Construction ran from 1951 to 1956.
The house brings together modern architectural ideas with how people actually live in Ahmedabad. The double-height living room with its open spaces reflects how local families use their homes.
The building's orientation and tall terraces help keep temperatures comfortable inside without much air conditioning needed. Large windows and openings are positioned to let air flow and spread natural light evenly through the spaces.
The roof carries a garden of thick grass and water troughs, and an oval opening in it lines up with a hole in the slab below, framing a view of the sky. A pool at the foot of the ramp echoes this device, bringing the outside in.
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