Architect Sonali Rastogi has ensured that her home is comfortable and also an architectural style statement which echoes her environmental concerns

Here’s an addition to our list of oxymorons — a cool glasshouse. The hi-tech abode of Sonali and Manit Rastogi, founders of cutting-edge architecture firm Morphogenesis Design Studio, has an almost entirely glass façade. “At night the house appears magical, glowing like a lantern and allowing glimpses of activity within,” says Sonali.

Glass façades aren’t always the best idea in Delhi’s punishing heat but the Rastogis have added a new spin to it. The western wall of their home isn’t made of glass. Instead, it has been built as a ‘thermal mass’ with two solid surfaces that trap the air and bring the temperature inside the house down by several degrees.

The use of the latest technology doesn’t stop there. The glass used for the façades is not your usual garden variety. It has a glazing that’s composed of two layers of laminated glass with PVB (a chemical compound that offers protection against UV radiation) between them.

The glass facade of the Rastogi home has been treated to keep the heat down inside

Morphogenesis is famous for its smart, modern offices and malls and the Rastogis have used a clutch of advanced technologies at their three-storey home in Delhi’s swank Panchsheel Park, which they constructed from scratch over an 18-month period.

The couple moved with their kids and Manit’s parents, into their plush home a couple of years ago. And in keeping with the design principles of their firm that’s located in the basement of the house, the trendy dwelling uses energy efficient techniques that are eco-friendly to boot.

Apart from the thermal mass, there’s ‘earth damping’ for the basement, where the basement block is surrounded by compressed earth to cool it down. In addition, the Rastogis have used particular plant varieties that act as heat buffers all around the house. Also, they have a lap pool on the terrace — a true rarity in a suburban Delhi home — that helps absorb heat. “This house has the image of a desirable product. Yet, it has all the environmentally sustainable elements,” says Sonali.

The rock garden on the first floor has ornamental plants that have grown to great heights even though they don’t have direct access to the sun

The architect couple famed for their iconic buildings has gone to great lengths to ensure that their abode is both comfortable and a statement of sorts. The imposing wooden front door lets you into a dramatic lobby, the stark walls of which are embellished by avant-garde artwork, notable among which is a creation by contemporary Indian artist Sanjeev Sonpimpare. An entrance atrium segregates a section of the ground floor where Manit’s parents stay.

The stairwell leading to the first floor is also dotted with works by upcoming artists like V. Ramesh and Rajendra Dhawan that liven up the space with vibrant splashes of colour. The open-plan first floor has spaces seamlessly merging into one another with the centre-piece being an atrium-style area with a rockery.

The garden has ornamental plants that have grown to startling heights even though they don’t have direct access to the sun or the outside environment. The hot air that collects over the atrium is removed by exhausts activated by sensors.

The husband and wife team has a thriving social life and the house often doubles up as a venue for parties and as a meeting place for their new ventures. Till recently, it was the meeting place for Manthan, a cultural group that promotes the exchange of ideas between various creative disciplines. “The house is just thrown open. Any of the 175 members of Manthan who have mailed to us and would like to be a part of the meeting can walk in,” says Sonali.

The living room area has plush settees in shades of silver with red accents; (above) the dining space has a red dining table designed by Mark Knowles

So, artists, historians, interior designers, singers and even hat-makers congregate at the house. And many of them have contributed their own little bit towards the décor of the Rastogi house.

For instance, the rock garden has rough-hewn wooden seats designed by designers and family friends, Mark and Preeti Knowles. There’s also a stylised wooden table in the rock garden designed by Sanjiv Chatterjee and Anjalee Wakankar of Kaaru, an outfit that promotes art, architecture and design.

On the left of the rockery is the living room area which has plush settees in shades of silver with red accents. Even here, Sonali and Manit have ensured maximum efficiency by placing the sofas at right angles to offer optimum visibility during conversations.

Once again the Rastogis large circle of friends has chipped in with décor items. The elegant furniture has been created by Gaurav and Sharmilee Chopra of Proform while the smart fabrics have been designed by home fashion exponent Mandeep Nagi of Shades of India.

The Rastogis’s architectural training is on show in every nook and cranny of the house and they’ve made sure to seriously exploit every inch of space. The back of the settees have been turned into quirky bookshelves and display units showcasing Sonali’s favourite tomes on photography by ace shutterbug Prabuddha Dasgupta, cookery and also Bollywood. Sharing space on the exhibition shelves are Sonali’s collection of fine ceramicware.

Scattered around the coffee table are an eclectic mixture of antique Chinese leather boxes with lacquer-work gifted by a friend who lives in Hong Kong and also silver artefacts. A slim ledge built into one wall of the seating area has brass and stone Buddha figurines gifted by Sonali’s mother.

At one corner of the living space are four Australian didgeridoos, aboriginal musical instruments that were housewarming gifts.

The pool on the terrace is fed by harvested rainwater and is squeaky clean even though the water’s only changed once a year

Even their dining space is slightly unusual and has a red dining table by Mark Knowles with benches that have curved headrests embellished with leaf-shaped etchings. On the terrace just outside the dining area is a leafy summer deck that has sleek rattan furniture — this is a favourite barbecue haunt for the family and guests when the terrace on the top of the building gets too hot.

Manit and Sonali have always encouraged their children to mingle with their friends. So both the kids, Aryaman (13) and Ananya (10) are hooked to a lot of extra-curricular activities — and it shows in their rooms. Aryaman plays chess, squash and several other games and evidence of these activities is scattered all around.

Manit and Sonali’s bedroom, kitchen, bar and an informal dining area with a huge television screen are also on the first floor bordering the main dining space. Both the formal and casual dining zones are flanked by volumes on cookery (low fat ones these days), a passion that Sonali takes time out to pursue every evening.

The second floor has a gymming section in one corner and the rest of it is mostly used by the guests who turn up at the Rastogi house from all corners of the globe. “We love talking to travelling architects and writers all the time,” says Sonali. So, there’s a sprawling entertainment area and a guestroom that takes up the entire floor.

Even the terrace has been meticulously planned. Once again the Rastogis have made sure that it’s all environmentally top-notch. So, there’s a lap pool on the terrace that’s fed by harvested rainwater. The terrace with its cosy gazebo — shaded by stunning drapes and appointed with snug seats — is the perfect place for outdoor entertaining sessions.

Each architectural innovation or interior accent of the Rastogi home revolves around the exuberantly social aspect of their lives. As Sonali says cheerfully:“Between my friends, my work and children, I have a complete life.”