Cube House: Modern Architecture for Compact City Plots
How we transformed a standard 35'x40' site into a light-filled home by staggering volumes and maximizing vertical space.
The front elevation of the Cube House. The design uses clean white planes, travertine cladding, and carefully placed windows to create a modern and inviting facade on a compact city plot.
The entrance to the Cube House opens to a small internal courtyard with a single tree under a skylight. This acts as a buffer, immediately introducing natural light and a sense of calm.
The heart of the Cube House is this double-height living space. Staggering the floors allowed us to create this voluminous area, which is anchored by a stone-clad wall and a floating wooden staircase.
The award-winning kitchen of the Cube House. We used a palette of dark grey and warm wood, with a large window for natural light and a geometric wooden screen that separates it from the living area.
The semi-covered terrace on the upper floor provides a private outdoor space with views of the surrounding greenery. It's an essential feature for urban living, offering a connection to the outdoors.
The formal living room features a vibrant blue sofa and a custom-designed geometric screen. This space opens onto a small patio, further enhancing the indoor-outdoor connection.
A cozy family seating area surrounded by large windows. This space is designed for informal gatherings and is flooded with natural light, making it feel open and connected to the neighborhood.
About this collection
This project shows how we handle urban density without sacrificing airiness. Instead of filling the entire floor plate, we played with verticality and staggered ceiling heights. This simple shift created a sense of volume that makes the 1,690 square feet feel expansive, ensuring natural light reaches the deepest corners of the living area.
The core challenge with the Cube House was the site constraints. In a dense Bangalore neighborhood, we had to balance privacy with the need for light and ventilation. Our solution was to treat the house as a composition of stacked cubes, creating a range of clear heights from 9 to 15 feet.
We introduced a central courtyard as a buffer. This isn't just an aesthetic choice, but a functional one that acts as the home's lungs, pulling fresh air in and filtering harsh sunlight through a skylight.
Inside, the kitchen remains a focal point. We designed it with a U-shaped layout to maximize efficiency on a compact footprint, using a palette of dark grey and warm wood. This kitchen design received the GEEVEES 2022 People's Choice Award, which reflects our belief that functional, well-planned spaces can be as visually striking as they are practical.
We maintained a consistent material language throughout: travertine cladding, exposed stone, and warm wood tones. These choices ground the modern geometric form in natural textures, preventing the space from feeling cold. Every window and staircase was positioned not just for looks, but to maintain visual connections between the dining area, the courtyard, and the terrace.
ID+AS Architects
At ID+AS, we believe architecture is a conversation. We don't just build, we listen to the story you want your home to tell. Whether it's integrating a private courtyard or designing a kitchen that flows, we prioritize the harmony between your lifestyle and our design logic.
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