The Spine | Housing Project
Studio Spring 2021 | Sonit Bafna

This medium-density housing project draws from the spatial and material logic of Balkrishna Doshi, whose work at Sangath, IIM Bangalore, and the School of Architecture in Ahmedabad shaped the project’s overall organization. Central to Doshi’s architecture, and to this proposal, is the use of interconnected courtyards, hierarchical outdoor rooms, and circulatory paths that dissolve the boundary between collective and domestic life.
The project adapts these principles to a contemporary urban context by organizing L-shaped residential units into paired clusters that anchor themselves around a central circulation spine. This spine acts as a shared public space, widening and narrowing to create spots for gathering and social interaction; its shifting alignment responds to the irregular site boundary.
Smaller paths branch from the spine toward the elevated units, creating a gradual transition from public areas to semi-private zones and then to the internal courtyards within each pair. Because the units are lifted above the ground, the spine extends downward and gently divides the site into two areas: a more public side facing the street and a more private zone near the railroad.Together, these strategies create a living environment that encourages community while offering moments of privacy for young professionals.