House of Voids by Malik Architecture – Redefining Urban Living in New Delhi

Rethinking the Urban Fabric of Delhi

In the heart of New Delhi, House of Voids by Malik Architecture challenges the changing urban conditions of the city. Traditionally, neighborhoods were defined by two-story houses with front gardens set back from tree-lined streets. However, new planning regulations permitting taller structures with reduced setbacks have dramatically altered this balance. The result is a dense urban fabric where houses dominate the streetscape, while natural light, ventilation, and greenery have steadily disappeared.

House of Voids was conceived as a response to this urban shift. Instead of building a conventional multi-story structure, the architects redefined the typology to reintroduce courtyards, gardens, and voids as central spatial elements, reconnecting the home with the environment.

Concept: A House of Fragmented Voids

At the core of the design lies a labyrinth of voids—a series of interconnected courtyards, fissures, skylights, and gardens that carve through the building both laterally and vertically. These voids are not just aesthetic breaks but climatic devices that regulate temperature, allow light to filter deeply inside, and bring a sense of openness into the dense neighborhood.

A monumental structural pylon anchors the cantilevered superstructure, shading the ground and evoking the architectural language of Delhi’s historic institutions. This bold move simultaneously grounds the home and creates a dramatic balance between solid and void.

Light, Air, and Thermal Balance

The design adapts the western façade to filter sunlight through punctures, screens, and northern skylights, ensuring controlled daylight without sacrificing privacy—especially given the proximity of neighboring houses.

• North and northwest openings maximize natural illumination.
• A deep recessed fissure in the south channels filtered light into the interiors.
• Vertical courts act as thermal regulators, adaptable to both Delhi’s hot summers and cold winters.

By raising the main structure 18 feet above the ground, a north-facing garden is introduced, while cut-outs channel light into the basement, merging underground spaces with the vertical void system.

Living Spaces Rooted in Tradition and Modernity

The living areas open onto terraces shaded by large overhanging volumes. Operable second skins and adapted jaali screens reinterpret the traditional Indian architectural element, blending privacy, shade, and ventilation.

Inside, the elongated central circulation core (32ft x 80ft) creates a continuous spatial volume, enabling flexible use of space while maintaining a sense of unity.

An Urban Oasis in Delhi

House of Voids stands as an architectural manifesto—a sustainable reinterpretation of the Delhi home, where courtyards, gardens, and voids re-establish the lost relationship between private dwellings and the street. It is both a response to restrictive urban regulations and a celebration of light, openness, and thermal comfort.

All Photographs are works of Bharath Ramamrutham