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Bhanuben Parekh House
Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India
The Bhanuben Parikh Residence was Christopher Benninger's first architectural commission, for which the concept sketches began when he was 29 years of age. Situated in Bhavnagar's Jubilee Hills, the site's gradual slope was utilized to create a sequence of descending spaces from the higher entry point to the swimming pool below. A visual axis guides through gardens, living areas, and into the lotus pool. The design features a strong axis, or "stem," separating the open southern garden from the formal bedroom sequence on the north. The upper level leads to a temple garden overlooking the pool. The sketches illustrate the structural system of flat arches, defining open and covered spaces, a recurring motif in Benninger's work, facilitating dynamic spatial relationships. The north side offers private spaces amidst tranquil gardens, while the south integrates fluid, interconnected spaces.