Perched on top of a quiet residential building in Ahmedabad, Terra Kota Studio unfolds like a hidden workspace above the city—surrounded by tree crowns, softened by lime-washed walls, and built for deep focus. Designed by Terra Firma Architects, this rooftop intervention doesn’t shout for attention. It lets the trees, light, and breeze do the talking.

The challenge was unique: to create a compact 800 sq. ft. office within the grid of an existing home’s structure while preserving the open-to-sky terrace for future expansion. What emerged is a climate-conscious, materially tactile studio that feels more like a retreat than a workplace.

Where structure meets stillness

Instead of covering the entire terrace, the architects built just a third—placing the studio to maximize northern views of Peela Gulmohar trees, while allowing the rest of the terrace to remain open. A concrete lintel band traces the edge of this open sky, giving the building a framed composition. A spiral staircase from the ground floor winds upward into this elevated workspace, creating an arrival experience that’s both sculptural and serene.

The off-centre sloping roof tilts southward—not only to optimize solar panel placement but also to frame the canopy of trees perfectly from inside. It’s a quiet gesture that turns function into poetry.

A palette of restraint and rhythm

Inside, the material palette is both minimal and warm. The in-situ terrazzo floor wraps up into the worktables, creating continuity and calm. The east and west walls are finished in a terracotta lime wash—a soft counterpoint to the crisp white ceiling and floor.

Strategic built-ins line these walls, forming workspace coves that offer privacy and shelter. Small sky-framing windows add character and light, while the north-facing MS-framed glass façade opens fully, letting in Ahmedabad’s cooler breezes and diffused sunlight.

The southern edge is more closed and grounded, housing a flat slab mass for the meeting room, pantry, and washrooms—acting as a buffer from the sun and creating a zoned experience across the studio.

About Terra Firma Architects

Known for their contextual and climate-responsive work, Terra Firma Architects have carved a niche for designing spaces that are deeply rooted in their environment. With a studio philosophy built on meaningful spatial experiences and minimal intervention, their work spans architecture, interiors, and even fine detailing like custom furniture.

Based in Ahmedabad, the firm’s work reflects a consistent curiosity for how people interact with space—balancing scale, climate, and materiality with an intent to create timeless, usable architecture.

Terra Kota Studio is a rooftop project with a ground-level sensitivity—where architecture doesn’t try to conquer the site, but completes it with restraint.