House that Gives by Studio Das

Studio Das has completed a duplex residence featuring an elemental material palette, open layout, and carefully curated furnishings that create a canvas for the homeowners' evolving lifestyle.

Located in Dubai, this duplex with a patio was designed for friends who relocated from India. The project, aptly named "House that Gives," was conceived with a minimal brief—simply to create a space filled with love while enjoying the design process.

"The space is something that the client had dreamt of for a very long time," Rishita Das, founder of Studio Das explains. "The only brief given was to approach the project with love and have fun along the way."

Das describes both the clients and her team as "simple people in thoughts and actions" who wanted the space to reflect this quality while incorporating contemporary elements. This led to the strategic use of black as a defining design element throughout the residence.

The two-story duplex features a fluid spatial arrangement centered around an open-floor concept that seamlessly integrates living, dining, and outdoor patio areas. This continuous flow eliminates traditional boundaries between functional zones, creating an uninterrupted spatial experience that enhances both daily living and entertaining possibilities.

A dramatic sculptural staircase serves as the vertical connector between the floors, creating a visual pathway through the residence. The staircase culminates in an architectural portal that strategically frames views of the double-height living space below, establishing a visual dialogue between the two levels and reinforcing the home's interconnected nature.

"Design is a nonverbal form of communication," explains Das. "It's great when everyone can interpret and adapt it in their own way. We focus on spatial awareness and understanding when to step back and let things be."

The studio employed just three primary materials throughout the space: black-stained wood, travertine, and metal surfaces. "Travertine is something I use frequently in my projects," notes Das. "I incorporated black-stained wood and metal surfaces out of curiosity about their interplay." The palette is consistently applied from living spaces to bedrooms to the patio, creating visual continuity.

In the kitchen, a travertine island serves as a visual anchor, while throughout the home, spherical elements provide a counterpoint to the predominantly monochrome palette and clean architectural lines.

A moon-like hanging ceiling light is positioned in the middle of the portal overlooking the double-height space, adding to the celestial elements found throughout the home. Stem lighting fixtures are strategically placed throughout to provide ambient illumination while maintaining the project's refined material palette.

The project features black-stained floors and doors set against crisp white walls, creating a striking contrast that defines the architectural envelope. Personal touches come through carefully selected furnishings, including iconic pieces such as the Spun Chair from Magis, Camaleonda Sofa by B&B Italia, and the LC1 Chair by Cassina.

"This space reflects where my clients are right now in life—young and in a phase of growing and evolving," Das explains. "Collecting meaningful pieces takes time, and just like humans, our spaces are always evolving. This home is a canvas for them to adapt to their changing personalities and lifestyle."

Das describes her design process as visual and intuitive: "My mind works visually, so a space always evokes flashes of things I have experienced," she says. "It's about tapping into a feeling. The goal is to create a canvas for the clients to take forward and let evolve over time—spaces that are simple and bare. There is always something missing."This intentional incompleteness allows architectural elements, interior design, and the clients' individual preferences to coalesce into a sophisticated yet deeply personal environment.

The project's documentation, captured through Suryan Saurabh's lens, mirrors Das's intuitive approach to design. Working purely on instinct, Saurabh's photographs offer an emotional response to the spaces, capturing the delicate balance between completion and possibility that Das strives to achieve.

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