July 14, 2005

Many houses are built on split levels, but Shanaz Ramzies across a house that has 12 levels. The owners have deliberately done this

Traditionally, houses are either single storey or double storey, although the trend for basements is also popular these days. Split levels are in vogue too, but most of the homes tend to have either the drawing room or the lounge at a split level.

Rarely, if ever, does one come across a home that has 12 levels. Javeria and Manzoor Ahmed Ahsan are a couple residing in Lahore, who have deliberately built a house divided into various levels as they wanted to keep an eye on all sections of the house and ensure that no area was totally locked out.

The exterior facade doesn’t prepare one for what lies within. As you enter through the wood and glass antique style door, a brick archway greets you. In fact, practically the whole house has brick walls making the place maintenance-free and simultaneously keeping it cool.

You get a view of the basement (technically level one of the house), which has a cabinet and a huge kite propped against one wall.

A lamp, an old single seater and a planter dress the foyer (at level two), which also boasts an attractive mirror encased in a filigree frame. The same floor has a small cosy sitting room with a leather sofa against one wall and two single seaters in orange upholstery against the other. The room opens out into a small area protected by grills that overlooks the garden.

What’s more, practically every room has a similar space, allowing the outside of the house to become a part of the inside, while ensuring security for the residents at the same time. Even the kitchen has a vista.

A level up and you reach the drawing room, which has a magnificent view of the garden through French windows. Maroon and beige blinds on the windows complement beige sofas and a grey divan having beige gao takyas lying against the fireplace.

The mantlepiece over the fireplace is adorned with decoration pieces, and all the walls with paintings of old Lahore.

A slim, tall lamp; a planter; a huge carved wooden table with knick-knacks on it and eclectic furniture give the room a distinct look. A marble ledge adorned with cushions overlooking the open dining area provides additional sitting space.

To reach the dining room and kitchen you have to climb another three steps. A wooden table with ceramic pieces lies immediately before you, while to your left the room opens into a patio that has been done up like a greenhouse, with garden chairs and a table. The main pieces of furniture in the dining room are a round table and an oldfashioned sideboard.

The next level is used as an informal family lounge. As in most parts of the house, arches dominate the room instead of walls, so that one can get a clear view of the interior no matter where you are in the house.

Level six leads you to the part of the house that has the bedrooms. An ironing board and wicker furniture are placed here while the arches are decorated with interesting artefacts. The window is of filigree and boasts the same pattern that is found everywhere else in the house – a six-pointed star.

The seventh, eighth and ninth levels have one bedroom each floor, while the tenth, eleventh and twelfth levels comprise three different sections of the roof. This is a house that is undoubtedly unique for being compact in spite of its numerous levels.

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