Bellad House

The site, a one acre wooded property in north Karnataka had towering old Gulmohar trees with peacocks strutting around and we planned a house that would weave itself around this natural environment.

Our clients wanted a home with few programmatical requirements but with the ease of large rambling open spaces and the privacy of a central courtyard. There was also a requirement to adhere to the principles of Vastu, the ancient Indian science of energy flow and placement.

The concept of a single level home seemed appropriate given the expanse of the site. So did the idea of a terracotta vernacular tiled sloping roof structure in harmony with the natural surroundings. Our design centers around an unusually large 3000 sq. ft. open core, and proposes a dialogue between the built up areas and open space. The central open-to-sky courtyard was intended as an ode to the elements of life – verdant greenery, flowering plants, and water lily pools that flank its periphery provide an antidote to the otherwise dusty and hot city environment. The courtyard has rooms and a generous wrap around verandah that creates a gentle buffer between the indoor and outdoor environments. The verandah is treated as a fluid container that contours itself around the functions of the home creating permeable zones for reading, dining and contemplation.

We consulted with TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) to better understand how to enhance the insulation and ventilation of a building in a region that happens to have hot summers and a humid monsoon. We used details such as thick walls in the south and west, double layered clay tile roofs , air vents, and roof insulation that lower temperatures indoors by 4-5 degrees