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The project was developed around a hidden courtyard, which brings dense tropical vegetation into the house
It all stems from the idea of a courtyard: an empty space, guarded in the privacy of the house, while expanding its borders, mixing them with the sky and nature. In the Jayanagara district of Bangalore, India, a residential lot surrounded by small houses and dense vegetation was purchased by the Mukunds, to construct their family residence. The project, entrusted to Kukke Architects, started with a type of residence typical of southern India: a house with an internal courtyard. Traditionally, this was a space in which to enjoy nature not only in a contemplative dimension, but also a place to carry out a range of functional living activities, a space for climatic relief, and a place that brings people closer to nature, in an environment that is neither inside nor outside the house.
Starting from this archetype and studying the traditional courtyard houses of the northern Karnataka, the Indian state of which Bangalore is the largest city, the architects arranged the volumes of the residence within the lot, leaving a large void in the northern portion, separated from the other home by a massive green wall. It is in this portion that the internal courtyard was created: a secret garden that creeps into the volume of the architecture.
The house, which develops on four levels, including a basement, is constructed around the garden, in which the fundamental element associated with the vegetation is the presence of water. Beyond recalling typically tropical and lush atmospheres, this element governs the composition, dividing the residence longitudinally.
A slender and narrow basin runs through the architectural volumes on the ground floor, separating the family area from the guest spaces on this floor. The basin carves out an opening above it that arrives at the sky, like a lightwell that brings light internally to each level.
The ground floor houses the guest room, the living room for more “formal” occasions, and the kitchen with the dining and living room, dedicated to the family: the rooms look out through floor-to-ceiling windows and are separated by water. The spaces also enjoy views of the garden, which seems to enter the house through the large glass windows.
The upper floor houses the master bedroom and the couple’s daughter’s room, each equipped with a private bathroom.
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The interiors are defined by a minimal color palette: the white of the walls and the neutral colors of the wood give warmth to the environment. Only a few materials are used: the living room, dining room, and kitchen feature Austrian white marble cladding, while the private rooms have an extensive use of wood – the Burmese teak colors the environments and imbues the spaces with a vaguely colonial atmosphere. In contrast with this neutral background, the bright green palette of the external vegetation enters inside through the large windows.
On the roof, which has a habitable terrace, there are photovoltaic panels that produce electric energy which surpasses the needs of the house. The excess is given to BESCOM – Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company – making the building energy NET-Positive.
The façades, defined by staggered and projecting volumes, feature a composition of various materials – dark granite and travertine cladding – that give the residence a strong textural look.
Lastly, the windows facing the outside are shaded by sliding copper panels, decorated with a textile woven by local artisans: this aesthetic element blends in chromatically with the surrounding environment.
Location: Jayanagar, Bangalore, India
Completion: 2019
Client: Private
Building area: 724 m2
Architecture: Kukke Architects
Photography by Teepoi LLP, courtesy of Kukke Architects
