Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Earthy Materials Define This Bangalore Bungalow
Skylights, rammed-earth walls, athangudi flooring and the use of mud bricks makes this home an eco-friendly haven
The owners wanted a home that was environmentally sensitive. For this reason, they specifically approached Biome Environmental Solutions to design this Bangalore residence. “Their requirements were understood over a chat and it was agreed that the house would be designed around all the existing trees on the site,” senior architect Sharath Nayak says. “Other than elaborating on their needs, they gave us a free hand to come up with a design proposal.” Traditional craftsmanship plays a key role in this home’s design, which responds to the site’s constraints.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple, their daughter and a German Shepherd
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Year built: 2014
Size: Three bedrooms and bathrooms
Architectural designers: Sharath Nayak and Maitri Dore of Biome Environmental Solutions
Photographs by Dr Vivek M
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple, their daughter and a German Shepherd
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Year built: 2014
Size: Three bedrooms and bathrooms
Architectural designers: Sharath Nayak and Maitri Dore of Biome Environmental Solutions
Photographs by Dr Vivek M
The front porch is roofed with glass so that light passes unhindered through to the windows there and into the living room.
“The porch leads into the entry foyer where we have made provision for umbrellas and shoes to be stored,” Nayak says. It is a functional space, yet the addition of red athangudi flooring with patterned tiles gives it an Indian contemporary aesthetic and sets the tone for what is to come inside.
The main public areas and the guest bedroom are on the ground floor while the family bedrooms are on the upper level. An open floor plan and cutouts between floors not only facilitate better communication between these areas but also add to visual connectivity.
Apart from the flight of stairs that lead from the living room to the basement, the living, dining and kitchen areas are one continuous space. Nayak elaborates, “The living room is a few steps lower than the rest of the house and is flooded with light from two large windows that overlook the porch, while the back of the house consists of a dining area and a kitchen with a separate breakfast nook.”
The basement is partially underground and is primarily lit by a skylight located two floors above. The void below the skylight passes through the daughter’s bedroom on the first floor and a corner of the kitchen on the ground level. The other end of the basement is level with the backyard in the lower end of the sloping plot. At this end (not in image) it is naturally illuminated by two windows with coloured glass, sourced from a demolished house. “To maintain a steady temperature throughout the year, the floor is clad in terracotta tiles. Miniature Rajasthani tiles inserted at the edges of the terracotta floor add an element of interest,” the architect says.
An outdoor sitting area and the backyard can be accessed through the basement.
An outdoor sitting area and the backyard can be accessed through the basement.
The kitchen and dining areas are demarcated only by a half-wall of rammed earth. “We did not want to create two separate rooms as the space is frequently used when family friends come over and this layout allows for better visual flow,” Nayak says.
“The kitchen, dining and living areas all have a precast arch panel roof supported by precast concrete beams,” Nayak says. “The arch panels themselves are made of stabilised mud tiles, and have been painted white.”
Stabilised mud blocks of different types have been used for centuries. They are made by mixing soil, very small amounts of cement and lime, and precise quantities of water and forming blocks of chosen shape that are compressed and set. They are stronger than burnt bricks, and more eco-friendly, as far less energy is used to make them.
In one corner of the kitchen, the architect has carved out a breakfast nook. With a sloping tiled roof and large windows overlooking the garden on two sides, the nook has been visualised as a space where the family can enjoy most of their meals.
Stabilised mud blocks of different types have been used for centuries. They are made by mixing soil, very small amounts of cement and lime, and precise quantities of water and forming blocks of chosen shape that are compressed and set. They are stronger than burnt bricks, and more eco-friendly, as far less energy is used to make them.
In one corner of the kitchen, the architect has carved out a breakfast nook. With a sloping tiled roof and large windows overlooking the garden on two sides, the nook has been visualised as a space where the family can enjoy most of their meals.
A guest bedroom is directly connected to this area through a narrow passage, which also has a window to ensure good ventilation and light.
This compact room, too, uses the same elements used in the living room and the porch. “The mud bricks cast on site, skylights and the athangudi flooring act as unifying design factors that run throughout the home,” he says. Apart from the bed, the space incorporates a built-in seat that has a view of the backyard, while a large window, repurposed from a demolished house, further adds to the contemporary Indian vibe.
This compact room, too, uses the same elements used in the living room and the porch. “The mud bricks cast on site, skylights and the athangudi flooring act as unifying design factors that run throughout the home,” he says. Apart from the bed, the space incorporates a built-in seat that has a view of the backyard, while a large window, repurposed from a demolished house, further adds to the contemporary Indian vibe.
The guest bedroom comes with an ensuite bathroom.
On one side of the dining area a flight of stairs leads to the bedrooms on the upper level. A small window in the interior wall above this space makes an interesting feature. It is a window in the master bedroom that connects that room visually and spatially with the living areas below.
“Given the density of tree foliage, we incorporated skylights within the cutouts to bring natural light into spaces that normally wouldn’t receive any,” says Nayak. “We also repurposed an intricately carved wooden partition that was there before to form a part of the railings here on the upper floor.” This old Kashmiri screen belonging to the owner was taken apart to fit as panels in the railings.
8 Railings That Magically Transform Staircases
8 Railings That Magically Transform Staircases
The master suite is clad in vibrant blue athangudi floor tiles with a carpet pattern at the centre. The room has windows on two sides, one that looks into the dining area and another pair of larger ones with a view of the front entrance.
The daughter’s bedroom is also situated on this level. “Like the master bedroom, it too has separate sleeping and study, storage and bath spaces. Here, we have used patterned athangudi flooring in green and yellow and paired it with a vaulted roof of hollow clay bricks to complete the look,” says the architect.
The layout of this home takes into account the trees present on site and an incline towards the back of the plot. “We used the slope to design a basement space for leisure activities, which also gives access to the backyard,” Nayak says.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: A Mandvi Home Blends in With its Location
Houzz Tour: The House With an Inside-Outside Connection
Tell us:
What do you like most about this home? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: A Mandvi Home Blends in With its Location
Houzz Tour: The House With an Inside-Outside Connection
Tell us:
What do you like most about this home? Share your thoughts in Comments below.
Other eco-sensitive building practices have also been incorporated. One is the use of rammed-earth walls that are sturdy, control temperature and noise, repel pests and resist fire. The athangudi flooring tiles, handcrafted in Athangudi village in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, are valued for their high quality and durability. Materials from a demolished house have been reused.