3 Stunning Indian Homes That Are Also Environmentally Conscious
Take a leaf from the books of these homes that are doing their bit in keeping a greener planet
Sustainability, like charity, begins at home – rather, when we begin to build one. Broadly speaking, sustainable architecture should result in a home that is energy efficient, respectful of the natural environment and ecologically designed. These three homes strive to do all of that while maintaining comfort for family life, and in doing so, have set an example. After all, every little bit counts if we wish to leave the world a better place for future generations.
Pitched tiled roofs, double-height spaces, a maze of interconnecting courtyards and wide verandahs maximise cross-ventilation and minimise the use of air conditioners. The house uses a range of materials, from timber and bricks to Cudappah stone, which are mostly locally sourced. Forethought has gone into using traditional tiles for the roof, in the hope that one day they can be replaced by affordable solar tiles.
Find an architect to design your home
Find an architect to design your home
Each of the bathrooms is ensconced in an open-to-nature courtyard. Rain water is harvested and solar energy is used for heating water.
In addition, water is recycled through a non-chemical recycling system – a great blessing for an ‘underground’ greenhouse and an organic farm on the premises.
Tour this house here
Tour this house here
2. Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Firm: SPASM Design Architects
Built: 2016
This was a house built to preserve the 284 trees on its site and to take maximum advantage of their presence. In a city which suffers intense heat for most part of the year, this was a wise decision.
Get inspired by more exterior designs from across the world
Firm: SPASM Design Architects
Built: 2016
This was a house built to preserve the 284 trees on its site and to take maximum advantage of their presence. In a city which suffers intense heat for most part of the year, this was a wise decision.
Get inspired by more exterior designs from across the world
In the endeavour to accommodate the trees, the design resulted in several courtyards (that allow cool air to flow in) and a 16-metre entrance lobby that is built around a neem tree.
The large living room is enclosed in glass walls on either side, connecting the indoors to the outdoors. Rammed-earth walls and a cantilevered upper floor keep the ground floor cool in the hottest of months.
Materials and techniques used are locally sourced and traditionally proven, such as the Bhaswara marble used in the bathrooms, or the jali screens incorporated for cooling the upper level.
Read more about the house here
Read more about the house here
3. Location: Karjat, Maharashtra
Firm: Architecture Brio
Built: 2015
A getaway home that seamlessly blends in with its wild surroundings is the Riparian House at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The house is a prime example of architecture blending with nature, quite literally, in fact, as can be seen in the picture.
Firm: Architecture Brio
Built: 2015
A getaway home that seamlessly blends in with its wild surroundings is the Riparian House at the foothills of the Western Ghats. The house is a prime example of architecture blending with nature, quite literally, in fact, as can be seen in the picture.
The roof of the house (which merges in with the embankment) is planted with drought-resistant grass that keeps the house cool through the summer months.
The kitchen opens to an open-to-sky courtyard and semi-underground rock dugout that was exposed during the excavation process and left as it was to emphasise the connect with nature.
Look for eco-friendly courtyard designs among these photos
Look for eco-friendly courtyard designs among these photos
The verandahs are set deep to enable circulation of air and are enclosed with bamboo poles – a bid for privacy and camouflage at the same time. The house is built with a mixed palette of materials such as bamboo, timber planks, limestone masonry and yellow Jaisalmer limestone – all in their natural form and locally sourced.
Read more:
Lessons From Vernacular Architecture That Apply Even Today
Houzz Forum: What is Sustainability in the Indian Context?
Tell us:
What does sustainable architecture mean to you? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Lessons From Vernacular Architecture That Apply Even Today
Houzz Forum: What is Sustainability in the Indian Context?
Tell us:
What does sustainable architecture mean to you? Tell us in Comments below.
Firm: Kumar Moorthy & Associates
This home is a reflection of the owners’ cultural roots in Kerala, transported to the warm climes of Delhi, and their belief in sustainable living. A waterbody at the entrance and dense vegetation all around, is one’s introduction to the home’s connection with nature.