Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Light and Shadow Create Layered Spaces in a Bungalow
This Belgaum home's design language is strong with the interplay between light and architecture
Savina and Oswald, a couple originally from Mangalore, approached Anahata Architects to build a modern contemporary house at Belgaum in Karnataka. “The idea was to create a more pure form of architecture, stripped of its nonessentials, reduced only to its basic elements and the feelings that the space itself evokes,” Puneeth Hegde, principal architect of Anahata Architects, says.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with their two children aged 10 and 12
Location: Belgaum, Karnataka
Year built: 2017
Size: 214 square metres (2300 square feet); 4 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms; 1 powder room
Architectural designers: Mithila Manolkar and Puneeth Hegde from Anahata Architects
Photos by Shamanth J Patil
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple with their two children aged 10 and 12
Location: Belgaum, Karnataka
Year built: 2017
Size: 214 square metres (2300 square feet); 4 bedrooms; 3 bathrooms; 1 powder room
Architectural designers: Mithila Manolkar and Puneeth Hegde from Anahata Architects
Photos by Shamanth J Patil
The rectangular plot for the Padival house posed a challenge for the architects, as the site opened on the west to a major road. “The clients wanted an introverted house to retain their privacy and control the glare and the heat of the sun. The houses in that neighbourhood have tinted black glass to combat the harsh sun and we wanted to avoid using tinted glass. Hence, we decided to go with a blank facade. However, the house is well-ventilated,” says Puneeth Hegde, principal architect of Anahata Architects. The blank facade is built in a layered format with a couple of sections protruding as box-shaped structures. “The programme is organised into spatial compartments around the courtyard, based on the function they are designed to serve. Each of these compartments further evolves into primordial geometric masses.” Mithila Manolkar says.
The unique facade envelopes a contemporary interior where different structures connect seamlessly across different floors. It is the materials used in the interiors that lend colour here; thus there is a consistency of shades in the home. The cool grey of the concrete ceiling and stone tiles is balanced by the warmth of brass and wood used for railings and furniture, while the white walls add lightness to this mix. “The concrete ceiling is left exposed to add a sense of informality in contrast to the smooth white plastered walls,” Manolkar says.
Light is used as an integral component in the layout of this house. “Light as a building material is sculpted carefully to define spaces and their functionalities. As the sunlight moves throughout the day, the shadows make the space dynamic and ever-changing across all seasons. The perception of space varies depending on where one is standing in relation to the light wells,” Hegde says.
Two major light wells are created using only slim horizontal beams as the ceiling. These wells are in the courtyard and the stairs leading to the barsati (rooftop room). “The flow of light is further maximised by the fenestration placed around the house. These areas have a subtle yet perpetual play of light and shadow, creating a high sense of order and visual impression,” Manolkar says.
Two major light wells are created using only slim horizontal beams as the ceiling. These wells are in the courtyard and the stairs leading to the barsati (rooftop room). “The flow of light is further maximised by the fenestration placed around the house. These areas have a subtle yet perpetual play of light and shadow, creating a high sense of order and visual impression,” Manolkar says.
The greenery-filled courtyard, on the left as one enters through the lobby, takes centre stage on the ground floor. “The homeowners are from Mangalore, so the idea to develop the house around the courtyard came to us, as traditional homes in Mangalore are also built the same way,” Hegde says. However, the architects gave a modern twist to this integral feature of a traditional home. Manolkar says, “We chose to vividly reflect the memories of a courtyard, readapting the vernacular typology to a house in an urban context.”
Several potted plants of different heights placed around the area impart a more natural and less tailored look. “The green courtyard and the stone flooring keep the house cool from the inside,” Hegde says. The floor of the courtyard is a little lower than the rest of the area on the ground floor.
Several potted plants of different heights placed around the area impart a more natural and less tailored look. “The green courtyard and the stone flooring keep the house cool from the inside,” Hegde says. The floor of the courtyard is a little lower than the rest of the area on the ground floor.
It forms the central space of the house and connects with the rest of the areas in the two-storey structure. The ceiling of the courtyard, which lies two storeys above, creates a light well and floods the interior of the house with natural light. “The shadows formed by the courtyard skylight empirically reinterpret the patterns of artist S.H. Raza’s paintings,” Manolkar explains.
In fact, the influences of the work of S.H. Raza, the famed contemporary Indian artist, inspire many spaces in the house. “His approach to colour, line, space and light, the geometries of his paintings, all reveal a deeper understanding of emotions,” Manolkar says.
In fact, the influences of the work of S.H. Raza, the famed contemporary Indian artist, inspire many spaces in the house. “His approach to colour, line, space and light, the geometries of his paintings, all reveal a deeper understanding of emotions,” Manolkar says.
The living room lies on the right of the entrance lobby. The area has a one-and-a-half-floor height, which reduces to single height to form the lobby. A patterned square made of yellow Jaisalmer stone, red sandstone, white marble and black kadappa stone adds a vibrant touch to the living room floor. “It’s an abstraction of the painting ‘Tanava’ by Raza,” Manolkar says. The tabletops of the side tables and the coffee table, shaped like inverted pyramids, match the colourful geometric pattern on the floor.
“The pattern rises into the third dimension with the floating pyramid stools and coffee table set in harmony. These stools, the coffee table and the dining table have been unique to this project,” Manolkar says.
The dining area shares the ground floor space with the living area and the courtyard in an open-plan layout. “The river-finish tandoor flooring seamlessly connects the living and dining spaces to the courtyard,” Hegde says. A straight-line dining table with chairs and bench, all made of teak wood, have been added to the dining space. The only other furniture in the area is a wall-hung cabinet made of the same wood. Utensils like a tiffin box, a kettle and containers in an older design style in brass infuse the memory of a traditional household, just like the courtyard.
The ground floor also includes a bedroom with attached toilet, a kitchen, a storeroom and a powder room.
The concrete stairs, with wood cladding on the steps and a brass railing, lead up to an altar, which is the prayer room of the family. A cross made of brass and a white table below it form the setup.
“Externally, the altar disconnects from the living room wall, giving the impression of a floating cube sliding out of the main facade,” Hegde says.
The stairs lead onwards to the first floor, which is also a mix of open and closed areas.
A small library occupies the open-floor space on the left of the stairs. “The triangular bookshelf reflects the play of light each time the sun engages on the wall behind,” Manolkar says. “Keeping with the minimal approach to decor, we have kept an easy chair and a table in this area,” Hegde adds.
A small library occupies the open-floor space on the left of the stairs. “The triangular bookshelf reflects the play of light each time the sun engages on the wall behind,” Manolkar says. “Keeping with the minimal approach to decor, we have kept an easy chair and a table in this area,” Hegde adds.
The master bedroom with an attached bathroom, the children’s room, a guest bedroom and a common bathroom make up the private areas on this floor.
“The concrete walls of the private spaces around the courtyard are kept low, with glass covering the rest of the space, reaching up to the ceiling. The courtyard thus flows into the bedrooms, blurring the boundaries of the courtyard while establishing a connection with the internal spaces of the house. The spatial strategy is designed to visually connect spaces to allow a sense of communication,” says Puneeth.
The glass and concrete combination in walls is evident in the children’s room, where the clerestory windows on the outer wall are visible from inside. The room, too, has a clerestory window instead of a conventional one. The first floor has flooring of mirror-finish kota tiles, except for the master bedroom, where teak wood is used on the floors.
The furniture in all the bedrooms is made of teak. “All the furniture – beds, stools, chairs, sofas and the rest – were custom-made on site,” Hegde says. The sculpted design on the wooden wardrobes in the first-floor guest room is inspired by Raza’s painting ‘White Crosses’.
A modern-style fourposter bed, with a pair of slanted beams, resonates with the theme of using traditional objects built in a contemporary style. Brass accessories and a planter act as the decor element in this bedroom.
A modern-style fourposter bed, with a pair of slanted beams, resonates with the theme of using traditional objects built in a contemporary style. Brass accessories and a planter act as the decor element in this bedroom.
The master bathroom has a lighter colour palette than the rest of the house as the stone used here has a grainy pattern in a neutral shade.
See more pictures of this house
See more pictures of this house
Similarly, the open area above the dining space is used as a family lounge. A teakwood sofa with tan cushions and a table take up this area.
A flight of stairs bathed in sunshine leads from the family lounge to the barsati. This is another space that brings light into the house. See how the thin beams on its ceiling cast an artistic pattern on the wall next to the stairs. “The barsati forms the terrace of the living room and it is used as a pantry by the family during terrace parties,” Manolkar says.
The house is an abstract composition of masses responding to the westward sun. “The sharp shadows move as the day progresses, giving life to the facade. The compound wall is designed to resemble a fabric, very light and absent, keeping the composition undisturbed. The house attempts to stand as a piece of art.” Hegde concludes.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: Minimalism Meets Vintage in This Bangalore Holiday Home
Houzz Tour: A Sun-Soaked House Maximises on Its Green Surroundings
Tell us:
What do you think of this home with seamlessly flowing architecture? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
A flight of stairs bathed in sunshine leads from the family lounge to the barsati. This is another space that brings light into the house. See how the thin beams on its ceiling cast an artistic pattern on the wall next to the stairs. “The barsati forms the terrace of the living room and it is used as a pantry by the family during terrace parties,” Manolkar says.
The house is an abstract composition of masses responding to the westward sun. “The sharp shadows move as the day progresses, giving life to the facade. The compound wall is designed to resemble a fabric, very light and absent, keeping the composition undisturbed. The house attempts to stand as a piece of art.” Hegde concludes.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: Minimalism Meets Vintage in This Bangalore Holiday Home
Houzz Tour: A Sun-Soaked House Maximises on Its Green Surroundings
Tell us:
What do you think of this home with seamlessly flowing architecture? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
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