Hubli Houzz: A Sunlit Bungalow Is Woven Around Gulmohars & Vastu
This house by Khosla Associates, set in one acre of woodland, celebrates the outdoors and indoors with equal spirit
Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar
21 January 2019
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist. www.mangomonk.com
Houzz India Contributor. Internationally published architecture, design and art journalist.... More
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A businessman and his family
Location: Hubli
Year built: 2011
Size: 1020 square metres (11,000 square feet); 5 bedrooms; 5 bathrooms
Interior designers and architects: Sandeep Khosla, founder and principal, and Amaresh Anand, principal and partner, Khosla Associates
Photos by Bharath Ramamrutham
Cocooned in a lush, wooded one-acre property in this north-Karnataka city, this house is an ode to its natural surroundings. The bungalow, conceived for a Hubli-based businessman, is surrounded by towering gulmohar trees and echoes to the calls of the majestic peafowl that inhabit the grounds.
“We wove the house around the site’s natural elements. The clients wanted a low-maintenance home with wide-open spaces and the privacy of a central courtyard. They were also keen on adhering to the principles of vastu, and we incorporated these asks into our design plan. The concept of a single-level home seemed appropriate, given that the site afforded us the luxury of space. Our design proposed a dialogue between the built-up areas and open spaces,” says Sandeep Khosla, co-founder, chief architect and interior designer of Khosla Associates.
Who lives here: A businessman and his family
Location: Hubli
Year built: 2011
Size: 1020 square metres (11,000 square feet); 5 bedrooms; 5 bathrooms
Interior designers and architects: Sandeep Khosla, founder and principal, and Amaresh Anand, principal and partner, Khosla Associates
Photos by Bharath Ramamrutham
Cocooned in a lush, wooded one-acre property in this north-Karnataka city, this house is an ode to its natural surroundings. The bungalow, conceived for a Hubli-based businessman, is surrounded by towering gulmohar trees and echoes to the calls of the majestic peafowl that inhabit the grounds.
“We wove the house around the site’s natural elements. The clients wanted a low-maintenance home with wide-open spaces and the privacy of a central courtyard. They were also keen on adhering to the principles of vastu, and we incorporated these asks into our design plan. The concept of a single-level home seemed appropriate, given that the site afforded us the luxury of space. Our design proposed a dialogue between the built-up areas and open spaces,” says Sandeep Khosla, co-founder, chief architect and interior designer of Khosla Associates.
The home’s driveway winds lazily from the northeast corner of the woodland property to a freestanding gabled portico.
To the right in this image, the portico leads into the home’s main entryway. Inside the entryway (at the back, almost hidden in shadow here) stands an imposing red laterite wall , embellished with horizontal ribs of local sadharhalli stone.
“The wall leads the way to two internal entrances – the one on the left for associates of the client’s father, and the one on the right for other guests. The client emphasised the need for two entrances, to effectively demarcate the home’s professional and personal zones,” notes Khosla.
“The wall leads the way to two internal entrances – the one on the left for associates of the client’s father, and the one on the right for other guests. The client emphasised the need for two entrances, to effectively demarcate the home’s professional and personal zones,” notes Khosla.
Beyond the red laterite wall lies a vast courtyard that houses verdant greenery, flowering plants and serene water lily ponds, which together serve as an antidote to the city’s otherwise hot and dusty climate.
“The landscape design of this home was crucial in establishing a seamless connection between the built and natural environments. Balinese landscape designer Dewa Kusuma kept the tropical landscaping in and around the house a reflection of our architectural style,” says Khosla.
“The south and west wings of the house contain the bedrooms and bathrooms. A water lily and fish pond, with a line of stepping stones, fits right between the two children’s bedrooms. They can sit at their respective bay window seats and gaze endlessly at the fish swimming by,” says Khosla’s business partner and noted architect Amaresh Anand.
The home’s exterior material palette primarily features local natural stone, wood and terracotta. The earthy shell forms a striking interplay with the indigo walls in the central courtyard.
The home’s exterior material palette primarily features local natural stone, wood and terracotta. The earthy shell forms a striking interplay with the indigo walls in the central courtyard.
Khosla and Anand consulted The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to better understand how to enhance the insulation and ventilation of the bungalow, considering the region’s hot summers and humid monsoons. With a selection of interventions, they were able to lower indoor temperatures by 4–5 degrees.
“We employed vernacular sloping roofs, clad in terracotta clay tiles, to create a harmony with the natural surroundings,” says Anand.
“We employed vernacular sloping roofs, clad in terracotta clay tiles, to create a harmony with the natural surroundings,” says Anand.
Adds Khosla, “We also installed vents in the bedrooms and closets to channel heat outdoors. We supported the pitched, doubly tiled roofs over the verandah with angled wall braces, to allow rain to percolate down into harvesting pits. Likewise, we created north-facing dormer windows with high triangular trusses in the rooms for a similar functionality.”
The central open-to-sky courtyard is edged by a wraparound tiled verandah flanking all three sides.
“The 12-feet-deep verandah creates a gentle buffer between the indoor and outdoor environments. It contours itself around the functions of the home, creating permeable zones for reading, dining and contemplation. It fluidly connects the public and private zones,” says Khosla.
“The 12-feet-deep verandah creates a gentle buffer between the indoor and outdoor environments. It contours itself around the functions of the home, creating permeable zones for reading, dining and contemplation. It fluidly connects the public and private zones,” says Khosla.
The dining pavilion is an airy oasis, flanked by open spaces on both sides.
“The boundaries between the indoors and the outdoors are blurred in the dining room. The area opens out to a landscaped garden on its outer face and a secondary intimate courtyard on its inner face,” notes Anand.
“The boundaries between the indoors and the outdoors are blurred in the dining room. The area opens out to a landscaped garden on its outer face and a secondary intimate courtyard on its inner face,” notes Anand.
The master bedroom is a light-filled haven that directly overlooks the lush central courtyard. Equipped with large windows and high ceilings, it embraces nature and welcomes sunlight indoors.
The large room is decorated minimalistically, with little furniture, save for a bed, a bench and some accent chairs. The simple decor automatically channels attention to the foliage outdoors, highlighting the verdant landscape.
The large room is decorated minimalistically, with little furniture, save for a bed, a bench and some accent chairs. The simple decor automatically channels attention to the foliage outdoors, highlighting the verdant landscape.
The master bathroom hosts its own adjoining private courtyard, which boasts luxuriant verdure. The interiors of the bathroom, finished in earthy tones, serve to highlight the rich greenery outside.
Read more:
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Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
Read more:
Mumbai Houzz: A Flat Gets Its Sheen Under a Tight Deadline
This Rustic Surat Home Is Drawn From Childhood Memories
Tell us:
What did you like most about this home? Tell us in Comments below.
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This is a beautiful home. Wonderful traditional architecture, use of natural materials, not going overboard trying to make everything modern and contemporary (like most new homes in India do now). This house will always stay beautiful, functional and up to date for generations to come.
Beauuuuutiful