Site

“The site is mostly a hill, and just at the top, the land starts flattening
out into a plateau, from where you have this view of the river winding
past, the mountain range surrounding the area and Matheran further
into the distance
This project was a serendipitous coming together of the two involved
parties: a client who wanted the “house to blend into the landscape,
have a lot of open spaces, and a modern aesthetic”, and a firm that
believed building was as much about being respectful of the
surrounding landscape as it was about a strong aesthetic.
Creating a view facing the river and extending the flat land on top
above the roof—those were the two dominant themes that defined the
architectural language. The house sort of sits like a box that is
protruding out of the land, with a very open front,” Balwani explains.
The space around you is at a human scale; so you feel comfortable, but
there is also this endlessness.”
endless scenery; a languorous river; the kind of space that absolutely
demands a wrap-around veranda, an outdoor deck and a pool. All of
which was a natural progression of a design that emerged top-down.
“That roof was something that we knew we wanted, then the space
below followed naturally, like a box inserted in the earth. And then
there was the open vista and how to protect it, followed by the
veranda,
The private spaces are tucked into the earth. “That also keeps the
rooms cool and close to the earth, and the roof on top extending
behind, gives the impression of a cosy, cave-like space,” says Balwani.
Every room has a view of the outdoors that defines it, gives it its
unique character.
he rooms consciously wear different looks. Like the chequered
flooring of the living room, or the stone used in the bedrooms—all
locally sourced and ranging from white Indian marble to black
kadappa. A timber border, spilling over into the living room from the
deck, is carried through in all the rooms, ensuring continuity. The
walls are lime-plastered to “allow them to breathe”. The homeowners’
request for different-coloured doors for each room—turquoise, yellow
and red, to identify them based on colour—was also incorporated. The
floor-to-ceiling windows at the front have been broken down into
panels and framed with galvanized steel to prevent rusting.
water seepage were dealt with, beginning with the uniquely created
roof covered in lawn grass and white and purple drought-tolerant
fountain grass.
The house is placed on the banks of the stream where it makes a sudden S-curve. A short
walk along the stream before entering the house builds up an element of anticipation.
a beautiful tree, a view of the mountains beyond or the cascading stream during the
monsoon rains
The external form of the house responds to site and its orientation and flows from high to
low in accordance with the monolithic fluidity of its form. Internally, however, it responds
to the creation of space, and directs the eye to frame a particular view.
the pool enters the dining room on the left side
The house is cast in plank-finished concrete with a vertical grain. The homogenous
materialization emphasizes the sculptural quality of the house that is moulding itself about
the site.
grey textured surface provides a muted surface against the vibrant green
surrounding. Elegant timber screens further soften the greyness of the concrete. They not
only form a buffer between the interior space and the exteriors, but also create an intensive
play of shadow and light on the floors and walls.