Houzz Tour: A Tree Grows Through This Bangalore Home
This city home is charmingly drenched in sunlight and enveloped by trees
In the bustling urban neighbourhood of Wilson Garden, Bangalore, stands a Zen villa. The Bysani House sits on the edge of a half-acre of wooded garden that belongs to the neighbours. When Bangalore-based Architecture Paradigm first visited the empty plot, they were instantly struck by the old trees that surrounded the place. “Being on site gave us the feeling of being enveloped and sheltered by the trees. What caught our attention was the play of light through branches and leaves, which was quite dramatic,” says Sandeep J, one of the three principal architects of Architecture Paradigm.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Bangalore
Size: 570 square metres plot; five bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, home theatre, spa and an indoor swimming pool
Architects and designers: Sandeep J, Manoj Ladhad and the late Vimal Jain of Architecture Paradigm
That’s Interesting: Won the award for Residence Design with a Difference – Special Mention by A+D Cera in 2014
Houzz at a Glance
Location: Bangalore
Size: 570 square metres plot; five bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, home theatre, spa and an indoor swimming pool
Architects and designers: Sandeep J, Manoj Ladhad and the late Vimal Jain of Architecture Paradigm
That’s Interesting: Won the award for Residence Design with a Difference – Special Mention by A+D Cera in 2014
“The original site consisted of several loose but large rocks, which in turn seeded the idea of a porous structure that absorbed its surroundings,” explains Sandeep. The design that evolved was of a raised pavilion that houses the living areas and bedrooms, with an excavated cave-like space below for the swimming pool, home theatre and spa.
The living area is separated from the bedrooms by a puja room and a glass hydraulic lift. It is situated along the northern side of the house and has warm yellow marble flooring and furniture in muted hues. The white walls are in no need of embellishments. Light is allowed to filter in on the walls and floors through a geometric grille-like design. The result is a stunning pattern of light and shade on walls and other surfaces.
This play of light is a consistent feature across the home. Free of clutter, bright colours and elaborate patterns, the interiors almost channel a Scandinavia meets Japanese design sensibility.
This play of light is a consistent feature across the home. Free of clutter, bright colours and elaborate patterns, the interiors almost channel a Scandinavia meets Japanese design sensibility.
The living room is an expansive double-height space that’s minimally furnished. It’s ornamented by an unobstructed view of a manicured garden, which is as much a part of the experience as the clean-lined white coffee table.
The vertically aligned open garden also effortlessly disguises the boundary walls of the house.
The vertically aligned open garden also effortlessly disguises the boundary walls of the house.
The L-shaped modular sofa in a muted dark beige, blends perfectly with the nature-inspired space.
One of the two indoor water bodies, excluding the swimming pool, is flanked on both sides by greenery. “Water bodies are introduced into the house as thermal regulators. They create a foreground to capture the sky and surroundings through reflections,” says Sandeep.
This water feature not only cools the space but also introduces the meditative sound of flowing water.
This water feature not only cools the space but also introduces the meditative sound of flowing water.
The kitchen and dining room are separated from the living space by a glass partition that makes the large space seem more expansive. The area near the dining table borrows a section of the water feature. “The spaces allow for contemplation and also socialising, giving people opportunities to come together, celebrating the place and life,” explains the architect.
Much like the walls in the living room, the yellow marble floor in the kitchen is adorned by the shadows of a rain tree that frames the southern wall.
Much like the walls in the living room, the yellow marble floor in the kitchen is adorned by the shadows of a rain tree that frames the southern wall.
The level above holds all five bedrooms and can be accessed via stairs and an indoor elevator.
The western side of the house is aligned with the neighbour’s wooded garden. To make the most of the stunning situation, all the bedrooms are located along this part of the house. Apart from making for a stellar backdrop, it provides privacy and natural shade from harsh sunlight.
The west-facing bedrooms have movable vertical fins that allow the homeowners to control light and privacy. The interiors of the master bedrooms are woody and white, and a queen-size bed with a wooden headboard dominates the space.
The west-facing bedrooms have movable vertical fins that allow the homeowners to control light and privacy. The interiors of the master bedrooms are woody and white, and a queen-size bed with a wooden headboard dominates the space.
In another bedroom, the Japanese-style platform double bed is accompanied by a retro yet futuristic chair. The three-dimensional wall over the bed incorporates shelves as well as a study desk into its design.
One of the bathrooms upstairs has a beautiful and permanent fixture: the same rain tree from the kitchen below is allowed to access the home once again. “The trunk and limbs of this tree are allowed to invade various parts of the house; one goes through the kitchen and the other goes through the washroom, giving the space its unique character,” says Sandeep.
The golden mosaic feature wall by the built-in tub offsets the all-grey tone of the washroom to introduce warmth and colour while the skylight helps illuminate the space.
The golden mosaic feature wall by the built-in tub offsets the all-grey tone of the washroom to introduce warmth and colour while the skylight helps illuminate the space.
According to the architect, the materials used at each of the levels of this Bangalore home amplify the idea of the pavilion and the cave. They use white plastered surfaces and yellow marble on the upper level to add lightness while the cave-like area below was created using black textured granite and stone grit.
In this excavated cave-like space below that houses the swimming pool, home theatre and spa is a Vitarka Mudra of Buddha sculpture, which further enhances the sense of calm.
In this excavated cave-like space below that houses the swimming pool, home theatre and spa is a Vitarka Mudra of Buddha sculpture, which further enhances the sense of calm.
The indoor swimming pool is at the lowermost level, which has been lit to look like a den. Modulated natural light filters through strategically placed skylights in the two water bodies on the upper levels. Recessed artificial light over the pool supplies additional brightness.
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Tell us: What did you like most about this city home? Share your views in Comments below.
Read more:
An Ahmedabad Home Uses Nature to Combat Climate
Deft Design and Clean Lines Make This Mumbai Home Shine
Tell us: What did you like most about this city home? Share your views in Comments below.
The low-maintenance concrete front yard leads to a series of stairs and a contemporary home that’s raised above the ground. “The decision to lift was to address the issues of parking, privacy and hard-top strata of the land. It also allows the home better exposure to the neighbour’s landscape along its western edge, one of the key aspects of the experience,” Sandeep adds.