The idea for this submerged house was to be a piece of architecture that blended with the contours, honouring the site while being inspired by the vistas of the Khadakwasla backwaters and the hills beyond.
Location: Pune, India
Completion Year: 2021
Gross Built Area: 314 m2
Lead Architect: Ar. Deepak Guggari
Photo credits: Hemant Patil
Design Team: Ar. Rashi Sanson, Ar. Viplav Paithankar
Clients: Mr. Ashish Patharkar
Engineering: Structural Engineering – Hansal Parikh & Associates
When we set out to create this 3375 sq ft rural belvedere, our guiding principles were the 35 degree slope of the site and the contours that appeared to step down into the lake. A succession of parallel, free-standing walls erupt from the slopes that encircle the spaces. The overall plan is split out into three levels: the top arrival level, the primary mid-level, and the bottom level. The entry to the house is at the highest elevation, and other portions of the house descend down because the site’s approach road comes from the top of the slope.
The upper level’s entrance is warm and rustic while also being unobtrusive. Beautiful details highlight the space, such as the home name carved in basalt stone, the shallow stone water basin, and the various shapes of wall niches or devlis (as they are known in the local language) to contain the votives. The mid-level of the house can be reached by descending a set of stairs carved out of the tall stone retaining walls. The mid-level, which includes the living, dining, kitchen, and master bedroom, has a complete 180-degree view of the backwaters and the hills beyond. To capture the scenery, large terraces were laid parallel to the view. One further bedroom and a partially exposed verandah are located on the lower level of the house.
The verandah space is bounded on one side by the site scenery and on the other by internal planted space. Minimally accentuated by furniture and artefacts, the aim was to keep the house barely filled up and more open. The furnishings in the house are mostly made of aged wood and built-in cement benches. Due to the large openings and terraces, the house receives enough of light and wind. A screen of sliding metal lattice panels that separately move on their axes and clear glass sliding doors make up the apertures. Unhindered views of the surroundings are provided by the glass sliding doors, and harsh reflections are eliminated and the home’s security is maintained by the metal lattice screens.
Beautiful sciography patterns are created by these screens, and they follow the path of the light as they move across a variety of surfaces. Due to the site’s extreme slope, a precise structural system had to be developed, with massive stone retaining walls holding the soil at various elevations. The sloping roof was introduced due to its location in areas prone to high rainfall. House has had an impact on regional architecture. The house’s flooring is made out of a combination of leather-finished local lime stone and flooring accented with cement. The main entrance, which is next to the approach road, features a rough Basalt stone floor that harmonises with the basic white walls with textured surfaces. Once more, a cement and limestone mixture is used to build toilets. Small elements with references to local architecture find space in this rustic abode.
