The element of space making here has been conveyed to the Architect to carefully deliberate a culturally well rooted space that springs up an emotion of ancestry.
Project Name: ಬೃಂದಾವನ (font in local language Kannada) – Brindavana
Office Name: Veerajshetdesignstudio
Completion Year: 2022
Gross Built Area (m2/ ft2): 3000 ft2
Project Location: Bengaluru, India
Lead Architects: Veeraj P Shet
Photo Credits: Studio recall
Brindavana in Kannada translates to the structure that houses the holy plant “Basil”. The clients hail from the temple town of Udupi- a place that endorses a rich coastal heritage.
It was very important for them to house a lot of childhood memories from their hometown and weave up their new space in Bengaluru without having to deviate from all of their ancestral roots. A sense of earthy coastal ambiance is held around different aspects of spatial, material and experiential details.
A corner plot of 24’x 44’, with streets on the south and west sides pave way to sharp stroking of sun at all levels which is handled very well with a façade structure comprising rectangular clay sections that are held by structures of MS. This acts as a double layered screen that diffuses light into the interiors of this residence.
A well spread entrance opens up to a veranda that is lined with a low granite seating along the periphery. The space entertains a lot of informal interactions which is also complimented with the cool breeze that gushes through the picket fencing. The main door made of jackfruit wood is a fine piece of traditional carpentry of the coastal region of Karnataka. Arriving at a well-lit Foyer in the North east houses a stairway up and a room for elderly members on the rear end with a kitchen counter for some informal/ quick cooking. Ascending the stairway transforms the space into a widespread hallway that reflects the traditional aspects of a traditional household with wooden furniture and bell metal artifacts.
The living space overlooks the street on the western side. The spatial layout plays a prominent role in housing interactions from multiple levels. Pooja and dining room sits at the centre of the eastern zone which is open to a triple height space. The light plays a dramatic role through the duration of the day. The round wooden columns of the Pooja room resemble the columns of traditional courtyard homes.
The private spaces like bedrooms have heights enough for the roles of being cozy and compact, while common areas have cinematic roles to play and keep it open for interactions. A level higher has a bridge connecting the bedrooms zoned in the North and South direction that also overlooks the dining area topped with a sloping roof with a pattern of opening for light to softly make its way -which encapsulate the essence of coastal clay roofs. The flight of staircase has tiny nooks for a library and interesting spaces all along. At the arrival of the last floor the geometry of the sloping roof gables just above the human height to make it look like the rustic attics of ancestral homes. This pathway opens up to terraces on either end which sandwiches a small office space that is well lit as well.
The floors have a jet-black leather finish granite to keep it cool, earthy and sober. While the stairs have woodened up to keep it light and breezy. The triple Height wall is cladded with the red laterite stone which trademarks for a coastal residence and keeps it relatively live.
