City: BENGALURU

Name & Location: Weekend Home for Dubey’s, Shantivanetan, Hessarghatta, Bangalore

Cost of Project (INR): 38 Lakhs

Built-up area: 3,700 SFT (343.80 SQMTS)
(In case of Public Building minimum built-up area should be 1000 sq. meter)

Description of Project:

Separate enclosure attached

Materials of Construction Details:

Concrete blocks for wall, plastered and painted

Room flooring with granolithic, finished with epoxy

Outdoor flooring with 40mm thick Sadarhalli granite

Aluminium sliding glazed (3 track) windows

Chowkats with MS grills for safety

Flush doors for rooms with salwood frames

RCC roofs

Special Features:

Private landscaped courts for each of the rooms

Combination of flat and sloped roofs in order to play with volumes

Colour used to create different layers of walls

Earth hugging form and structure

 

Salient Features of the Project

Name & Location :  Art Village — Valley School
Cost of Project : Rs. 0.70 crores
Built-up area : 7645 sq. ft.

Description of Project:

The School at Bangalore is located on the outskirts of the city on a sprawling wooded campus. One of the school’s main objectives is to inculcate in its students an apprecitive and sensitive response to nature.

The Art Village integrates a building onto a verdant and virgin site, by retaining and acknowledging existing features of the site such as foliage and topography, and frarnes the vistas of its surroundings with its predominantly rectilinear form.

The Art Viilage grew cut of a rational moduie of a 6m span so that a sing.e truss design could be used throughout the building to keep costs to e minimum, given that there were no,consultants (structurai cr otherwise) fcr this project.

The sloped terrain of the site is thickly wooded with a picturesque lake to the south. The building as designed and positioned on the site ensures that the natural forces of the site the foltage, the topography, the water run-off and the vistas forrn an integral part of the overall design

The east wing houses the fine arts. The large built spaces are offset by a sequence of open spaces, which serve as dis:play or exhibition areas for the student’s works while allowing access to every pavilion of this wing.

The west wing houses the performing arts studios. Aptly, here the courts are spaces tc perform m, to socialize, to meet people and to celebrate

The large centra’ amphitheatre is the focal point of the art village. The open-air theatre aiong with both the wings pa’ys homage to the grand old banyan tree. Built in brick and stone, it bridges the two wings and is a gathering place for the school.

Materials of Construction Details:

The use of exposed granite atnd masonry and walls of table-moulded bricks and the various paving materials with their; colours of the earth embed the building into its natural context

Art is intrinsic to the architecture of this building and not mere!y an appendage. The clay  sculptures of animal headc adcrn the eaves of the pavilions’ sloping roofs in a classic fusion of art and architecture. Most noticeable is the sculpture of two children seated
high on the wall of the east entrance.

The windows and doors area all procured from old demolished buildings.
The roofs use Mangalore tiles.

Special Features:

In keeping with the spirit of art and craft, this project was executed using predominantly hand-done working drawings.
Moreover, it was executed on a tight budget drawn from funds contributed by the parents of Valley School students.
In having three graded kinds of spaces – Open courts that acted as classrooms, pavilions that are semi-open and the enclosed halls and rooms, the art village achieves richness of volumes.
The building is deliberately rectilinear so that it ‘frames’ and ‘contrasts’ with its natural organic environs thereby enhancing and emphasizing it. The building sits gently along the existing contours embedding itself into the profile of the slope thereby minimizing retention and cutting of the land.
The walls serve as a suitable canvas for the students to paint on — be it graffiti or traditional motifs.

SPA BLOCK at SHREYAS YOGA RETREAT

Designed as a ‘Retreat within Retreat’, the 20,000 Sqft spa block is a new ‘insert’ at the Shreyas Yoga Retreat that offers spectacular layers of spaces and experiences.

The Architectural Vision is planned as a sustainable model, focusing strongly on the connect of man in the realm of nature. The main block disappears into the earth and is half submerged to connect to the isolating quality of the earth, with the light and air movement planned from a series of sunken courts. The approach to the main area slowly opens up a plethora of spaces which are programmatically planned to suit the smooth spatial transitions of the guests.

The entire feel is organic with natural light washing the exposed walls and ceilings with a spectacular play of light and shadows. The spaces are further held together with a strong design language of Indian stones like Kota, Hand crafted jaali screens, solid wood doors and openings which merge the interior and exteriors, quite literally.  

The Guest Lounge area opens up to a Central Court with water body on one side, and to a Sunken Court on the other. Private Consultation rooms are part of the main spaces, but are silently tucked away beside the water body.

The spa block is seen as a semi-detached sequence that utilizes the adaptive approach with each unit fitted to the purpose it serves. Each spa room (measuring upto 600 sqft) is positioned to offer spectacular views of the site / surroundings, whilst concealing the guests from the outside with local exposed brick jaali works as the shell. The structure’s porous cell conceals a softer environment inside and the private open to sky lounge spaces (for after treatment relaxation) bringing in natural daylights into all spaces. With the spa offering an array of treatment options with the 10 massage rooms, one can experience the holistic Ayurveda treatments based on age-old therapies, or choose from the Oriental and western offerings from the menu.

The landscape merges the geometry of network of the surrounding paths to form break-away spaces for the guests to lounge. These buffer zones create smooth transitions from the exterior, to semi covered spaces, and also offer a beautiful play of light. 

With each block growing from the sunken gardens into the sky, often blending into a series of greens, the organic approach seamlessly fuses the inherent sense of lightness expected from a space so serene. The feel is further exaggerated on the upper level, in the 2000 sqft Meditation and Yoga pavilion, with large openings on the east, allowing natural sunlight to create a powerful setting for the Yoga sessions at sunrise. The Large Pavilion opens up further to a series of private Yoga and Meditation Spaces offering beautiful varied settings using the natural play of light and shadows of the sun against the roof jaali’s / screens.  

Separate spa facilities for men and women include steam rooms, and experiential showers. Outside, the spa includes meditation areas, a Jacuzzi, salon and gymnasium connected with sunken courts and open and partially open lounge spaces for the guests. The facilities also include Naturopathy treatments within the block for a holistic wellness experience connected attached to an open to sky court.  

The book-store connected with the reception and the lounge areas allow the guests to explore literature on India, Ayurveda, Wellness, Food, books published by Shreyas Retreat and more at leisure.

Kaggalipura is a small town situated 40km south of Bengaluru city. The 3-acre farmland is a fruit orchard where trees such as mango, sapota, banana, coconut, butter fruit, and jackfruit are grown.

The site offered various opportunities for design. A sloping landscape allowed a rainwater collection system to be created to sustain the existing farming practices. A steep four metre drop preceded by flat land allowed the building to be tucked into the landscape with minimal cutting. The southern side is sunken along this drop, mitigating heat gain, while the northern side opens to the landscape and takes advantage of the light. The rooftops are filled, lending a sense of continuity to the landscape, increase thermal mass and keep the spaces underneath cool, and offer opportunities for small-scale farming above.

The idea started with multifunctional caves, tucked within the earth with its existing terrain, like unfinished ruins, planned in and around existing trees, eventually over the years becoming part of nature.

The materials used are all locally sourced, with a minimal footprint. The larger boulders excavated from site were used for the retaining wall, while the smaller rocks and pebbles were used as flooring material in the courtyards. The construction of the building employed local masons, artists and crafts people, found in and around Kaggalipura village, as a form of community building activity.

Local kiln brick sourced from a nearby village in its unfinished form, the mortar joints were filled with a mixture of lime, site soil and minimum use of concrete in it, intentions were made to keep the brick walls as main load bearing wall in its raw, robust and exposed form without any plaster over it, entire structure is a load bearing form of structure.

The entire programme of a built and unbuilt was imagined to be multifunctional which can be used for many activities over the time.

The client’s initial requirements of a farmhouse which would be used on occasion did not warrant a building of such a scale, so suggestions were made to amend the brief. Spaces are instead designed to be flexible and host various functions which fulfils one of the primary design objectives to support the local community and its activities. The alternate built and unbuilt configuration allows functions to take place within the caves and spill out onto the open courts. For instance, classes for local school children may be conducted within the caves, while the open courts may be used as spill out spaces for children to eat and play.

In addition, the open court can act as a transition between the classroom and the open ground to the north, with the stairs becoming seating spaces to watch. In another instance, it may take on programs to support the thriving local artisans and craftspeople. The sunken passageway to the north with its niches could become displays of the artisans’ work, while the caves and open courts could become workshops for artisans to practice, teach and sell their work.

Location: Madgaonadanapalli village, 60km south of Bangalore, Tamilnadu.

Cost of Construction: Rs 3.4 crores

Built-up Area: 21000 sqft.

Yoga Nikāya is a place of learning and teaching, for those who share the spirit of yoga as a way of life. It provides space for yoga and meditation. Cottages, dormitories and dining facilities are provided. The observatory is a place to view the space above and learn about its scientific and spiritual references.

MASTER PLAN

The idea of putting the buildings together in the farm, between the fruit trees, banana orchard and the flowering plants was challenging. References from site features were first identified – row of trees, swales, mounds and corners. The emerging geometry was then used to inscribe the lines of movement and siting of buildings. The building footprints also respond to this geometry and carry it to their form. The plaza in the form of a square is abutted by the 4 spaces that form the institutional activity – reception, yoga, meditation and performance.

THE PANCHABHUTAS – earth, water, fire, air and space, receive both poetic and technical attention.
Sustainable measures of water conservation, solar power, waste treatment and use of recycled material are integrated into the planning and design.

VAYU (AIR) – WIND

Enables the site to breathe, letting air move through the landscape and buildings.

AGNI (FIRE) – LIGHT AND HEAT

The plaza, where sun rays always touch the ground, becomes the heart of activity. Here, we celebrate the three sources of light and heat – sun, fire and the lamp.

JAL (WATER)

Water flows through the site with purpose – to irrigate the landscape, and to invigorate the land.

PRITHVI (EARTH)

Use of local, natural materials for their qualities of texture, structure, insulation or transparency.

AKASH (SPACE)

The site exists in the space, under the sky, in its eternal cycle, but is influenced by the changes in the man-made surroundings.

The Panchamahabhutas are used in a poetic as well as a literal way. They give direction to the concepts for Planning and Design of the place.

‘GUHE’-RESIDENCE FOR Mr.C.R.SIMHA

Client: MR.C.R.SIMHA

Site: 50’x80’

Built up area: 3000SFT

Completion year:1991

Contractors:Neelkant

C.R.Simha is a famed stage actor especially renowned for his mono acting of historic characters. ‘GUHE’ is aptly named.

 Bangalore development authority had as an honor by the govt. of Karnataka, awarded him a crowning prize A SITE in Bangalore the most coveted of possessions.

 SIMHA was elated, but this joy was short lived when he went to inspect the site. It was 50’ x 80’ south facing located on the ring main, , the site was 15’ below the road adjacent to a culvert and below a storm drain on the road side and secondary drain on its western side at a lower height. 

The authorities could not give him an alternate nor was anyone willing to give him a design to suite his pocket. Desperation written all over but with a glimmer in his eyes he walked into ‘FOUNTAINHEAD’. 

His requirements were simple enough but the dreams how these requirements are to be dispersed into spaces was mercurial and challenging. The site added its part. Here instead of accepting a single simple challenge it was decided to really go at the throat of the challenge and to use an expression ‘DESIGN AND BE DAMNED’. Accepting the challenge the concept started evolving with the house upside down, the approach at a higher level and the main house at the lower level. 

Taking advantage of the topography of Bangalore and the rear road drain and coaxing the local sewage board engineers to accommodate a little bit, the design evolved to hard construction. And for the FIRST time the HOURDI clay hollow extruded tiles of 8”x16”x6” was used ,to become the MATERIAL DICTATE of both structure and aesthetics. Laying a concrete platform and directly building the hollow tile walls married with deep recessed stonewalls the structure shell was formed. Here SIMHA steps in again and says his HERO is CHARLIE CHAPLIN. And of such chance remarks are genius born. The requirement of a structural column in the middle evolved to the Dream of CHARLIE caryatid floating on a reflecting pool and supporting through a cut out the upper floor slab, and to make matters more intriguing it was decided to eliminate the column at the upper level and float the entire roof over, with a volcanic cut in the middle crowned with a sunburst color fiberglass dome. 

No known structural method was possible. An intuitional concept was taken and executed with sheer guts. The roof is a crowning glory. The rock selected to the design of the dome and collecting the tiles, designing the vents (windows what are they!) to every contour of the building and its environment was each magical and a challenge to surmount. (Incidentally there are no conventional windows, doors or roofs).

I I P M  (INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PLANTATION MANAGEMENT)

Client:                     National Dairy Development Board

Site:                        4.2 acres

Built up area:         1,00,000 sq.ft

Completion year:   Sept. 2000

Contractors:           RNR Constructions

Consultants:           MRC (structural), Uma (electrical)

Sited on top of a valley, with two hillocks, amidst a sloping terrain.

One walk and it was clear as crystal, where the mind – the Learning center with its library and conference center would be, not on the taller hillock, but on the lower one, looking for guidance and gaining confidence.

The taller hillock would include rowing spaces – the professors and the other head (including the director) who would guide the destiny of the institute.

In the valley – a small water body (apart from RWH) which would reflect both and with a steady rock ready to leap off into the world of adventure. 

The …… space further away towards the west such that, ‘early morning’ the splendor would set off towards the rising sun, full of spirit and anticipation. ……. from the head and mind and with involved spaces water crossing the lecture hall and class rooms bind spatial internal open spaces – where students  …. with one another (with no suffocating corridors)  All these sit on the top of the cafeteria which is below, hugging lawn and terraces that allow the outbreak of highly involved individuals searching each other with abandon and freedom – “in search of more.”

ITC-Infotech, Bangalore:

The metamorphosis of tobacco go-downs into state of the art think-work places. The go-downs were highly contextual to their time. The campus with its concrete roads spread across an area of about 30 acres. To-day it is one sprawling park interspaced with built spaces which are woven as a single total fabric. It is an ambiance that evokes the spirit of one and all who walk, think and work, to a higher mental plane.

To transform this environment, to realize the optimum potential of the land was no easy exercise.

As one walked around the place amidst few patches of greenery, it was easy to visualize the tremendous potential that lay within these spaces. Soul-less sheds, with an imaginative intervention could be transformed into places of spirit. This would bring about a transformation to make this an alive, bustling and a creative environment.

 Second and a stronger response would be how does ONE retain the present ambiance and work environment? The answer to this would be to make one’s objective and philosophy of design approach very clear and evident.

With this in mind, the transformation began.

An imaginative palette of colour not only emphasized the content but also the corporate image of ITC Infotech in such a dynamic way, that the brand image created by the campus was very unique in the built environment of the IT field. The challenge was achieved with stupendous success. 

What were dreary walks suddenly turned out to be a walk in the park. The transition between spaces became journeys of thought. These influences are very essential for a creative and imaginative profession in the world of cyber space. 

Nature, in its abundance was merged to make a metamorphic transformation, with the original hard built spaces, rendering the total environment magical. 

The materials used and the techniques employed during construction were a unique combination of native flavour and modern technique, in tune with the culture and philosophy of the corporate theme.

Some evenings and moonlit nights give the campus an ethereal quality. All the seven elements of nature, the sensibilities of man and the sensuality of space fuse to create a timeless sense of space. 

LIGHT AND LIFE ACADEMY-OOTY

Client: Mr.IQBAL.K.MOHAMED

Site: 3.4 acres

Built up area: 35000sft

Completion year:1999

Contractors:srinivasan

Light and life academy is India’s first photography institute of international standards.

The academy is situated at 6500ft above above sea level on a mountain top, overlooking a breathtaking valley, rubbing shoulders with dense forest.Eco friendly architecture and ethnic architecture blend with the natural setting. Every minute detail has been thought through and designed for easy flow of work.

The structure is light and merges well with the surroundings.

The different levels of the institute follow the natural contour. This creates an amazing play of spaces.

It is a magical world waiting to be discovered.

We can call it a synonym of form, space and order.