NAME AND LOCATION OF THE PROJECT: Medshinge House, Panhala.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

The weekend house at Panhala (ancient fort & hill station near Kolhapur) was designed for an affluent client who looked upon this building as a second home.

The site is at a strategic location adjacent to a cliff. It had panoramic views of the Deccan Ranges to offer with a backdrop of the Panhala Fort remains to add to its charm.

The building was conceived as a lucid, transparent, free flowing space on a cliff.

The South side has the solid stone wall (25’-0”X 85’-0”X 2’-0”) with pin hole openings. This fortress like wall catches your attention from a distance. This wall is a symbolic representation and tribute to the Panhala fort which is a living witness of the valor and bravery of the Marathas.

One enters the site through a circular paved court. A leisurely stair leads to the main entrance which is an antique wooden door fixed into a small opening into the stone wall. A second open steep stair between stone wall & servant’s quarter reveals you slowly to the horizon, deck with trees & valley beyond.

As one enters the main space through the wall, there’s a dramatic change in the treatment of space. The space beyond the wall is highly unpredictable from the outer side. The main areas are fully transparent, free flowing and very Meisien in their character.

The straight wall and the outstretched vaulted organic forms are connected to each other by a skylight that runs on the East-West axis. The pergola below the skylight forms charismatic play of light & shadows on inner side of the stone wall which is smooth plastered to match the feeling of space inside.

The living room and kitchen are in the same axis and are separated by an open to sky courtyard. This courtyard is spanned by a pergola at two levels. The one above the water body is almost double height and at the further end towards the valley side it is brought down to a height of mere 7’-0”. The extreme end is kept open. This deck gives almost a floating feel to the structure.

Unobstructed view of Valley & Horizon beyond from Living, Bed & Kitchen areas gives floating affect. The house is like a ship floating on cliff with its titanic balconies (titanic in the sense it makes you feel free with your hands stretched)

The bed room is skewed at an angle and the space created in between is occupied by a small toilet and a reflection pool with a double height circular skylight above.

View from the water body connects you to the Swimming pool & reserved forest, plantation beyond. The bedroom is sunk at a lower level to make a play of volumetric changes and reduce the scale of the exterior façade.

The swimming pool is on the other end of the site and can be viewed from the bedroom. The changing rooms and an open to sky shower are housed in an independent structure, which is deliberately kept low profile and inconspicuous to compliment the main structure.

The finishes of the house are deliberately kept very simple but strong in character.

Stones from demolished old houses & near by quarries are used for the South side wall to give it a weathered & vernacular look. Aluminum Color coated roofing sheets on fabricated structure over the vaulted spaces of main areas gives a very modern & open feel. These vaulted roofs with overhangs on the decks make it great places to hang out. Clear glass doors & windows in all areas extend the space beyond to the horizon. MS pergolas in skylight & courtyard forms varied patterns in the space. The rustic tiles, white colored walls & natural wood finished door add to the simple & modern character of the house.

Landscape is kept very Natural & Simple with mounds, boulders & existing trees in between. Valley side decks & steps to the bed are finished in laterite & basalt stone to merge with natural landscape. Infinity pools extend the floating feel beyond to the horizon.