Set within the dense fabric of a bustling urban neighbourhood and constrained by a modest 4000 sq ft plot, Jali House reimagines the potential of urban residential architecture. Far from feeling confined, the home crafts a serene and poetic spatial experience. It proves that powerful architecture can emerge despite limitations. and culture. India’s abundance of sunlight, the availability of locally sourced materials, and a deep architectural heritage formed the basis of the design strategy. The jali (lattice screen), a traditional element reinterpreted here in a modern idiom. It becomes both symbol and solution; a tool to filter light, frame views, and moderate climate.
The homeowners, deeply influenced by Jain philosophy, envisioned a home rooted in simplicity, restraint, and purpose. At its core lies the principle of ‘Tyaga’; a Sanskrit word embodying renunciation and the letting go of excess. This ethos is translated into a built form that is pared down, functional, and deeply meditative. Every element is intentional. Every space, an invitation to pause.
This 4000 sq ft Jali House Reimagines Urban Residential Architecture | Studio VDGA
Beyond functional excellence, the 4000 sq ft architecture speaks to the five ‘Tanmatras’. The sensory elements of sound (Shabda), touch (Sparsha), sight (Roopa), taste (Rasa), and smell (Gandha). The home engages these senses in quiet, often unexpected ways. From the echo of footsteps on stone, the tactile roughness of native textures, to the fragrance of fresh air moving through the jalis. In this way, Jali House transcends the visual and becomes an immersive living experience.
The smart use of multilevel planning creates an illusion of expansiveness. It makes the home feel as though it sits on a much larger site than it actually does. A modest courtyard at the entrance introduces controlled natural light, infusing the interiors with a refreshing atmosphere.
This lightwell, vertically stitched through the floors, forms a strong spatial and emotional axis. It anchors the home and tying its levels together. It acts as the central lung of the house, nurturing both physical and psychological connectedness among its inhabitants.
The 4000 sq ft house features intricately carved stone jalis (lattice screens). It is not merely a decorative element but a vital architectural tool. These lattices serve a dual purpose. They shield the interiors from the harsh glare of the sun and the unsightly commercial buildings opposite the site. It also enables ventilation and diffused natural light.
Crafted from 30mm thick Indian sandstone slabs, these screens possess natural thermal properties that keep the surfaces cool while allowing hot air to dissipate through their perforations. In cooler or pleasant weather, they can be opened to offer unobstructed views and a seamless connection with the outdoors.
The son’s bedroom on the top floor is designed as a complete bachelor pad, featuring a private courtyard that leads to a neatly tucked-away study and activity zone. This thoughtful layout seamlessly extends the space to the private top terrace, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor connection.
Throughout the day, shifting sciographies animate the courtyard walls, casting everchanging patterns of light and shadow that bring the space to life, reflecting the seasonal moods. Each level of the home is designed to engage differently with light, privacy, and landscape, creating nuanced spatial moments that shift between openness and enclosure, exposure and intimacy.
The material palette of Jali House is deliberately minimal, yet deeply rooted in its geographic and cultural context. It resists extravagance, instead choosing to communicate through authenticity and tactility. Subtle white marble floors and softly textured off-white lime plastered walls (paste made at site) lend the spaces a sense of lightness and restraint, embodying an airy modernism that sets the tone for the entire house. These luminous surfaces act as quiet backdrops, allowing natural light and shadow to take on a dynamic, almost architectural role of their own.
In contrast, the generous use of locally sourced Indian stone brings a grounding, rustic warmth to the spatial experience. Whether underfoot, on the walls, or sculpted into the intricately carved jalis (interpreted in modern context), this native stone offers visual texture and thermal comfort. The intentional juxtaposition of raw and refined materials, the smoothness of marble against the grain of stone, the brightness of stucco against the earthy hues of natural textures, creates a dialogue between permanence and impermanence, refinement and origin. Together, they bestow the home with a timeless, quiet character that neither shouts for attention nor fades into the background.
The architectural skin of the house; calm, composed, and understated, sets the tone for what lies within. This outer restraint is complemented by a rich inner layering of surfaces, tones, textures and volumes. Interior elements continue the earthy palette through handcrafted wood, sandstone accents, and subtle fabric textures, creating a cohesive material narrative that is both calming and deeply sensory.
Jali House is not designed to dazzle on arrival. Instead, it offers a more contemplative encounter, a spatial experience that slowly unfolds, rewarding attention and patience. From the moment one steps through the threshold, the home begins to reveal itself as a carefully choreographed sequence. The interplay of light and shadow, filtered through jalis and reflected off pale surfaces, becomes a quiet performance that changes with the time of day and the seasons.
Despite its small footprint, Jali House tells a rich and layered story, one where architecture becomes a medium of subtle expression rather than spectacle. It is a quiet rebellion against excess, demonstrating how the intelligent use of materials, light, and proportion can create a profound sense of spaciousness and meaning. It is a house that embraces simplicity as sophistication, using the language of restraint to craft a home of uncommon elegance.
In its most distilled form, Jali House is a meditative exploration of what it means to dwell; to inhabit space not just physically, but emotionally, sensorially, and spiritually.
Fact File
Designed by: Studio VDGA
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Jali House
Location: Pune
Year Built: 2025
Project Size: 4000 Sq.ft
Principal Designers: Deepak Gugarii
Design Credits: Rashi Saanson
Photograph Courtesy: Edmund Sumner
Firm’s Website Link: Studio VDGA
Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio VDGA
For Similar Projects>>> 3BHK Gandhinagar Home Designed With Simplicity And Harmony
The site is located in Ahilyanagar town of Maharashtra, with a design brief of 7,000 sq feet, while the house had to be designed for the hot and dry climate, which responds carefully to extreme temperatures, intense sunlight, and low humidity. The design focuses on reducing heat gain, improving natural ventilation, and creating comfortable indoor spaces with […]
“Pravah” — A House That Breathes is envisioned as the main concept of this home revolves around a fluid, light-filled home where architecture becomes a continuous experience of movement, air, and connection. Located in Pal Gamtal, Surat, the project is a residential redevelopment on a 1,850 sq.ft. plot within a dense urban fabric. The site, […]
SapanoUday is a contemporary residence that balances material rawness with layered textures and crafted detail, aligning modern living with cultural and spatial sensibilities. Designed by Hundreddesigns, the home responds closely to the client’s routines and artistic inclinations while thoughtfully integrating Vastu principles. HundredDesigns The designers defined the architecture through a minimal palette, using exposed concrete […]
KRIPA is a residence that reflects the personality and lifestyle of its homeowner — calm, open, and rooted in nature. The project focuses on creating light-filled, green spaces with minimal private zones, encouraging openness and connection. In a time when spaces are shrinking but expectations are rising, architecture becomes the medium to bridge this gap […]
The Sculpted Sanctuary is a masterclass in modern minimalist design. The project focuses on “Quiet Luxury”. It is the idea that a space doesn’t need bright colors or flashy decor to feel expensive. Instead, it uses raw natural materials, rich textures, and sharp architectural lines. This Home Is A Masterclass In Modern Minimalist Design | […]
SIDHARTHA, is a four-bedroom modern house which is functional and aesthetic driven by the specific needs of the client. The location of the site is in a dense neighbourhood in Bengaluru, India. The contemporary urban dwelling frequently negotiates competing demands. It balances generous daylight and visual connection to the street with privacy, dust control, and […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Plants for home garden, apart from making houses look more beautiful and inviting, add health and calmness to them. Having any kind of indoor plant, a herb plant or a flowering plant adds some value to your decor and the quality of the space. Always choose plants that will flourish in your space and climate. […]