SkyLight House | Khosla Associates
From the architect. Our picturesque site is located in the Western Ghats perched on the backwaters of a lake and surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain ranges.
Although they owned two acres of land, our client’s requirements were modest. They asked us to build a 2100 sqft single level pavilion as a retreat to escape the frenetic pace of Mumbai life and to reinvigorate the senses.
We envisioned a single level pavilion spatially subdivided into two primary zones; one for engagement with the view during the day and the other as a quiet retreat at night. The living spaces are extroverted and permeable allowing nature to penetrate its envelope; the private spaces are introverted and protected.
One of the challenges of the pavilion was to admit the right quality of natural light not only from the periphery but also into its internal volumes. To this end, we created a series of dramatic skylights to illuminate the internal spaces evenly. The angular shapes of the skylights were inspired by the looming profiles of the mountain peaks to the east and west of the house. Each of the skylights admits a soft quality of north light into the Living, kitchen, foyer, and bathrooms
The architecture is built from the readily available local black basalt stone which was found on the site just 5 to 6 feet below ground. The stone is of volcanic origin and available in abundance across the Deccan Plateau. We used the stone as a random dry pack cladding along the entire extent of the exterior walls and on a few internal accent walls.
The contoured land allowed us to work with the natural topography of the site. Rather than creating a split-level house to negotiate the slope, we created a retaining wall enclosure and a ramp alongside it to arrive at the entrance 3’-6” below.
We had to exercise a great deal of restraint in the furniture and accessories, choosing to customize each piece to be in harmony with the architectural intent. Accessories were all sourced from Maharashtra, brass and copper vessels from Nasik and Bidriware from Aurangabad.
The primary objective of the house was to absorb the natural environment,to open itself up to the view.But in doing so we had to remain cognizantof the physical presence and the environmental impact of our architecture on the hill.
Architects : Khosla Associates
Location: Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India
Principals : Sandeep Khosla and Amaresh Anand
Design Team : Sandeep Khosla, Amaresh Anand, Oommen Thomas, Pratyusha Suryakanth and Moiz Faizulla
Photographs : Shamanth Patil J.
source
Editor’s Note: Some places feel rooted because they belong to their surroundings rather than trying to stand apart from them. Coffee Sangam in Andhra Pradesh takes this approach through a raw, tactile palette of brick, stone, teak, and mild steel. The random rubble compound wall extends the landscape into the architecture, while the Corten steel […]
Envisioned as a contemporary home rooted in Indian sensibilities, this residence sits on a south-facing urban plot. The design accommodates the evolving lifestyle of a multi-generational family. The project integrates architecture and interiors to create functional, climate-responsive, and emotionally connected spaces. Each level balances privacy with interaction. The design also allows flexibility for changing family […]
Editorial Note: Some homes are shaped by the memories, objects, and stories their residents carry with them. Ungana in Chennai, meaning “merge” in Swahili, brings together a well-travelled family’s collection of antiques and everyday rituals within a narrow urban plot. A double-height living space becomes the heart of the home, connecting the kitchen and dining […]
House of the Framed Atrium explores how a contemporary home can revolve around light, connection, and shared experiences. The design follows the ideas of a Living Atrium, Living with Nature, Framed Volumes, Vertical Living, and Timeless Materiality. The residence connects a sequence of interconnected spaces around a dramatic triple-height atrium. The atrium forms the heart […]
A Mock-up That Became a Home – For an architecture practice, a mock-up often helps test an idea before the team translates it into a larger project. It allows architects to work at full scale, examine materials and construction techniques, and understand their limitations. The process also gives them room to test different brick bonds and […]
The house began not with a formal brief, but with a conversation about the kind of life the clients hoped to build within it. Set between the denser urban fabric of Kannur and the quieter residential landscapes of North Kerala, the project responds to a desire for openness and connection. At the same time, the […]
“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, […]
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 […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
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 […]