Set within the urban fabric of Satara, the Slit House is built on a site with a gentle slope, where sectional planning shapes the spatial experience. The defining architectural gesture is a linear “slit” that divides the built mass into two primary volumes. This incision extends through the walls and slabs, forming a vertical double-height void that organizes light, ventilation, and movement throughout the house.
A Gentle Slope Shapes the Design of Slit House | Studio Montage
Oriented toward the southwest, the slit acts as a climatic device, drawing in prevailing winds while admitting controlled day light deep into the interiors. Dense vegetation anchors this void along the gentle slope. As a result, it creates a layered threshold where landscape, light, and architecture come together.
Upon entry, the living space opens directly to this green core, where filtered light from above creates a sense of openness and calm. The architects strategically aligned the sacred space (devghar) within this grid. As a result, natural light directly illuminates it, reinforcing its spiritual significance.
The design responds to the site’s slope by organizing the house into split levels. The architects placed the more private zones, including the bedrooms, meditation area, and garden, at a slightly elevated rear level. This layout establishes a clear spatial hierarchy while maintaining visual continuity with the living areas. The living, dining, and kitchen spaces form a cohesive, open plan at the lower level, anchored by a double-height volume.
A suspended wooden bridge traverses this volume, connecting the upper-level bedrooms. This element not only facilitates circulation but also acts as a spatial pause, visually linking different parts of the house while subtly breaking the overall mass. Integrated seating within its monolithic railing further enhances its inhabitable quality.
The front bedroom opens onto an east-facing terrace positioned above the entrance. Shaded by the larger mass to the south and southwest, this terrace introduces a play of volumes on the façade, breaking its scale and creating a dynamic elevation on gentle slope.
Materially, the entrance sequence is articulated using cobblestone and flamed basalt, evoking the experience of moving through a landscape carved out of stone and greenery. On gentle slope, the project culminates in a terrace level featuring an entertainment space and a green roof.
Ultimately, the slit is both a spatial and environmental device—dissolving mass, enhancing connectivity, and infusing the house with light, air, and landscape.
Fact File
Designed by: Studio Montage
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: SLIT HOUSE
Location: Shahunagar, Satara
Year Built: 2025
Built up area: 3300 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Atharva Ghogale & Vivek Wanarase
Photograph Courtesy: Pranit Bora Studio
Project Cost: 1,15,00,000
Civil Contractor: Er. Subhash Shaha
Structural Consultant: Er. Shreeram Kulkarni
Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio Montage
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