A Verandah And Courtyards weaving Cuckoo’s Nest | Between Spaces
Cuckoo’s Nest is built on a corner plot measuring 45’x75’ with roads on the western and northern edge in a gated layout and surrounded by a silver oak tree and some palm trees. The brief was to design a house that is simple, pragmatic, and modern for aging parents of the owners, the owners themselves, and their two sons. The entire narrative of this house is constructed around the idea of playfulness and pragmatism. The name Cuckoo’s Nest alludes more to the playful imagery of Cuckoo’s clock.
Visit: Between Spaces
The proposed design interprets the typical layering in the south Indian temple complex, where the inner sanctum is surrounded by layers of pillared verandahs and the outermost layer of a tall fence. This layering helps in gradually taking people from the chaotic outdoors to the serene and quiet indoors in a sequential manner.
Programmatically, the house has 2 bedrooms for the old parents, living, dining and a pooja room on the ground floor. The first floor has the kid’s bedroom, a study, and the master bedroom around a double-height volume over the dining area on the ground floor. A small garden on the northern side becomes an extension to the living room. This garden is enclosed within a brick jaali wall on the northern side, to ensure good cross ventilation and a certain degree of privacy from the road without making the space feel cramped. The entry to the house has been deliberately convoluted to make the inhabitants move through a green edged verandah sandwiched between the courtyard on its eastern side and the brick jaali wall on the western side of the property.
The kid’s bedroom on the first-floor juts out of the main mass and has been crowned by a pitched roof, clad in Sira Grey Granite, allowing a small loft over the bathroom. This doubles as a cozy play area for the kids. The inherent honesty and simplicity of the house are reflected in the usage of terracotta bricks, form-finish concrete, white walls, white marble, and very simple décor in the interior spaces.
A deliberate transition in scale and materiality is created through the brick jaali wall and the low height form finish roof over the entrance verandah which acts as a threshold between the immediate surrounding and the interior. The verandah leads to a foyer space separated from the living with the help of a filigree screen finished in MDF and dark blue color paint. The foyer leads to the living room and the double-height dining space, right in the center of the house.
The interior spaces are kept very simple with selective walls finished in hues of blues and browns. The interior spaces are flooded with indirect and soft daylights through skylights over the staircase and deep-set windows. Cuckoo’s Nest is designed to be a sanctuary intended to resonate with the silence and quietude of a temple complex, yet be filled with the sounds of conversation between three generations.
Fact File:
Designed by: Between Spaces
Project: Cuckoo’s Nest
Project Type: Residential
Year of Completion: 2020
Site Area: 313.5 sq.mt.
Built-up Area: 565 sq.mt.
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Design Team: Shveta Mohan, Pramod Jaiswal & Divya E
Photography: Shamanth J Patil
Website: https://betweenspaces.co.in/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betweenspacesarchitects
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betweenspaces.architects/
In the heart of Vadodara’s historic Nyay Mandir neighborhood stood a home filled with stories, memories, and traditions. For generations, it had been much more than a house; it was a place of belonging. Life within its walls unfolded in celebrations, festivals, and everyday moments of quiet comfort. Over the years, it became a steady […]
Located close to the historically-rich South Indian city of Mysuru, Solum embodies the endeavour towards living simply and close to nature. The client hails from a business background and yet harbours a fondness for the modesty and simplicity of an agrarian lifestyle. The young entrepreneur had always dreamt of developing a full-fledged farm self-sufficient in […]
Architects in Pune, often celebrated as the “Cultural Capital of Maharashtra,” is a city where tradition and modernity blend seamlessly. Pune’s architectural fabric reflects its dynamic evolution, ranging from grand Peshwa-era structures to contemporary urban designs. This curated list highlights architects who are redefining the city’s architectural narrative through exceptional designs that honor both contemporary […]
“Even within the smallest green lies all the purity and freshness of Eden.” This idea became the seed for Eden Moss, a home nestled in an ecological environment and imagined as a breath of freshness, evoking the scent of mud after rain, and seamlessly intertwined with nature while still embracing comfort and contextual charm. Nestled […]
Adorn, a home filled with earthen design and the laughter of a family of four, nestles in the peaceful neighborhood of Selvapuram, Coimbatore. “On one side, it shares boundaries with cozy family homes; meanwhile, the other side opens to expansive fields dotted with tall trees.” The fresh air scented with greenery sets a calming atmosphere […]
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 […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]
The door design for main door is a defining feature of any Indian home, embodying both style and cultural significance. In a country rich with diverse architectural traditions, the entrance to your home reflects not only personal taste but also cultural heritage. Whether you’re drawn to the intricate carvings of traditional Indian door designs or […]