Home on the Hill | Kerala | Arun Nalapat Architects
“The house sits rooted to the site, cloaked in greys and browns. The landscape hugging the walls, tying it to the hilltop. Unpretentious and modest, it succeeds in hiding its scale and secrets”
Visit: Arun Nalapat Architects
Set amidst the scenic hills of Kerala, this get-away home is sited atop one such hill, offering expansive views to the lush green terrain below and around it. Our client’s requirements were simple – a contemporary retreat and the primary need for solitude.
The intent to blur the boundaries between the built and the natural spaces was fulfilled by bringing in the landscape into the midst of the house, splitting the residence from the inside. Large extended overhangs, enveloped in wood and evocative of the surrounding context, extend above the structure, protecting the house and its inhabitants from the local monsoons
Muted and subtle tones line the spaces from the inside, allowing the earthy context to permeate the house. This simplicity accentuates the effect of the surrounding nature, that is at once, strong yet placid and peaceful.
The wooden roof, flows quietly into the interior spaces which are positioned in levels along the natural terrain of the site. The living and dining areas run along the poolside deck, offering unobstructed and seamless views to the surrounding hillside.
In the evening, as darkness falls and the mountains start to disappear, the lights come on, and the house expands, extending it’s warmth to the semi open decks by the poolside.
Carefully handpicked furniture is arranged around the fireplace, bringing in a languorous quality to the interiors. The furnishings, though luxurious are kept minimal, maintaining a discreet elegance.
The bedrooms of the home are kept relatively simple and clean, devoid of excessive embellishments and clutter. The furnishings are spare, but comfortable. inviting one to laze and bask in the evening sun that filters into the room.
The ribbed quartz on the bed head wall flows outwards from the interiors of the bedroom into the pool, creating a subtle demarcation between the spaces sharing the poolside deck. The master bedroom is also flanked on both sides by private decks offering unhindered views to the incredible panoramas outside.
Large glazed openings and a shared deck for the lower bedrooms continue the romance with the outside. These windows when opened fully, blur the boundaries further, and transform these into semi-open spaces.
FACT FILE:
Architecture Firm: Arun Nalapat Architects
Project Name: Home on the Hill
Landscape: Idea Design, Kochi.
Completion Year: 2018
Gross Built Area: 10,000 SFT
Project Location: Wayanad, Kerala
Lead Architects: Kartik Surya, Ekta Chopra
Photo credits: Vyas Kalathil
Website: http://www.nalapatarchitects.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nalapatarchitects/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nalapatarchitects/
This North Facing villa opens towards the East to always soak in the cool and diffused light. Its orientation is mindful of the adjoining clubhouse and its expansive garden. The planning allows the villa’s private lawn to visually merge with it, creating a larger and cohesive space. With a connection to the open space at […]
An Urban Sanctuary Woven with Craft, Warmth, and Light Explicitly tucked into a quiet residential pocket, this home with a jaali facade is a thoughtfully layered expression of calm, character, and craftsmanship. Every surface and corner is rooted in intention — where light, material, and memory meet. The Jaali Design in this Layered Home Exudes […]
The design of the house prioritises connectivity to nature by incorporating green elements like vertical gardens or landscaped courtyards. This is achieved through various means, such as large windows framing scenic views, outdoor living spaces seamlessly merging with the surrounding landscape. The emphasis on connectivity to nature creates a serene and harmonious environment, fostering a […]
“Viraam,” a 4000 sq ft house design that embodies its literal translation: “a pause.” The vision is to create a sanctuary for relaxation, introspection, and to escape from the constant demands of daily life – an urban void for personal retreat. Editor’s Note: “Viraam is not just a house, it’s a pause. A place to […]
The facade of this Indian contemporary house design strikes a careful balance between solids and voids, with sculpted forms that reveal the inner workings of the space. The design plays with light and shadow, creating visual depth and intrigue from the exterior. The form resembles a cuboid that has been scooped out, while the outer […]
This 5 storey building takes inspiration from ancient haveli architecture. “Hailing from north India, the family held deep nostalgia for haveli, large residences with communal courtyards called chowks, projecting balconies called jharokhas and intricate brick or stone lattice screens called jaalis, vernacular to many western and northern regions of India,” said SJK Architects partner Vaishali […]
Set in the serene landscape of Nashik, the Dabholkar Residence by GDA is a home, embracing stone clad walls. Here, tradition and contemporary design exist in harmony. Designed to reflect the family’s deep connection to tradition and art while embracing the style of contemporary living, it is a space where architectural details, heritage furniture, artwork […]
This remodelling project aimed to revitalise a load-bearing house while respecting its original integrity and adapting it to contemporary needs. The design approach prioritised minimal structural intervention, allowing the existing framework to guide spatial reconfiguration. Careful consideration was given to preserving the load-bearing walls, which formed the backbone of the original construction. Openings were strategically […]
Nestled within a 30×40 ft plot is the compact house design in Banashankari 6th Stage, Bengaluru. This residence for the Ellappans, reimagines traditional Indian living in a contemporary, spatially dynamic form. Designed for a family of three- Mr. Ellappan, his wife, and their teenage son- the house expresses a deep connection to vernacular roots while […]
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 […]