The first thing one notices at Ekya, a 12,000 sqft house in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills, is the silence of the wilderness. Courtyards and terracesrise at different levels rife with dense foliage. A three-storey-high boulder wall makes the house appear as though it has been carved from the rock, while the chirping of birds adds to the quiet atmosphere. It is this strange paradox that defines, Ekya, an urban house experience as a private wilderness.
Nature at the Heart of This 12,000 Sq Ft Home | The Pinewood Studio
The landscape strategy for the 12,000 sqft house began with the site itself. Meghna Dulani and Shashwat Gehenwar of The Pinewood Studio, retained the existing boulder wall at the rear side, a marker of the site’s geology, while indigenous species that thrived on the site during its construction, informed the planting scheme. By rooting the landscape in the larger geographical region, the design reduces long-term maintenance and allows it to settle naturally into its context.
From the outset, the client’s vision for how each space would be used shaped the landscape. The courtyard forms the central anchor of the landscape, with two Bauhinia trees rising through the space, casting filtered shade over the seating area through the day.
During the flowering season, pink blooms create a beautiful contrast against the limestone flooring, while fragrance tantalises the senses. A tall metal mesh with creepers climbing across the three floors, form a backdrop to the main outdoor seating and the bar on the corner, reinforcing the space’s role as a social space within the house. The designers introduced soil beds along the edges to allow plants to thrive naturally.
On the second floor, the private garden behind the master study shifts the experience of the wilderness. Set at natural soil level, this space unfolds as a tropical forest. Dense plantings of Calathea lutea, Traveller’s Palm, pomegranate, and Indian gooseberry trees create a lush setting.
With limited access, this space becomes a space for observation, stillness and wandering. Idol of Lord Ganesha, a gift carried by the owner since her marriage, introduces a layer of personal memory and ritual into the space.
The upper terrace extends the landscape vertically. It reinterprets what the designers originally conceived as a service slab. Recognising its potential as a vantage point, the designers transformed the space into an inhabitable garden. Sandstone and wooden decking complete the setting.
Large soil volumes and carefully planned irrigation allow dense planting to thrive here, creating a layered edge that filters views and softens the surrounding city. The terrace becomes a place for small gatherings and evening use, while also functioning as a buffer that reduces noise and visual exposure from the outside.
The designers thoughtfully integrated the setbacks and the entry into the 12,000 sq ft house with the larger planting scheme. Along the front setback, a water feature and dense foliage screen the service areas. The planting creates a green buffer at the entrance. It also frames views from the dining space behind it.
Similarly, the designers finished the driveway with porous Java stone, allowing plants to thrive on the surface. A mature rubber tree anchors the entry porch and holds personal significance for the homeowners.
Across the 12,000 sqft house, the landscape is not treated as a series of individual gestures but as a continuous system where wilderness is read across levels, and edges. By keeping what was native to the site, it allows the plants to gradually evolve over time.
In this 12,000 sqft house, as the landscape grows, it blurs the boundaries between the built and the wild, it frames new views, brings more flora and fauna, and deepens the sense of immersion with nature, making one feel as if they are really wandering into the wild.
Fact File
Designed by: The Pinewood Studio
Project Type: Residential Architecture to Terrace Design
Project Name: Ekya
Location: Hyderabad, India
Project Size: 12000 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Meghna & Shashwat
Photograph Courtesy: Ravi Varma
Firm’s Website Link: The Pinewood Studio
Firm’s Instagram Link: The Pinewood Studio
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