The Bungalow Has Striking Inclined Wall Which Adds Dynamism | Crest Architects
Nestled in the back drop of a metropolis, this residence promises an escape from the city life. The plot for this house sits in a densely populated locality. The major concern was finding an intimate space in the crowd and arriving at a visually engaging structure amidst the chaotic background. The client’s brief called for a simple and a spacious Vaastu compliant house for a family of five.
Visit: Crest Architects
An introverted open plan layout has been adopted to create a seamless flow of spaces and to ensure connectivity across the floors. Designed around two landscaped courtyards, the building program is spread across three floors consisting of a parking area, formal and informal living, an open kitchen and dining, five bedrooms, a study and a semi-open terrace with a kitchenette. Both the courtyards have been strategically designed with skylights to bring in maximum light.
One is welcomed into the house by a 4” thick Sadahalli stone slab bridging over the Koi fish pond and a series of large granite steps. The traditional concept of load bearing and counter weight system has been used in the screen wall by cantilevering 2″ thick Sadahalli slab, to create a dramatic impact at the entrance. Clear glass has been used in the formal and informal areas to establish a strong relationship with the outside. The central dining space is flanked by courts on both sides creating a tranquil ambiance.
Inspired by the Japanese art form, Origami, the captivating metal staircase in the southern court is cantilevered from a suspended wall unfolding a distinctive experience and a sense of lightness within the house. The northern court anchors the entire built space bringing in abundant natural light, providing a visual connection between the floors and setting a refreshing ambience. Canopied by a temple tree, the artfully designed puja sits as a distinguishing sculpture in this court. A transparent layer of glass introduced to bring in light to the rooms overlooking the courtyard has been furnished with fabric panels that provide flexibility of usage to the inhabitants. All these spaces within the house are wrapped around the courtyards, which symbolizes the ‘exterior’ within this introverted scheme.
Skylights and multiple slits integrated in the design keep the interiors well lit, accentuates the spatial experience and makes certain of a connection with nature that largely lacks in today’s urban world. The interiors are kept simple and have been devised with great attention to detail to blend smoothly with the architectural elements. Natural textures of wood and exposed concrete amidst the subtle elements and neutral colour palettes with accents like olive green, navy blue, crimson red and burnt orange create elegant spaces that exemplify a comprehensively designed urban home.
The exterior surfaces are a blend of clean white walls juxtaposed against timber and glass. A series of staggered slits have been deliberately positioned at unconventional heights throughout the building to allow light and maximum views of the outside without compromising on privacy. The striking inclined wall introduced at the front elevates the overall massing and adds a sense of dynamism to the building.
The house is a display of intertwined indoor and outdoor spaces designed to filter in ample natural light and ventilation while ensuring a comfortable living environment. It adheres to the site conditions and has a strong element of individuality that enhances the quality of living through well stitched spaces, materials, techniques, craftsmanship and infuses the interiors with personalized detailing to create profound experiences. The slits and openings in the building have been designed to create an illusion of levitating masses, hence the name – Floating Walls.
Fact File:
Architects: CrestArchitects
Area: 4266 ft²
Year: 2019
Location: Bangalore
Architect In Charge: Vishwas Venkat, Vikas MV
Design Team: Shreya Ramachandra, Vishwas Venkat, Vikas MV
Client: Chandrashekhar Reddy
Photographs: Shamanth Patil J
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 […]