Pune is a city that was once famous for Wada House. The gardens and courtyards of these wada house once functioned as interaction spaces. 100 Ants has rekindled the essence of these spaces in a contemporary design considering the aspects of the urban settings, surroundings, climate, and clients’ needs.

This Home Has Rekindled The Essence of Pune’s Wada House | 100 Ants Design Studio

The Garden House stands as a testament to simplicity, with its earthy color palette blending seamlessly from exterior to interior. Furthermore, the carved-out masses feature a mix of closed, semi-open, and open spaces, while the balcony introduces a subtle vibrancy to the structure.

Surrounded by tall buildings on three sides and a vacant plot to the west, the architects designed inward-looking spaces to avoid compromising the views. Moreover, they ensured that the design maintained privacy while enhancing the overall experience.

Considering future developments for the adjoining plot, the site is raised from the ground level with a height of one floor. As a result, the ground floor serves as both a parking area and the entrance to the bungalow. Consequently, the habitable spaces commence from the first level upwards.

Planning

As you enter the house, its seemingly simple structure reveals meticulous planning. The bungalow, organized into three distinct bays, uses a structured grid layout to achieve this design.

The central bay features a floating staircase and a courtyard—the spine of the house.

Living Area

The living area seamlessly merges with the courtyard on the first floor. It fosters a visual connection between the two floors, making the spaces interactive.

The brick wall and flooring establish the earthy tone of the courtyard. Moreover, the same material is used differently: while the flooring features a herringbone pattern, the intricately designed vertical wall adds just the right amount of visual texture.

The other two bays accommodate the living, dining, and kitchen areas on the east. Meanwhile, the bedrooms are situated on the west side of the first floor. Additionally, the second floor features more bedrooms, each with attached terraces.

Light and Ventilation

The house is designed combining function with aesthetics and well-thought-out passive strategies that considerably reduce heat and provide ample light and ventilation.

Bathroom

Toilets on the southern side shield bedrooms from heat gain from the harsh southern sun. Additionally, proposed fins on the East and West facades mitigate low-angle sunlight, contributing to a climate-responsive design that reduces reliance on air conditioning.

Apart from the elevational treatment, designers have ensured the intimate green pockets adjoining each room are effective heat buffers. Moreover, a fenestration with brick blocks and jali at the entrance is a feature that ensures ventilation throughout the staircase block using the stack effect.

Staircase Block

Daylight floods the house through diffused light from the sides and top of the staircase, as well as from the courtyard. The staircase, an important feature, serves as the focal point of the design. Each mid-landing, functioning as a deck, opens out to a wall that will feature a single large painting by a local artist. Additionally, the central bay acts as a light well, illuminating the inward-looking spaces around the staircase and courtyard.

Fact File

Designed by: 100 Ants Design Studio

Project Type: Residential Architecture Design

Project Name: The Garden House

Location: Baner, Pune

Year Built: 2023

Duration of the project: 2 Years

Built-up Area: 2185.07 Sq.ft

Plot Area: 3196.88 Sq.ft

Project Cost: 2 Crore

Principal Architect: Ar. Chaitanya Padhye & Ar. Swarali Sathaye

Team Design Credits: Ar. Aniket Kulkarni & ID. Shravani Kathwate

Writeup: Ar. Shruti Deshpande

Photograph Courtesy: Ar. Atul Kanetkar

Products / Materials / Vendors: Sanitaryware – Asian Paints / Windows – Aluminum windows (non branded) / Furniture – made on site / Flooring – Kota and Basalt stone- Eolith / Kitchen – Livspace Paint – Asian Paints

Consultants for the Project: Civil – GD Infrastructure / Structure Engineers – Mayur Pise / Environmental & Sustainability Consultants – Jalashree Shrikhande / Contractors – GD Infrastructure / Project Managers – GD Infrastructure

The Firm’s Website Link: 100 Ants Design Studio

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