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.
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.
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.
The house is designed combining function with aesthetics and well-thought-out passive strategies that considerably reduce heat and provide ample light and ventilation.
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.
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
Firm’s Instagram Link: 100 Ants Design Studio
Firm’s Facebook Link: 100 Ants Design Studio
For Similar Project >>> Seamless Fusion of Light Grey Wall Textures And An Overarching Wooden Touch
Layers don’t just sit here; they breathe, shift, and whisper through light. The Screen, set in the sun-drenched fabric of Solapur, Maharashtra, isn’t trying to scream luxury. It doesn’t need to. It moves quieter than that, more composed, more intentional, like a pause button carved into the chaos of the city. Spread across 4,125 sq. […]
This project is located in Ben Tre, Vietnam, and was completed in 2021. With a total area of 430m2, the project set within concrete vaults includes 3 bedrooms and one living room, each with a view of the nearby river. Concrete Vaults Form The Main Identity Of This Vietnamese Home | VTN Architects The ground […]
We conceive EMA not as a conventional architectural object, but as a living continuum of memory, ecology, and craft. Located in Malappuram, Kerala, the 1,700 sq. ft. residence, designed with thermal comfort draws from vernacular wisdom and the philosophy of the Kaavu—the sacred grove—where humans, nature, and other living beings coexist without hierarchy. Within this […]
Set within the lush landscapes of Bharanikavu in Kollam, Arcade – a single storey residence that blends tropical modern architecture with colonial and traditional elements. Designed for a businessman, his wife (a teacher) and their two daughters, this house showcases a shared interest for elegance rooted in familiarity. This Single Storey Home Sits Amidst Lush […]
Noah’s Ark is a contemporary residence designed as a calm and welcoming home with a clear planning. The client’s brief was to create a home that felt simple, warm, and timeless without becoming overly minimal or impersonal. Noah’s Ark responds by blending clear planning, honest materials, and personal elements, resulting in a house that is […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
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 […]
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 […]