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
This contemporary courtyard house is designed within constraints that often give rise to the most creative solutions. This residence, nestled in a landlocked plot flanked by development on three sides, represents a unique architectural intervention that turns limitation into opportunity. The client’s vision was both unusual and ambitious: to create a twin house under one […]
This multi generational home is a testament to the ability of the design practice to blend aesthetic appeal with practical functionality. Keeping environmental sustainability and the welfare of the community at the forefront, Bhowal designed a home that was truly ahead of its time. His visionary approach and the Design Consortium’s expertise in providing a […]
In this modern luxury home, courtyards spill into living spaces, and the lines between inside and outside dissolve into a seamless whole. This 17,800 sq. ft. bungalow in Anand, by Hiren Patel Architects, blurs the boundaries between landscape, architecture, and interiors, creating a home where nature isn’t just the backdrop but an integral part of […]
Nestled in the foothills of the Shivalik range, the Himalayas is our latest project, Ekasham — a private residence refurbishment and redevelopment project, spread across an area of 2177 sqm. The monolithic home, through its volumes, composed of old and new structures, merges into a singular silhouette evoking the presence of a monolith from which […]
Ishaar is rooted in the belief that architecture should not just be seen, but deeply felt. Drawing from brutalist principles and natural tactility, the holiday villa is designed as a sensory retreat, where material, sound, light, and temperature shape the guest’s experience. Set amidst rural farmland, the villa dissolves into its landscape through a choreography […]
“Vishram Vaadi Nu Ghar” means a serene retreat amidst mango and chikoo farms, crafted to reflect the client’s vision in their mother tongue Gujarati. Vishram is a serene ground-touch structure offering breathtaking views of the Purna River and is a thoughtful example of countryside house design. Nestled amidst lush Amba and Chikoo Vaadi, the design […]
This single-story sustainable home in Ezhupunna blends traditional Kerala architecture with tropical, eco-friendly design. Inspired by the “kullakadavu” concept, a central pond encourages family interaction while enhancing the landscape. This Ezhupunna Home is Rooted in Eco-friendly Design | Judson Associates Architects & Interiors Despite being near lakes and beaches, adding a pond improves year-round moisture […]
In the heart of New Anjar, a small town tucked into the arid landscape of Kachchh, Gujarat, sits one of those modest houses designed with a quiet sense of clarity. Built for a Muslim family spanning three generations, the home isn’t trying to make a bold statement from its street-facing façade. Instead, it leans into […]
The house showcases a modern three-story residence exemplifying contemporary architectural design through its clean lines, geometric volumes, and a balanced interplay of materials. The facade skillfully combines textured tile cladding, smooth plaster, and contrasting color blocks in neutral shades of gray, black, and earthy rust, adding visual depth and dynamism. Expansive glass panels framed in […]
House of Silhouettes is located in Navratan, Udaipur. The plot is a corner one facing north and west 60’x40′ with a built-up area of 6500 sq.ft., designed in contemporary modern architecture as an independent house at three levels, including terrace. House of Silhouettes Reflects Contemporary Modern Architecture | Shaunak Singh and Associates This contemporary residence […]