The house embodies a subliminal connection with its surroundings. Sited amongst the ghats around a tranquil lake, this is a weekend home for a dancer and her family. Thoughtfully orientated, the homes unfold in a series of connected pavilions. Each pavilion has its own spatial purpose flowing to the next. Each space holds a unique perspective of the lake view. Designed to awaken with the pulse of nature, life in this home is therapeutic. Set along a north-south axis, the sun registers itself on the east- and west-facing skin of the home. The solstice sun rays align with the deliberate color blocks on the living room wall, honoring the universe and time.
Editor’s Note: “With pavilions unfolding throughout, this lakeview weekend home in Maharashtra is a poetic conversation between architecture and nature. Thoughtfully aligned to honor the sun, universe, and time, the home blends with its surroundings through channeled water paths and open spaces. ‘Down the rabbit hole’ is indeed a therapeutic retreat, where energy of people and place are in perfect sync.” ~ Anusha Sridhar
This Lake View House Aligns with the Sun and Universe | Studio LAB (Language.Architecture.Body)
One arrives at the breathtaking lake view from a deep veranda. The veranda gives a sense of shelter in the wild outdoors. Just beyond, the half-moon natural stone saltwater pool is encircled by a wraparound deck. A ring of social spaces, the dining pavilion, the living, the kitchen and the verandah pavilion form their own constellation.
At the periphery on either end are clusters of bedrooms. These rooms, although private and quiet, are connected by their vantage points of the lake. Navigation through the house is playful, sensitizing one to the environment.
The metal frame structure with expansive glazing is detailed with antique reclaimed timber elements. The sloping roofs float above the enclosures and their adjacent outdoor spaces.
Each pavilion has a distinct sense of place. A seamless cast in situ floor connects the multiple spaces. The soft color palate allows the eye to travel gently from the inside to the outside.
The successive sloping roofs narrate the journey of rainwater, while the roof and ground detail its flow, highlighting the changing seasons.
The carefully channeled water paths are a narrative of water and land. A reflection of ever-shifting life outside the walls. The roofscape, with its assembly of slopes, pays homage to the undulating hills on the horizon.
This lake view house awakens as a living, breathing entity in conversation with the world outside. The architectural choreography delineates a profound connection with the dwelling’s energy and the intricate rhythms of the household. It is an ethereal dance of energies of people and place.
Fact File
Designed by: Studio LAB (Language.Architecture.Body)
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Down The Rabbit Hole
Location: Kamshet, Maharashtra
Year: 2023
Built Up Area: 14000 Sq.ft
Lead Architects: Shonan Purie Trehan, Maitri Mehta, Anjaly Teresa Joseph, Chandini Agarwal, Niranjan Phadtare
Lead Team: Studio LAB (Language.Architecture.Body)
Photograph Courtesy: Kuber Shah
Structural Consultants: Rajeev Shah & Associates
Manufacturers: Porta Finestra
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Studio LAB (Language.Architecture.Body)
Firm’s Instagram Link: Studio LAB (Language.Architecture.Body)
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