search
  • Vernacular Approach for Upscale Luxury | Design Kacheri

    Sunyata eco vernacular hotel is designed and built to demonstrate how a building in an urban scenario on an optimal site size can be a sustainable and eco-friendly structure. This approach extends beyond just the materials chosen or construction techniques but also to the entire construction process and the day to day operations once the hotel started functioning. The requirements and functioning of a boutique hotel where aesthetics, experience, comfort and luxury go hand in hand were given utmost importance. The project brief was to achieve these in a completely eco friendly manner with the least amount of carbon footprint possible.

    Vernacular Approach for Upscale Luxury | Design Kacheri

    Visit: Design Kacheri

    © Shamanth Patil

    This luxury hotel is primarily built with locally available earth which is used in various forms – mud blocks, poured earth, rammed earth and mud concrete. Natural light, ventilation and heat is regulated by incorporating brick jaalis and mutual shading techniques. This hotel is largely designed as a load bearing structure and thus avoiding concrete columns. Age old alternative construction techniques like brick vaults, jack arch roofs, precast hourdi clay roofs and filler slabs have all been used to help reduce concrete.

    © Shamanth Patil

    © Shamanth Patil
    © Shamanth Patil

    The layout of the project is inspired by the ‘thotti mane’ or courtyard houses which is the vernacular style of construction in the malnad region. The structure is designed considering bioclimatic principles. There are a series of receding terraces looking out to the park adjacent to the site and the hills in a distance. These terraces also help in collecting maximum rain water during the seasonal monsoons while letting in the pleasant north light into the rooms. The rain water from the terraces is further routed to the central courtyard and stored in large rain water storage tanks created between the foundation. These tanks can store up to 45,000 litres of water and the remaining is directed to recharge the open well.

    © Shamanth Patil
    © Shamanth Patil

    The water collected at the courtyard passes through natural filters and excess water is collected in a water body. A 30 feet deep well is excavated for the purpose of water collection. Breaking away from the common practice of excavating borewells, the open well does not have any negative impacts on the aquifers and also allows for the ground water to percolate from the sides. An eco STP takes care of sullage water which is also recycled for reuse. The unique ECOSTP technology does not use chemicals or energy to treat the water. Instead, it mimics the processes of the natural world using a combination of microorganisms, plants and gravel to clean sewage water and return clean water back to mother earth, completing the ‘cradle to cradle’ sustainable lifecycle.

    Passive cooling is achieved by incorporating a combination of solar chimneys(along the south & west walls) and earth air tunnels connected to cool air shafts that open into each room inducing passive ventilation, thus avoiding air conditioning in all spaces. Three loops of HDPE pipes of approximately 75m length each are placed at -3.5m from natural ground level. These pipes start and end at the air handling units in the basement. Solar panels are used for producing electricity and the panels were installed in a phased manner. All the equipment involved in construction including brick making was powered by solar energy to avoid drawing electricity from the grid.

    © Shamanth Patil
    © Shamanth Patil

    The interiors are very minimal. Every material and element of the structure is highlighted in its true self. Exposed bricks, earthen walls and exposed concrete with contrasting black stone floor becomes the feature in each space. Beds, sofas, chairs and wardrobes are custom made in cane. Some of the old cane and wooden furniture were sourced and re-purposed too. Local stone artisans, cane craftsmen, potters and plantation workers who were unemployed during non-harvest months were trained and employed. Sunyata eco hotel is an operating boutique hotel today which is self sufficient in generating the resources it needs to function while also being an experience centre for living in an eco friendly space.

    Plan - First Floor
    Section 2
    Plan - Second Floor

    Fact File

    Designed by: Design Kacheri

    Location: Chikmagalur, Karnataka

    Year Built: 2021

    Project Size: 10,000 Sq.ft

    Principal Architects: Chaitra Saraf, Nidhish Kurup

    Team Design Credits: Alex Paul, Niyati Thakur, Kishor KS

    Consultants for the Project

    Contractor: Real Earth Engineers

    Structural Engineers: Mrinmayee consultants

    MEP Consultants: Capstone Building Services & Consultants

    Sewage Treatment System: ECO STP

    Photograph Courtesy: Shamanth Patil

    Source: ArchDaily

    Products & Materials:  Kohler, Exide, Pasolite, Studer, Trimble Sketchup, ZWsoft

    Firm’s Instagram Link: Design Kacheri

    For Similar Project>>Symphony of Classic Design Elements creating Dramatic Sciagraphy 

    Nestled In An Ecological Environment, Eden Moss Tells A Story Of Purity | Urbane Ivy

    “Even within the smallest green lies all the purity and freshness of Eden.” This idea became the seed for Eden Moss, a home nestled in an ecological environment and imagined as a breath of freshness, evoking the scent of mud after rain, and seamlessly intertwined with nature while still embracing comfort and contextual charm. Nestled […]

    Read More

    Layered Architecture Brings Out The Cultural Memory Of The Client’s Vision | Tales of Design Studio

    In Tiruppur’s industrial heartland, where the rhythm of textile mills sets the tone, the layered architecture in this Villa offers a quiet counterpoint. Shaped by stillness, proportion, and cultural memory, the home reflects the clients’ vision for a contemplative retreat. Set on a square plot within a gridded residential layout, the residence embraces architectural restraint […]

    Read More

    Sanctum Is A Home Within Nature, Built With Nature | ma+rs

    Nestled in what was once a coconut orchard, Sanctum serves as a sanctuary for a retired couple. Their daughter & a feline companion join them to offer a tranquil environment for everyday goings-on. The site is a 60’ x 90’ portion of land with six coconut trees. Two teak wood & silver oak trees, each […]

    Read More

    Openness In Structure And Spirit Is The Soul Of This Urban Home | Archemist Architects

    Tucked into the calm, tree-lined lanes of Nagarbhavi in Bangalore, Avani Residence rises as a poetic response to the chaos of the city, a vertical sanctuary where light dances, materials breathe, and space unfolds in gentle rhythms. Designed by Archemist Architects for a family of four, the residence is a nuanced interplay between constraint and […]

    Read More

    This Bespoke Cafe Is A Bold Experiment In Layered Raw Textures And Sculpted Forms | UrbanNest Design Studio

    The designers envision Asterix Café as a flagship destination that challenges café design conventions. While coffee culture often associates with warm, pastel tones, Asterix dares to be different by embracing darkness as its defining aesthetic. Designed by UrbanNest Design Studio, the bespoke cafe is a bold experiment in creating a multi-functional, community centric space where […]

    Read More

    This Home With An Earthen Design Opens Out To Lush Farms Outside And Cosy Interiors Inside | Bhutha Earthen Architecture Studio

    Adorn, a home filled with earthen design and the laughter of a family of four, nestles in the peaceful neighborhood of Selvapuram, Coimbatore. “On one side, it shares boundaries with cozy family homes; meanwhile, the other side opens to expansive fields dotted with tall trees.” The fresh air scented with greenery sets a calming atmosphere […]

    Read More

    Open Courtyards And A Biophilic Design Connect The Outdoors With The Indoors | R+R Architects

    Situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Anandvan residence beautifully embodies biophilic design, fostering a deep connection with nature through its thoughtful integration of outdoor and indoor spaces through open courtyards. Open Courtyards And A Biophilic Design Connect The Outdoors With The Indoors | R+R Architects Location The location and surroundings played a significant role in determining the […]

    Read More

    The Chair Affair | India’s Iconic Furniture Design Competition 2025

    What if the simplest object in your home could turn into a design icon? Tectona Grandis Furniture and The Architects’ Diary come together to introduce the Chair Affair. This is India’s first-of-its-kind furniture design competition that dares architects and designers across India to rethink the most essential piece of furniture – the Chair. Beyond function, […]

    Read More

    This Kindergarten School In Mysore Is Redefining Classrooms By Opening Into The Nature | Baya Studios

    In a calm and serene residential area of Mysore, a 10,000 sq. ft. site with mature mango and coconut trees set the stage for Eden Kindergarten school. One half of the land was already occupied by an existing block, while the other half was shaded by the canopy of old trees. Instead of altering this […]

    Read More

    Farmhouse Designs in India: 15 Inspiring Styles To Know

    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 […]

    Read More
  • Things to Consider While Planning for a Building Inspection

    10 Reasons to Choose High Pressure Royale Touche Laminates over Acrylic Laminates