A sun-speckled house in Pune

Carving out space 

Rather than a limitation, the project’s compact plot size turned out to be its biggest strength. “The house is pressed closely by neighbouring buildings, leaving little privacy or open space. In response, we chose early on to turn the home inward,” explain Vijay and Yatindra. The traditional aangan became a strong referential point for their approach, inspiring the triple-height central volume of light that illuminates the home from the centre up. No need for windows or doors that open to (or look into) the adjoining homes! 

This sectional carving of spaces allows the central, light-filled volume to rise upwards, uninterrupted by any floors or walls cutting past. Rather, a perforated metal staircase lines one side of the building, connecting each subtle shift in level. Come day, the adjoining walls of the stairway are peppered with minuscule dots of sunlight that shift across the interiors across the day — earning the home its moniker, “the house of liquid light”. 

The undeniable highlight? In lieu of substantial outdoor space, the duo have strategically wedged pockets of greenery indoors — from balcony-like sections overrun by plants, to rooms that open to covered verandahs!

Shifting spaces, shifting hues

Awash in teal, a small aangan-like space welcomes you into the home. As you move inwards away from the cluttered street outdoors, an immediate visual disconnect occurs: teal terrazzo runs underfoot, planters bob gently to the side, and lighting softly filters through the adjoining metal staircase. Rather than opening into a traditional foyer, it is these very stairs that lead you indoors. 

As you move further inwards, there’s a subtle shift in hues. The soothing teal in the entry swaps hands with chocolate-hued wood and beige terrazzo floors: warm, welcoming and well-lit. The lower levels are home to expansive living areas, kitchens and a shrouded, verandah-like area teeming with indoor plants. If the idea of a triple-height volume of light in the middle of your home invokes concerns of privacy, fear not. The volume is surrounded by wooden panels that shield the upper, more private floors from direct view of those below. But you can always pop a window or two amidst the panels open to see who’s visiting! As Vijay and Yatindra explain in a nutshell, “The house turns inward instead of resisting its urban constraints. It creates an introverted world of light, levels, and intimate spaces, protecting privacy while nurturing a connection with the trees and the sky.”

Sun does the talking

The austere colour and material palette, explain the duo, was a deliberate choice. “The materials remain intentionally understated, allowing shifting daylight and shadows to become the primary visual experience,” they affirm. In tandem, the teal terrazzo and walls of the stairway become a canvas for the dots of light puncturing the metal staircase. The home’s beige interiors all but glow underneath the sunlight filtering in from the top. And the lack of space for a balcony or a verandah sure doesn’t stop the homeowners from cultivating their green thumb! You’ll spot bursts of green all across the home: from hedges lining the pebble-clad, covered verandah indoors, to double-height, balcony-like pockets indoors bursting with leafy planters. 

All in all, the home is an ingenious urban experiment that addresses the cons of city living rather than brushing them under the rug. You don’t always have to perch on the highest floor to enjoy the sun! 

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