SUBSCRIBE NOW
    • Homes

    Khosla Associates negotiate a balance between architecture and nature in this Bengaluru villa

    JAN 30, 2024 | By Namrata Dewanjee
    The verandah is an extension of the living area, The bespoke jhoola was designed by Khosla Associates and manufactured by Timber Works. On the wall behind, the graphic artworks are by Arjun Sara with the lamps from Pottery Barn placed on top of the console by Virasp Bativala; Photography by Fabien Charuau
    In the living room, over the hand-knotted Unstring rug by Kavi for Jaipur Rugs is the fluid walnut wood coffee table cosy designed by Khosla Associates and manufactured by Virasp Bativala; Photography by Fabien Charuau
    Between a picture window overlooking the garden and the foyer, the open family room on the first floor is a space for gathering. Sprawled on the floor is a carpet from Jaipur rugs designed by Tania and Sandeep Khosla. The sofa and the statement lounge chair are from Moroso. The wall behind is a testament to the family’s love for music, with each niche containing prized instruments; Photography by Fabien Charuau
    The outhouse is a single-storey pavilion set amidst a lush garden. It is connected to the main house by a walkway covered with a wooden canopy that is supported by a steel arm at one end; Photography by Fabien Charuau
    In the car portico and the entrance to the outhouse and garden, the architects imagine the car park as an open space with walls and grass pavers; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Bengaluru is a city of delightful paradoxes. Alongside steel and concrete skylines, thrive landscapes with the scent of fresh flowers and a negotiated coexistence. In the eastern part of this metropolis exists a home dubbed Villa 106, built with an astonishing balance between nature and nurture, a characteristic that pervades this curious cosmopolitan. Conjuring a distinct tropical-modern sensibility inside, Sandeep Khosla and Amaresh Anand of Bengaluru-based Khosla Associates delve into the very quintessence of making this home.

    Initially tasked with building a single 9,000 sq ft home, Sandeep and Amaresh, reveal how the project took an unexpected turn. Mid-construction, the family acquired the adjacent plot calling for a 600 sq ft outhouse nestled within expansive gardens. 

    The semi-open verandah merges with the central garden. The bespoke jhoola was designed by Khosla Associates and manufactured by Timber Works. On the wooden deck and Ikat rug, are the armchairs from Kettal’s Riva collection and sofa from their Mesh collection; Photography by Fabien Charuau

     

    Adorning the central garden is a stone sculpture by Tallur L.N. that emerges from the koi pond. Through the glazing, the dining room peeks through where the dining chairs are from Ventura from Poliform and the suspension light from Bert Frank hangs over the bespoke table; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Mapping a path

    In the C-shaped layout of the main home, the architects designed not just the built but also the unbuilt, situating architecture around nature, the solid around the void, and creating an ecology for harmonious existence. 

    The verandah is an extension of the living area, On the wall behind, the graphic artworks are by Arjun Sara with the lamps from Pottery Barn placed on top of the console by Virasp Bativala; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Consequently, all public spaces including the kitchen visually connect with the garden. In the outhouse set in a bucolic garden, the built form almost appears as an artefact, an object engulfed by the majesty of the unbound green. Stepping through the 10-foot-tall fluted timber door of the main house, one is enveloped by an expansive aura. The double-height foyer sets the stage for a grand interior that spills into the outdoors. An open-plan living and dining area frames the garden. A verandah attached to the living space acts as a stage for resplendent evenings of musical performances. 

    The double-height foyer greets you as you enter the main house. The artwork is by Dhruvi Acharya. Taking you upstairs is the staircase covered in monolithic unfinished steel sheets under the roof is clad in ribbed timber; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Walls whisper stories through exquisite works by Indian masters Atul Dodiya and Jitish Kallat, while a dramatic stone sculpture by Tallur L.N. stands sentinel in the garden’s embrace. A serene bedroom suite and a puja room southwards lend tranquility amidst the lively pulse of the home.

    In the foreground is a stone sculpture by Tallur L.N. In the background is the dining area; Photography by Fabien Charuau

     

    View from the first-floor family room into the east court and garden; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    The home is created with a medley of materials from white terrazzo and walnut wood floors to polished cement accent walls contrasted with the central ribbed timber sloped roof. Ascending the striking staircase sheathed in unfinished steel, you reach the first floor, where the family area overlooks the foyer below.

    The internal steel staircase is clad in teakwood with the railing in ribbed timber, adding warmth to the space; Photography by Fabien Charuau

     

    From the family room on the first floor, you get an unobstructed view of the grand foyer. The suspension lights in the foreground are Dandelion from LZF Lamps; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Winding pathways weave through the landscape, leading to the dreamy outhouse— a sanctuary for lazy afternoons of reading, away from the urban clamour. “The garden which plays a unifying role in connecting the main house with the outhouse with clever pathways, lush tropical planting and garden sculpture was conceived by Sowmya Lakhamraju of Kiasma Studio,” inform the duo.

    Amidst the green, the outhouse is a serene sanctuary. On the walnut wood floors is a tribal rug from Carpet Cellar. The coffee table is from the family’s collection while the armchair is from Gloster. The sliding fenestration with Accoya solid wood frames is by RitikaaWood. Interestingly, the space can be converted into a bedroom with a Murphy bed; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Made with music

    The family being patrons of music desired spaces to host musical performances and fill the home with contemporary Indian art and sculpture. Shaped by conversations with the family, the design embraced their passion for Hindustani classical music with a large wall transformed into a musical haven, its niches showcasing their treasured instruments; therefore weaving the art of music into the very fabric of the house. 

    Between a picture window overlooking the garden and the foyer, the open family room on the first floor is a space for gathering. Sprawled on the floor is a carpet from Jaipur rugs designed by Tania and Sandeep Khosla. The sofa and the statement lounge chair are from Moroso. The wall behind is a testament to the family’s love for music, with each niche containing prized instruments; Photography by Fabien Charuau

     

    The marble sculpture on the walnut table is by Sandip Chakraborty. The sofa and armchairs are from Arflex’s Cradle collection. In the backdrop, the artwork is by Atul Dodiya from his cinema series; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    Of the earth, for the earth

    In this city home, coexistence with earth is an everyday reality with comfort and conscience finding a thoughtful balance. “There were many discussions around responding to nature, optimising the sun’s path, responding to Bengaluru’s temperate climate with permeable spaces, and providing adequate cross-ventilation and natural light,” explain the architects, who utilised both active measures like rooftop solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems as well as passive design strategies, to ensure harmony within the abode and with nature.

    The serene kitchen with a view to the garden is also flanked by a koi pond, adding to the tranquil atmosphere. The kitchen cabinets are from Eggersmann and the bar tools on the kitchen island are from Moroso. Illuminating the space are suspension lights from Carpyen; Photography by Fabien Charuau

    You may also like: A non-conformist tale of cantilevers and light comes alive in this Thiruvananthapuram home by Studio TAB