Organic and Sustainable

By Marina Correa

Photography: Shamanth Patil; courtesy the architect

 

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Climatology forms the crux of the design process for landscape , architecture and interiors of the Courtyard House in Bengaluru, designed and built by The Purple Ink Studio…

This 4,500 sq. ft. contextually-built form is chiselled to resemble an unadorned canvas juxtaposed against natural greens, whilst a seamless MS Band running across the top will eventually be covered in greenery to exude an organic feel. 

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The same organic vibe continues into the interiors with an earthy palette being the mainstay, coupled with a flood of natural light. For instance, the warmth of the solid teak wooden staircase juxtaposed against the cool exposed concrete walls creates a fine balance. Similarly, the industrial flooring (PU) provides a uniform and seamless feel to the interiors.  

 

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Built for a family of three, the client was keen on having a courtyard, albeit within a contemporary setting. So principals Akshay Heranjal and Aditi Pai used this feature as a climate responsive design advantage.

 

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Though the site is east-facing, the architects oriented the residence towards the north to avoid the harsh sunlight and allow cool breezes from the vast public green areas to pass through the many fenestrations. Additionally, a water channel introduced in the direction of the prevailing winds induces a cool micro-climate in the interiors; thus ensuring low dependence on mechanical resources and energy consumption.

 

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As the green space snakes its way from the exteriors into the interior layout, the courtyard, which is the well of the house, draws in light and ventilation and circulates the same to all common areas such as living, dining and kitchen, which in turn are treated as exterior spaces – much like extensions of the landscape areas.  The courtyard also serves the twin purpose of being a climatological feature as well as an aesthetic tool. 

 

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Speaking of green materials, the construction integrates multiple sustainable features into the project such as AAC blocks, PV cells for solar lighting, solar reflective tiles for high heat reflectance etc. to minimize carbon footprint, whilst the interiors reflect the idea of reduced energy consumption with usage of LED lighting with sensors etc.

 

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Last but not least, with a belief in exploring the parameters of design and blurring the boundaries between architecture, landscape and sustainability -- it comes as no surprise that the architects are progressive and constantly engage in ‘regenerative architecture’ practices, where they believe that the triumvirate should not be treated individually.