Weekend home: Celebrating the outdoors

By Marina Correa

Images: Courtesy Studio Motley

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With the courtyard as a central unifying element in the entire U-shaped configuration, architects, Kajal Gupta and Anand Kurudi of Studio Motley design and build flexibility into this weekend home…

Located within a gated community in Bengaluru for a city-dwelling family with a latent potential of transforming it into their permanent abode, this weekend home is an exercise in simplicity with a flair.

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Spaciousness is the intangible defining feature of this project, where a simple courtyard connects the house to the sprawling 550 sq. mt. property, whilst all other spaces of the built program spill onto different areas and levels, albeit remain visually connected to the tranquil core.  

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With an earthy material and colour palette comprising local stone, brick, exposed concrete, timber, glass and natural warm colours such as grey, brown, copper, rust etc. - textures and colours blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors fostering warmth and harmony.

Like an island, the individually carved out living room sits atop a pool resembling a tall glass box sandwiched between two concrete slabs but more public than the rest of the four-bedroom house.

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Built keeping local climatic conditions in mind, utility rooms and toilets are oriented towards the western side to minimize the impact of the harsh sunlight as does a 6’-deep chajja applied to the west-facing façade of the living room.

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Similarly, deep overhangs, water bodies, greenery, 300 mm filler slabs etc. weave sustainability into the project as well as dramatically help reduce energy costs.

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With the client having a socially active lifestyle, a sculptural, external staircase fulfils this need perfectly without compromising on their privacy. Thus the home acts as a facilitator for the family to commune with nature and celebrate a socially outdoorsy lifestyle.