A couple requested Nayanika Natesh, Principal Architect of NNAD Studio, to design their 1,800 square feet Bengaluru bungalow. Known as the ‘The Garden House,’ the clients wanted a home that provided a distinctive experience of living in tandem with nature. The clients are supporters of environmental sustainability and wanted a bungalow that utilised upcycled and refurbished architectural components and furniture. Situated in the suburban neighbourhood Banashankari, this unique brick-clad Bengaluru home comprises a number of open and green-doused nooks to relax and reflect.
“The clients inhabiting ‘The Garden House’ were my biggest source of inspiration. Nearing their years of retirement, the homeowners, contractors by vocation, are torchbearers of conscious and environmentally inclined living. Their lifestyle is deeply tethered to nature, and the home had to be reflective of the same. This also explains how we named the dwelling, celebrating the residence’s unending romance with lush greenery.”
One With Nature
‘The Garden House’ exhibits how a home’s design can be woven in complete accordance with sustainability. “Unlike any other project that I have envisaged, this home was akin to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle from the outside-in. In keeping with the intent of upcycling and refurbishing, we initiated the process of design by procuring elements such as doors, windows, grills, and steel columns and beams from restoration sites and older bungalows that were being demolished around the area,” mentionsNatesh.
Furthermore, with numerous green areas, ‘The Garden House’ is an excellent example of biophilic design principles. The gate of the bungalow comprises protective louvres that were obtained from a discarded generator set, creating a privacy-endowed veil of sorts that builds interest. Led through by a pergola shrouded in leafy creepers and floral blooms of Bengal Clock Vine, the entrance into the home is surrounded on both sides by verdant greenery.
Open Living
The centre of ‘The Garden House’ is an open living, dining and kitchen area, where the clients spend most of their time. The interiors of the home showcases a minimal colour and material palette. The sameness of the interiors is broken by decor pieces and soft furnishings. “With shafts of daylight pouring in through the clerestory windows, filtering through the intricate iron filigree, the living room hosts a range of versatile seating arrangements. Peppered with vintage switchboards, curated brass antiques, and timeless handloom fabrics, this zone cascades into a sunken seating area with brick-based benches and light furniture that keeps the milieu airy and flexible,” adds Natesh.
Showcasing the design style of a bygone era, the primary bedroom is located behind a number of folding-sliding doors. “The impetus behind constructing this sequence of doors was to bless the bedroom with an extended perception of space that softens the boundaries between connected zones.” Featuring exposed brick, concrete, and wooden flooring, the primary bedroom is layered with age-old furniture and decor pieces. Moreover, the master bedroom has been designed to include a walk-in closet along with the master bathroom.
“For us, as a studio, this home will always be a reminder of finding inspiration in what surrounds us. ‘The Garden House’ nudged us to look inwards, create consciously, and to still ensure that the home invoked familial warmth. As a result, the design brief was fulfilled with the client’s way of living being manifested into the architectural grammar of the residence,” concludes the Principal Designer.