Microblogging entrepreneur Aprameya Radhakrishna and nutrition and health coach Parinita Narain live in central Bangalore with their young child, across the city from the Jaynagar neighborhood where they were born and raised. A few years ago, they acquired a 3,800-square-foot lot in the south Bangalore locale with the aim of building a home where they could spend weekends closer to family—and they called upon childhood friend Shalini Chandrashekar of Taliesyn Architecture to design a small, cabin-like retreat.

“We wanted a very green space, because those were the kinds of homes that we grew up in,” Parinita Narain says. “They always had space for plants and trees, so we wanted that.”" layout="" credit="Photo courtesy of Taliesyn Design & Architecture" photoUserId=""/>

With its focus on simplicity, natural materials, vernacular elements, and a large garden with jackfruit and mango trees framing the entry, the Cabin House is an ideal weekend getaway.

The double-height, glazed entrance framed with sustainably harvested ash wood makes a grand statement, but the home’s style otherwise exhibits a spare, minimalist restraint worthy of the name Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright estate that serves as a namesake for Chandrashekar’s firm, founded in 2010 with G. S. Mahaboob Basha.

“We were initially very influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and the nuances that he brings into spaces—especially the attention to detail,” says Chandrashekar. “He used very clean lines, and he paid a lot of attention to natural resources. We drew from what he did and tried to bring in our own take on his architecture.”

The house takes the form of a fluid, cuboid volume, and almost everything happens in the open, double-height living area. Referencing a vernacular building technique that has fallen into desuetude, a seamless, built-in, red-oxide-pigmented concrete bench wraps around the kitchen, dining room, and living room, then doglegs up to the lofted bedroom, which Aprameya and Parinita share with their toddler. “We sleep together in the same bed, and it’s quite cute and cozy,” Parinita says.

The ash window details, cabinetry, dining table, and chairs warm the muted tone of the polished concrete floors, walls, and ceilings. “We tried to bring in nostalgic sentiments with built-in seating and materials that replicate what used to happen before,” Chandrashekar says. “Since it’s a weekend home, the way they live in the space is different than their regular home. We wanted to create spaces where they could pause—to remind them of slow living.”

The home is beloved by the couple, as well as their extended family—Paranita’s father likes to sit on the porch and chat with neighbors during his evening walks. On weekends, cousins play in the garden, and relatives often gather for dinner in the open living space.

Shalini Chandrashekar of Taliesyn. " layout="" credit="Photo courtesy of Taliesyn Design & Architecture" photoUserId=""/>

Chandrashekar oriented the entire composition to optimize passive energy and natural ventilation: There is no air conditioning. An elegant row of opaque clerestory windows bring in muted light beneath the roof overhang. All of the building services and appliances run on electricity, and rooftop solar panels reduce reliance on the grid to an absolute minimum.

“We wanted to give the whole home a minimalistic feel, yet the idea was to add in some nostalgia,” Parinita says. “It’s simple and it’s modern—but it vibes with the nostalgia that we all grew up with.”

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Project Credits:

Architect: Taliesyn Design & Architecture / @taliesyn_design

Contractor: SS Construction

Engineer: Sigma Consultants

Cabinetry: Taliesyn Design & Architecture, Hanuman Suthar

Doors and Furniture: Dtale Modern

Photography: Aaron Chapman / @byaaronchapman