House of Bare Walls

Ihita’ – as the client calls it, translates to a fierce form. The residence braves up in its volume, strategically designed with the focus on allowing maximum natural light into the house through large fenestrations, cutouts, and skylights to make the internal spaces seem open and airy -in comparison with the existing urban residential context.
Ihitha is an embodiment of the perfect blend of tradition and modernity that is required for better functional aspects -is nestled between the residential and industrial edge of Bengaluru.
Inspired from the traditional courtyard houses of the region, “Thotti mane” that usually features a central sunken courtyard with all other spaces looking into the courtyard.
The design is a modern interpretation of this vernacular concept, with a centrally located sunken living room and a double height space, with all other spaces across the two levels facing and looking into it. The residence is designed to segregate the public and private spaces vertically, where the ground floor has a spacious living room, a kitchen and a guest bedroom. Meanwhile, the first floor is a private area where all the bedrooms are located, and the terrace floor extends into a private entertainment and gathering space. The sunlight through those massive skylights, plays a dramatic role throughout by portraying the timelines of the day and seasons. This has a vital role in setting the narrative of functionality of the residents in the house.
The project internally titled “House of Bare Walls” was conceptualized around the finishes and textures like exposed concrete ceilings, exposed porotherm walls, exposed brick walls, stone finish tiles, lime plaster, slate tiles etc to give a very rustic yet rich look and feel.
With an exposed ceiling finish that is accentuated by column and beam-free design through a flat slab construction technique, along with the use of interesting tile patterns, tile inserts, lime plaster walls, bare finishes and curious artefacts and art across the house, each space is a peaceful retreat, inviting you to relax and unwind. Each bedroom was planned to nurture the need for communication, internally and externally with a balcony, a sit-out, a corner window and a bay window.
At the heart of the design -are reclaimed Chettinad artifacts from Karaikudi, such as columns around the sunken living room. A repurposed swing at the foyer gracefully welcomes one into the home, while a repurposed old door transforms into a dining table that sits as the backdrop of the living area among others that add to the old-world charm of the house.
The overall material palette is rather more rustic, with the use of dark wood veneers, brass accessories and inlays, fluted glass, jali wall, etc, adding a touch of unstated luxury and character to the spaces. The house also has a subtle facade design, with the balcony being treated to create an illusion of floating bricks.