Forests have been the milieu for various mythological folklore, from offering the doomed apple to serving as the exile ground. These throngs of trees—long and short, dense and sparse—contain secrets to holistic living within them, yet at times they shroud an inescapable lethal labyrinth. In an ode to these folklores, Studio PPBA assigns the forest the role of protagonist in their work titled House Between Gardens.

“I believe that a house is not just a place, it’s a feeling and it's about the memories. So, it was crucial for us... how can we design space which creates memories and how can we celebrate life in general,” expresses Pankaj Bhagwatkar, principal architect of Studio PPBA.

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The Enchanting Forest

On the outskirts of Pune, a 9,600 sq. ft. home embarks on an escapade to chase the susurrus of a colossal forest beyond. While this segueing pursuit for tranquillity persists, the residents found its nickname, “Gardens on either side and... the house in between, that’s how the name coined House Between the Gardens,” Bhagwatkar says. The architect’s routine interrogation led to a discourse on the preferences, revealing the traditional client’s exigency of a contemporary home, which is conscious of its context.

While the site’s contour from the forest to the opposing road triggered a contest for harmony, Bhagwatkar muses, “…how can we connect this house with the forest?” To establish a bond with the wise old forest, the architect explains, “The biggest challenge (too) was how we can blur the boundaries between these built and unbuilt masses.” Soon enough, an idea struck, deciphering a piece of the puzzle. “According to the slope, we have five different planes; we will put the house in between and we can make the gardens here (on either side of the home),” Bhagwatkar explains. The lush green lurking from every crevice corroborated the chronicles of a deep-rooted association between the home and the forest. To link the extra pieces of the puzzle together, “we placed these two blocks (consisting of bedrooms)… again this particular space (the courtyard and living spaces) we kept open… it’s very porous at this junction,” Bhagwatkar describes.

Riddles In The Garden

The entry is through a chiaroscuro canvas, courtesy of the striped pergola above, while a lush wall directs one along a stretched pathway to the entry pavilion. The pavilion, donning a similar veil as the entrance, brews a recital of light and shadows. “This is the pavilion here, this is the water body, over which we have planted a ‘chaffa’,” Bhagwatkar says about the serene ripple staged by the chaffa. The water body lounges against a wall with an illustration of a labyrinth, colluding with the gardens beyond, keeping them hidden.

The green wall gazes at a wooden door that shrouds the sorcery of the luxe living spaces and their swanky surroundings, which seem to possess ambiguous boundaries. “So, when you enter into the living spaces, the bigger openings will give you the view of the red and the white chaffa in the landscape,” Bhagwatkar clues us in. A formal living area sparkles in the honey-dew warmth streaming in from the French windows and a sleek slit that peeks over the water body to the chaffa planters. “From here (the formal drawing area) this opening out towards the pool, which is again opening towards the forest,” the architect illustrates. Doused in a neutral palette, the rust couches from DesignBee are a pop of color in the monochromatic fabric. The deck overlooking the swimming pool is ethereally lit with vestiges of golden specks and gapes at the serene scenery that takes shape courtesy of the contoured landscape dotted with areca palm and the forest beyond.

“This all is a family living room and a dining room,” explains Bhagwatkar about the porous space detaching the two private bedroom blocks. A militia of informal living room, dining areas, and pooja area stand at ease to earn the title of the family area, where residents hold elaborate soirées. “In this family area, we have a courtyard... there is a circular skylight on top which filters light throughout the day,” Bhagwatkar tells us. The circular skylight spotlights a serene planter strip as the sun changes its angles throughout the day. “This is a pit which we have planted with trees... (it) brings the greenery from the outside,” Bhagwatkar states, pointing towards the vacuous courtyard. The courtyard with its influence transforms into a common point that positions the transitional spaces to collide coincidentally, generating a discourse of bumping into each other. This space blurs the boundaries between the serene exterior and the sybaritic interiors, establishing the connection to the primordial roots. Bhagwatkar describes, “So, the landscape... we have planned all the big trees in the periphery so that eventually it will grow further and it will create privacy from the neighborhood plots.” He adds, “And smaller plants like Parijat, chaffa, these are the native Indian plants which we have planted.”

Deep Inside the Comfy Forest

On either side of this unbound porous space is a set of snug hideaways—bedrooms that display an act akin to an Elysian arbour, clutching coziness in its crevices. A minimalistic guest bedroom sits close to the entry, preserving private family moments. “We have the guest bedroom, and there is a private deck here, so... it opens into the deck and eventually into the garden,” the architect states. However, the visitors savor the dwelling’s deep-rooted connection with its lush context on the guest bedroom’s deck, edged with planters illuminated by stripes of light streaming in. The deck is corralled by walls with glass-covered niches that peer into the lush entrance track flanked by the curlicue vine wall.

“On this side... we have kept the master bedroom; (it) again has a deck and a private courtyard also,” Bhagwatkar explains. The bedroom, with its warm woody tones, lounges towards the vast field that surrounds it. The olive hues offer a safari into the forest, where the ecological elements hum happy tunes in praise of Mother Nature. Adjacent to the bed is a seating cum storage area that leads into a pocket courtyard for a private moment away from the built form. Higher up, a study area is guided by open spaces on either side to reach out to the very essence of the tranquillity offered by the surroundings. While the three bedrooms occupying every corner sneak a peek at the natural milieu with silhouettes of fluidity, these rooms are connected by bridges that peer into the home, creating an almost lucid vibe where residents are connected.

In the hope of basking in Mother Nature’s serenity, every door in House Between Gardens leads to gleaming green spaces that radiate an unparalleled convivial vibe. It shrouds a placid openness, away from the clamour of bustling cities, and tucks it neatly within the sung sanctuary. The home, with its luxe yet snug vibes, worships the life-giving demigod—Nature.

To watch the complete home tour, peruse the drawings in detail, and browse additional photographs, visit Buildofy. While there, don’t miss out on the other impressive contemporary homes in Tamil Nadu and across India.