A home designed with the intention to explore - Kausthubha by Wright Inspires

Located in a quaint south Bengaluru neighborhood, Kausthubha stands out for its distinct style of design that merges light, earth, and water.

As one walks along the street in front of the house, a series of large stones form the boundary wall. They sit in their raw form like a sculpture providing just a peak to the living room sitting behind it. The hustle and bustle of the kids playing in the park in front of the house and the lush landscape around the house form a serene backdrop for one entering through the main gate and into the well-lit foyer.

Ar. Prathima rightly describes the journey of entering the house, saying, "As one walks into the walkway, and through the entry foyer, and when you are at the entrance courtyard where you are welcome by the light and the volume of the space, it feels like a precious gem!"

Located in south Bengaluru, the house is a perfect example of the amalgamation of traditional materials with contemporary design. The house blends well with nature not just in terms of its form but also through the natural elements and materials that it is comprised of.

An unfolding journey

Entering the main foyer through a perforated gateway one is welcome by a long passage leading them to the main door. The passage ends in an open space lush with landscape and vegetation. A neatly tucked-in garden area along with three tall trees, the backyard provides a sense of relief from the harsh evening sun. Laid with black basalt flooring and terracotta walls, the entrance foyer reminds one of walking into a temple premises. A tall wooden door with clear glass on its sides forms the main door to the house giving glimpses of the indoors from the outside.

Fitting in yet standing out

Being a small and compact plot, it became essential to make full utilization of every space in the small plot of land. Visiting the site one day, the architect came up with the idea of getting a basement space that would work out as a multipurpose space for the whole family to spend quality time together. So as one enters the house a well-lit courtyard right in the center of the house welcomes one in and the house unfolds steadily. With social and semi-social spaces on the ground floor, multipurpose basement space and the private areas tucked on the upper floors, the architect was able to provide distinct spaces as per functionalities while keeping them interconnected through the central courtyard depicting the spine of the house.

Patterns of the sun

The main door of the house opens to welcome one into a large courtyard that becomes the central spine of the house. Running vertically to the terrace, the courtyard connects all the spaces on every floor. Clear glass and deep pergolas on top of this courtyard bring in natural daylight in a variety of patterns creating drama throughout the day. One's vision captures the strong and striking staircase forming almost a sculptural element with a backdrop of the soft pink Badami stones. Wooden treads on top of a metal body and railings in the form of impeccable straight lines give a unique ambiance to this space. As the first rays of sunlight hit this space, all the elements create patterns that bring the whole space alive.

An earthy approach

To achieve a level of multiplicity from one element is a road less taken. For this project that element was the materials used and the architect did walk down that path to understand and explore how a single material can take multiple forms and yet provide distinction in all the spaces. Terracotta and natural stone become the hero materials of the houses changing their forms and textures to serve multiple functionalities. The walls clad with terracotta tiles, terracotta pots, and roof ridges forming the filler slabs in the living and dining areas, terracotta jaalis forming the parapet walls, and deep terracotta pergolas, all of them although distinct come together to create spaces that are earthy and cozy at the same time.

Kausthubha which means 'a precious gem', comes alive with all the natural materials that literally sing together. Be it the terracotta taking multiple forms on multiple surfaces, pure solid wood making its way into metal and glass, or the natural stone flooring keeping oneself grounded, the rawness and earthiness of these materials is what makes this house stand out. Along with these, light and water along with vegetation become elements that add soul to the house by their everchanging and flowing nature.

As Ar. Prathima Seethur rightly expresses, "Nature is the main material of the house that has pushed our boundaries of creativity."

To watch the full video of Kausthubha and access a detailed E-Book of the project, visit here

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