Pets! They are the beloved children of the family, warming even the most stoic persona with every action that eventually finds its way into our devices. However, these voiceless creatures, who belong to the wild with their wandering patterns and the constant tug of the outdoors, are now confined to four walls in our vertical cities. This confinement often makes them indolent and, sporadically, even despondent from the lack of Mother Nature's touch.

On the outskirts of Bengaluru, a 3,400 sq. ft. home affectionately titled Maya (also the name of one of the dogs) accommodates a couple and their duo of paws. Crafted by Kamat and Rozario Architects, this home maintains a perfect imbalance between the built and unbuilt to foster the pets' spirited schedules.

“So rather than having pockets of greens it's almost like pockets of built-up inside the green space is what we were trying to go for,” explains Lester Rozario, principal architect of Kamat and Rozario Architects.

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Very Far Away from the Hubbubs

Sandwiched between Bengaluru’s dearth of space and the colossal airport on the outskirts, an upcoming neighbourhood becomes an alibi for the clients of Maya; craving equal servings of peace and hustle. “The client, a couple- the husband was a climate consultant and the wife a journalist… wanted a house for them and their two dogs,” reveals Lester. Corralled by unbounded fields, dotted with a home and a tennis court, Maya’s makeup fosters a corresponding sense of connection with the natural settings. Its steadfast dalliance with the surroundings was partly to unleash the two furry friends’ playful character without smothering them with the introverted four walls.

Contextual consciousness in this stark yet airy abode chaperones the planning and plotting of the architects, ensuring it vibes with the residents and their pooches. “The site is not a square or a rectangular plot, it’s an odd-shaped plot... so we used the odd corner also to get a larger garden space,” Lester tells us. Consequently, the home’s position was static, but the southern sun's harshness pierced deep into copious spaces, warming them. “We wanted to bring in some of the light into the building,” Lester states. He adds, “...but not the harsh light so that basically gave rise to this screen that we created.” The striped façade casts an illusion akin to immersive exhibits, with the stone cladding extruding out. Stumped between inviting the light yet shielding the interiors, “We came with this of fins,” Lester reasons. The fins parlay as the conductor, orchestrating a concert of light and shadow.

Inside & Out

A red door unveils a narrow stone trail edged with greens. In this abode, red as a colour will further be a gauge of the makeshift occurrences. At the end of the slender pathway is a wooden door that currently shrouds a surge of space inside. As the door opens, “The living room... has a double-height volume in the centre which connects to the upper floor,” Lester reasons. In the pristine white living room, a sleek garden is haloed with golden speckles streaming through the skylight. Endorsing the canines’ unobstructed movement, a glass partition slides to reveal an alfresco space with lush greens beyond, which becomes a play area for all the home’s residents. “This was supposed to be the dog’s living room and that was their living room,” Lester jokes. A swing reminiscent of the bygone era is framed by a pair of crimson columns, with a series of greens swaying to the order of the winds. This Elysian scene seems right out of a serene retreat catalogue where the residents get away to an ethereal realm with a cup of coffee.

“As you enter the house, the first thing that you see is the central courtyard that also becomes the center of the master suite,” Lester states. Embellished with pebbles and a slender umbrella tree, this almost open-to-sky courtyard transpires as a luminous objet that seeps light into each room’s crevices. The courtyard is shaded with a mesh that also parlays as a security measure. The courtyard is wrapped with glass and top-hung windows for cross ventilation, reducing the excessive use of artificial ventilation. “The master bedroom is actually part of the master suite that wraps around the central courtyard. So, the wrap-around basically comprises; the bedroom itself, the walk-in wardrobe and the master bathroom,” Lester explains. The bedroom’s settings perpetuate the theme of staying in touch with the greens.

Living On the Top

The warm-hued floating stairs, courtesy of the wood and crimson metal supports, call upon the family for bonding over shared meals. “On the first floor, the house gets a little unconventional because on this floor we have the dining and the kitchen, which normally happens on the ground,” Lester reasons. Adorned with all things white, the kitchen is linked to the dining through a common white link—a long table that accommodates a kitchen counter, a breakfast counter, and a table. At the end of this dining table, perched above a lighter shade of Kota stone, is a storage that parlays as a parapet establishing a visual connection. Lester reasons, “But still to have a connection to the ground we have a double height space here (in the living room) which creates a connection between these two volumes.” The dining space peeps into its surroundings by unfurling out onto an open-to-sky terrace space that gapes at the vastness of the fields ahead.

As one pulls away from the serene outdoors, a snug bedroom calls one to immerse in peaceful sleep with the susurration of the natural settings. The source of the whispers is, “… a balcony opening up to the street,” states Lester. The minimalistic bedroom with wooden accents accedes warmth from the internal courtyard, becoming a minimalistic sanctuary while mimicking the home’s theme. Crimson metal bars and wooden treads, overlooking the kitchen, take one to the topmost space while maintaining a sense of bond with the living spaces. Lester further explains, “So, once you come up here, we have a study space and a multifunctional room which opens up to this large balcony... multifunctional because it has a Murphy bed which we can open and close.”

Maya seamlessly blends the thresholds between indoor and outdoor spaces, fostering the mutts’ playful running around. It provides a sanctuary for its human residents but also ensures a joyous, unrestricted environment for their beloved pets. Maya truly personifies a haven for both Yogi and Maya, where tranquillity and verve flourish together, striking a perfect balance of functionality and aesthetics with an imbalance of built and unbuilt. Here the unbuilt becomes the protagonist!

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 Rajasthan and across India.