“I don’t follow the vastu shastra, I follow the vastu shilpa — which are very different things.” — Krishnarao Jaisim

FACT FILE

HOUSE OF CREATIVITY IN SIMPLICITY

We live in an era where urbanity is perceived as more favourable than what a simple rural life has to offer.  Architect Krishnarao Jaisim mentions coming across this mindset plenty of times when his rural clients — upon becoming heavily influenced by the compact homes they see in the cities — come to him, asking to replicate a modern compact urban home on land that is usually so rich and expansive that it can hold much more than a mere compact house. Jaisim thus set out on a journey where he encouraged the client to be imaginative and creative about the house design with him.

The clients had been clear on desiring a house that was organic and eco-friendly. They also wanted a home whose walls ‘would never touch the residents’ and they wanted an abundance of seating spots where one could pause, relax and rest.

THE BIRTH OF SPACE

The land was introduced to Jaisim on a leisurely stroll, where the isolated silence marred only by the twittering of birds and the serenity of nature sprung out to him as soon as they stepped off the main road. With a conscious intention to design a home that does not visibly stand out on the land, the design process focused on exploring creating a space that exists in silence.

Discarding the Vastu Shastra — the principles of architecture — in favour of Vastu Shilpa — the craft of architecture, Jaisim allowed the process to be guided by an emotional approach rather than being tied by practical rigidity of expressional lie, as he calls it.

As a result, the house sprung up in a place where he imagined it would be lovely to see the farm fields from. The spot for the bedroom is picked such that it lets one relax into the quietness that the piece of land had to offer, with a space to spill out of and venture into nature and walk into it any time.

Another corner popped up to give the house a space where the family can entertain their guests but in a way that the aura created in the rest of the spaces of the house is kept undisturbed. Eventually, the footprint of the house had expanded much more than they had originally planned — but that was the beauty of an expansive rural setting: your house need not be restricted by the limitations of the other residences taking up space in the local fabric.

FLEXIBLE WITH A PURPOSE

Everything in the Banni Residence has been designed flexibly. From the places of rest to the places of sleeping all can effectively be moved around and the purpose of each room can easily be morphed. The only places that remain constant are the wash and bath areas. Additionally, all the spaces are interactive.

Upon entering, the house invites you to a lower level and greets you with a living room and the community interactive space at the onset that can hold about 20-30 people making it optimal for friends and family gatherings as well as large meetings that the client generally finds himself caught in.

The living makes way towards the cooking space — which again, can be moved to any other area in the future if need be —and it is abutted by a cosy space that holds the dining table but is actually another of the interactive pockets of the house. This is a result of the family’s culture where cooking and socialisation go hand-in-hand. This space has easy access to the back utility.

Upwards, the house holds private spaces that include the daughter’s bedroom, the master bedroom and the common toilet. This house does not feature private toilets since the family believes in the idea of sharing spaces as is common in indigenous Indian homes.

Beyond this level, lies the library on the topmost level — as all intellectual pursuits transpire naturally. The library opens onto a pocket of terrace located straight above the cooking space.

EMOTIONALLY MATERIALISTIC

Details take home in this residence working to make this abode truly personalised and livable. Vents on the lower levels siphon in cool air and a single extractor at the topmost point of the house works to expel the hot air from the house. The seating areas of the house feature large stones artfully integrated into the structure and the walls have been made of throwaway bricks from a local kiln after the client expressed a curious desire for these materials. The doors and other security embellishments have been crafted in timber procured locally as well, chosen specifically for its artful quality and appearance. The verandahs have been coated in red oxide after the client fell in love with the shade and the texture of the material.

This house is a story with the materials and the emotions that played a role in the design process becoming the main characters. While urban conversations make themes like eco-friendliness and sustainability appear difficult to aspire to and achieve, Banni Residence harnesses a simple thing such as imagination and curiosity such that sustainability and eco-friendliness is a mere by-products in the grand scheme of events.