Unprocessed Utopia: A 3,800 sq. ft. Home Satiates a Family’s Wishes for All things Recycled and Unprocessed

A family soared on the manifestation ferry some 28 years ago, to reach a sustainable harbour in the suburbs of Bengaluru, away from the hubbub of the city. Consequently, this odyssey in a herculean milky ocean pulls out ‘Kalpataru,’ which loosely translates to the wish-granting tree, conferring the family’s covets. This archetype of ‘unprocessed sustainability,’ crafted by the demigod of Design Harmony, faces an Elysian intervention taking inspiration from the beguiling legends of Hindu mythos and its exposé on shrubbery.

“It’s (the tale of Ramayana) all about beautiful flowers, climbers and the structure itself was very simple a mud hut, just reading the description was so invigorating. This was somewhere at the back of my mind while creating the space here,” reveals Jaya (affectionately nicknamed) of Design Harmony.

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BLOOMING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

A long time ago, a family gave up on everything processed, forsaking even the vestiges of items used to preserve leftovers. Dwelling on this belief, Jaya crafted her home with elements fresh off the farm. “This was a difficult situation because I was also the client and I am not the only client, so my family members were the rest of the clients,” Jaya explains. This challenge was tackled by destiny, “Luckily, the entire family aligned with this principle of living close to nature” she further adds. As one starts moving away from the pretext of being ‘stuck in traffic,’ lush countryside spirals with verdancy gripping every bare spot. A series of empty plots stand amidst the verdancy, making space for the home to chill after an arduous voyage.

A CURVY CRIB

After a scrupulous pursuit amidst the fringes, Kalpataru bo-peeps, with an anomaly of curves and an illustration of a tree on the compound wall, insinuating the game’s conclusion. Consequently, as one enters, a voluptuous pathway corralled with a blanket of greens of erratic heights creates an ethereal illusion of walking into heaven with a cool breeze puffed by a petite water body nearby. Jaya explains, “Although the gate is here, we didn’t want it to be directly opposite the main door,” about the functional and aesthetical significance of the strategic placements. Further, an austere edifice with curves trespassing its boundaries rolls out stairs for the visitors, offering granite seating for catching their breath, while a filler slab surveys the entire scene from above. The muse for the home is evident on the entrance wooden door, which is carved with motifs of Hindu idols. Upon crossing the divine threshold, a sunkissed planter bed, pale lime walls stenciled with mandala designs, and in-situ niches for boasting heirlooms; all collaborate to befit a foyer.

A jhoola deliberately stands in between the foyer and the living room becoming the partially permeable membrane for the area’s visitors. The minimalist living room, with jack arches and a combination of brick and stone walls, venerates the garden beyond while snooping on the entrance with the aid of a window. “... It's a bay window which is like a triangular window and that’s again with the intention of looking out,” explains Jaya. From the living room, a courtyard gestures one with a nod, enticing them for a conversation with its airy and vibrant realm.

EASY AND BREEZY

Attenuated by the divine charm of the protagonist - a courtyard, one is drawn to its bounds to bask in the moderate climate of Bengaluru. The home sheathes it from three sides, and a moon arch on the fourth side, amorously vows a passage to a larger-than-life garden. “To protect ourselves from the insects... and theft we also have a grill and mesh above,” reveals Jaya on partially covering the courtyard. Strolling under this almost open-to-sky courtyard, an intricately carved door frame with upcycled pieces, drags one to a section of history - where majestic temples were being carved out of a piece of stone or wood. Humbly entering the pooja space while the lintel whispers tales from history, a handcrafted Konark wheel accurately tells time for the rites. “My entire office team was here and we sat... we did the entire courtyard flooring,” Jaya shares, telling the recipe of the courtyard flooring that is crafted with portions of culled pieces of Jaisalmer stone and variegated mosaic chips.

“One of the main features of the open plan was also to have a completely open kitchen” clarifies Jaya. This open kitchen flaunts its palpable boundaries, demarcated by a stone island counter and seating that is shielded under an oblique Mangalore tiled canopy adorned with carved fascia patti. The kitchen thoroughly follows in the footsteps of Indian values; featuring a low-height dining table for sitting down and devouring fresh meals. Correspondingly, as the evening arrives, the chai-crazed inhabitants assemble in the courtyard, for a quick ‘chai pe charcha’ (conversations over a cup of tea), while one’s gaze stretches to a jaali above the pooja area, wondering what’s beyond.

Under the influence of inquisitiveness, one sprints up the treads only to find themselves, looking down at the courtyard from a balcony, with no leads. However, a door adjacent alludes to another clue, concerning the drama that transpires beyond the terracotta jaali. Beyond the door, a terracotta and steel vault unfurls its protective talons over a sprawling terrace, offering panoramic views of the murky surroundings. To preserve their beliefs in sustainability, “we wanted to do something which didn’t have either steel or concrete, so this timbrel vault doesn’t have either...we did use a minimal amount of 8 mm steel rods for the framework,” Jaya confides in us. Lounging under the parametric’s shadow, nostalgic camping memories flood back mixed with the petrichor of those overcast days in the forest. Attaining the award for the best-supporting actor this terrace is not just the inhabitants' favorite space but also for their cats’.

After briefly peeking into the inhabitants’ private bedrooms; with bay windows as cozy nooks, stenciled artwork by the lime plaster, and a Madras Terrace ceiling warmly looking down, a sense of serenity dawns. This warm and serene sense is disheveled by the groove that infiltrates one’s sense as a hike to the second floor commences, alongside an organic aperture and a skylight, spreading corporal balminess. “I have a love for organic forms, if you look at the plan it is totally rectilinear, we still wanted to achieve that feeling of fluidity and a continuity of space, so... to achieve this we used vaults,” Jaya reasons. The quest for this groove is traced to the multipurpose area, reclining under a vault and stretching toward the open terrace, which is perfect for developing a god complex.

In this dwelling, a sustainable narrative unfolds, with pre-owned windows, furniture pieces, and all building materials natural, stirring a cohesive attempt at reversing climate damage. In the commodious abode affectionately monikered ‘Kalpataru,’ Jaya manages to curate a confluence of her family’s beliefs and advocate nature’s case of eco-consciousness.

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 Bengaluru and across India.