Fact file
Location: Pune
Size: 1350 sq m
Principal Architects: Sanjay Mohe, Vasuki Prakash and Suryanarayanan
Photographs by Hemant Patil
Aqua Grid House by Mindspace Architects is an intriguing composition amidst verdant surroundings. This house is located in a quiet neighbourhood in Pune. Abutted by two roads lined with large banyan trees, the site had an existing art-deco house set amidst large trees. The programme was to demolish the old house and construct a new one. The idea was to preserve most of the trees; hence, the new home predominantly occupied the area of the existing structure and started responding to these surrounding trees. The natural presence was so strong that indoor and outdoor spaces blended seamlessly, with almost every room opening in three directions and connecting to the trees all around. A cobbled arrival courtyard with a blank wall as a backdrop creates a layer of privacy. The journey into the house starts from this court and is directed by a series of water courts that culminate in the swimming pool, nestled behind the blank wall of the arrival court. The entire house takes shape around these water bodies lined with rough granite stone steps reminiscent of temple tanks.
The spatial experience starts from the deck next to the dining room on the east, goes through the house, comes out on the other side under the trees, and then joins the pool. In the process, it creates a strong link with all the interactive zones of the house, which are connected yet have their own space, defined through level differences, varying volumes, and water bodies. The reflections of the skylight and tree foliage onto the water add a different dimension to the experience. Every single room, either on the ground or on the first floor, has an outdoor connection in the form of a veranda or a deck, linking the shade under the veranda with the shade under the foliage. The material palette encompasses beige-coloured rough granite on the walls, black flooring, and wood accents for bedroom floors, doors, and skylights. The lawn toward the south, flanked by Banyan trees, is designed for entertaining larger groups. Power is generated through PV panels, which create an insulating layer of shade on the roof.
