Fact File
Location: Nashik, Maharashtra
Size: 115 sq m
Principal Architect: Shailesh Devi
Photographs by Vikrant Dashputre

Gumpha House by Within N Without is a futuristic representation of the age-old concept of humans’ relationship with nature and the unrelenting search for tranquillity and meaningful existence. As the urban dweller, tired from the stresses of everyday life and seeking rejuvenation, turns towards nature, his quest is to seek inner joy, unbind his energies, and become one with the forces of nature. The chaos of city life drives a man to pursue tranquillity and search for the inner peace that eludes him in his mundane life. The charm of city life and the appeal of nature are the chasms a man seeks to bridge, and in that, he keeps searching for a meaningful existence.

It is this search that brings us to Gumpha and its environs. This house spans the chasm between the darkness of the earth’s depths and the light that calls from the heavens, celebrating the union of the two. The user is drawn into this game of light and darkness, discovering their role in the drama as they become a part of the larger script, embarking on a journey, and discovering the meaning of the larger picture, each with its interpretation. But more than all that, Gumpha is a response to the adventurous nature of humans, an expression of the innate nature of land and hills to surprise, and a journey to discover oneself after losing one’s identity. Poetry is created by the earth through a dialogue between humans and nature.

The form it takes is organic, where the earth seems to breathe in tandem with light to create what can only be defined as an almost living and sensuous organism, arousing curiosity with its silent light and playful, inquisitive spaces. It appeals to the child in you, making you wonder and drawing you inside. At the same time, it helps you search for your inner self, as the deep spaces lit by heavenly light offer you tranquillity and peace to meditate. Apart from the contemplative interior, the exteriors offer you engaging, joyful, and peaceful vistas, initiating an intense experience that enriches one as one restarts to depart for the city.