Fact File
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Size: 1020 sq m
Principal Architects: Divya Ethirajan, and Pramod Jaiswal
Photography by: Shamanth Patil J
House of Voids by BetweenSpaces derives its name from the deep-set, cantilevering verandahs clad in steel with manoeuvrable louvred shutters in teak, which also dictate the internal spatial experience. “The most prominent element of the house is a 6-foot-deep verandah or balcony around the son’s bedroom on the south and south-eastern sides at the second-floor level. The deep-set balcony was designed to provide privacy from the road and to respond to the harsh south sun,” the architects explained. For a client who longed for a home that would form part of his family’s legacy for generations to come, it needed more depth than a mere social statement.
“While keeping his aspirations in mind, the architecture narrative was built by shaping the voids internally and externally rather than starting with a form or geometry in mind. We scooped out masses on the south and south-east sides, resulting in deep-set balconies that compositionally balanced the stoic white walls to which they were anchored,” explained the Studio. The cantilevering edges were clad in Steatite, with moveable louvred teak shutters emphasising the void below.
“The poise created by the light filigree-like wooden screen across the south and south-east edges, as well as the cantilevered slab anchored to the walls on the south-west and eastern sides, contrasts with the fragility introduced by resting the balcony’s south-east corner over a circular column. This strategy helped us in anchoring the eye to the void below the loggia and creating a sense of balance between the solid and void,” they elucidated. Designed from the inside out, with double-height spaces flanking a central corridor, the spatial composition of the home adheres to the principles of Vastu. The ground floor features a landscaped area with tropical foliage along the east, while veneer-clad false ceilings unify the spaces on the upper level. Each bedroom has its own contiguous, semi-open space, creating privacy for each member of the close-knit family.
