BUNGALOW CASE STUDY

S H A RVA R I WA N I 2 0 7 5
S I R JJ CO L L EGE O F A RC H I TEC TU RE
INTRODUCTION
• Location -
• City: Pune
• Country: India
• Architects- Alok Kothari Architects
• Area- 2600 m²
• Year- 2019
• Clients maine requiremets incudes
that the house should be built
according to the rules
of ‘vaastushastra’ (traditional Hindu
science of architecture)
• The client wanted a house that was simple but
still makes a statement.

• The architects took this up as a challenge and

started exploring different ways of architectural
expression. Their research took us to the
traditional residential typology of Pune – the
‘wada’ – which was always as simple & elegant
and was mostly constructed in exposed brick or
basalt stone or both.

• So they decided to use brick as it is a reasonable

material from environment as well as cost
perspective. Moreover, the warmth & the
aesthetics provided by brick as a material is
unmatched.
Along with the norms
of ‘vaastushastra’, the larger
planning principle used was
to divide the house into 2
functional zones – one for
the private spaces & the
other for the public spaces –
along the north-south axis.
• The Bungalow is located in a quiet residential
neighborhood with site area of 3,600 sq.ft.

• At first the site hosted a 25-year-old single Storey

house which was brought down. The old house was
in a very bad state and its interiors were gloomy

• Study of the site surroundings and the existing

structure showed that the main reason for the
existing house being dull & dark was the +3 Storey
bungalow on the east side of the site that was
cutting off the morning sun. Also small opening
sizes which didn’t allow enough light to penetrate
into the house.
• In order to cater to this issue, the
architects anchor all the spaces in
the new design to a central ‘sky light’
which would not only draw in light
during the entire day but also act as The Skylight
a ‘brahmasthan’ (an important
aspect related to ‘vaastushastra’) of
the house.

• Also, having large windows to all the

rooms was the logical way forward.

• The living & the kitchen were placed

on either side of the central ‘sky
light’, below which the magnet of
the entire house was placed – the
dining area.
Dining Area
• The positioning of an L-type,
folded plate, ferrocrete staircase
around the dining added a play to
this central core.
The living extends onto the outdoor seating area which hosts a traditional Indian swing that the
client had bought from Rajasthan.
Ground Floor Plan

The client’s demand of having

all the daily necessity spaces –
living, dining, kitchen, pooja room
(area dedicated to
worship to God), 2 bedrooms
& toilets - on the ground floor
was also catered to.
First Floor Plan

Continuing the same grid, the

first floor is composed of
2 bedrooms, toilets & a multi-
purpose room. Carving out a
block from the ground
floor grid, provision was made
for 2 car parks next to the entry
porch.
It also has 2 terraces
Section AA'
Section BB'
Living Room
Bedroom
Multipurpose Area
• Massing of the structure has been
kept very subtle & focus has been
put on highlighting the materiality
of brick. To complement the red
colour of the bricks, exposed
concrete box windows and
weather shades have been
introduced.

• Also, the square grid of rough

cement finish plaster on the
compound wall accentuates
the presence of bricks.

• In order to break the monotony

of the brick façade and also to
provide privacy, ‘jaali’ (perforated
wall in brick) work has been used.
Conclusion
• While the material palette (brick and concrete) for the exteriors of
the building is carefully chosen to give it a simple, natural and a
playful look, the interiors also follow a similar approach.

• The material palette comprising of teakwood finish & light colours

helps in providing a neat, clean & a spacious ambience.

• The main aspect of the interior design is the use of ‘patterns’ in

defining different spaces.

• The brings us once again to the traditional Indian architecture

where the use of such patterns is evident in floorings, wall carvings,
ceilings, etc.

• According to ‘vaastushastra’ the use of such shapes & patterns

boosts the energy flow & generates positive vibrations.

• These positive vibrations are what transform a house into ‘a home’

– an abode THE BRICK ABODE
Design Elements
South Elevation
West Elevation
East Elevation
North Elevation
Thank You