| Project/Product Description | A home following biophilic ideology
Note: ¾ of the total plot area has been left free ¼ of the total plot area has a built form.
The house is situated in the Heartfulness Centre at Kanha Shantivanam in Hyderabad, in a gated community. The land, initially, was full of rocks with a few existing trees. These rocks, it is said, are primeval entities, one of the very first in the world. Sensing their intrinsic preciousness and uniqueness, Daaji wished to keep them in situ. This, thus, became a challenge while planning the organization and executing the footprint of the house.
In just 6 years, Kanha Shanti Vanam including the "Daaji Home," transformed 2000 acres of barren land into a vibrant and sustainable space.
A notion of a home — a place where ‘you’ and ‘I' are supplanted with ‘us’, where we can cultivate a comfortable and warm atmosphere in addition to its physical location. We strove towards simplicity of articulation and richness of spirit and endeavoured for a space that embodied human emotions and sentiments instead of an enclosure erected with building materials. The paradigm of togetherness and being oneself was thus set. The design prioritizing habitat, preservation, balance and a deep connection with nature define the essence of a home.
Daaji's home embodies a symbiotic relationship with nature, drawing inspiration from Indian household values of togetherness, sacrifice, and love.
What is home? Is it an enclosure of bricks and mortar? Or a feeling, an emotion? Will it be enough just to be the one and not the other? Or is it a confluence of the corporal and the abstract, a meeting ground of the love
These are some of the introspections we did when designing. Our deliberations became tinged with the metaphysical. We also paid heed to Daaji’s notion of a home — a place where ‘you’ and ‘I' are supplanted with ‘us’, where we can cultivate a comfortable and warm atmosphere in addition to its physical location.
Daaji's home, influenced by biophilic ideology embodies the essence of nature and human emotions. The house harmoniously blends with its surroundings, incorporating rocks and trees into its fluidic form.
The site was paramount when it came to formalising the built-envelope. The movement of the home was controlled by the positioning of the stones and trees. We took inspiration from water to create a fluidic planning that wrapped around trees and flowed around rocks, imbibing the very essence of nature into its form. The house is low and spreads over the site in order to blend with the surroundings. A development that minimised the vertical allowed the building to be physically connected to the land in a stronger manner, letting natural aspects such as trees to be visually dominant.
The conscious choice of nature driven materials reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship, REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS. The organic locally procured material palette comprised of red bricks lime plaster and Kota stone. The internal program provides privacy while accommodating visitors, with a spacious living room and dining area connected to a central courtyard.
The central idea while scripting this design was nature — architecturally as well as in the internal articulation. Just as the gentle, demure built-form lets nature take precedence, internally, too, courtyards, hallways, and other spaces are integrated with the surroundings. The arrangement of each room was orientated towards nature. The skewed wall in the living room, for instance, allows a massive rock to come inside the room, so that the monolith lies partly enclosed and partly outside in the adjacent courtyard. The angular deployment also ensures sufficient light from the south, southeast and the northwest directions. Similarly, a wall of the outdoor verandah that was whittled away to make way for the tree to grow through the cut-out.
Daaji’s home is designed with the intention of being shaped by nature, built by nature and growing as part of nature. The biophilic architecture of the house interweaves the spaces with these sentimental values. This makes this house a ‘home’ — making it clear that it is not just the strength of brick but also the strength of love that binds the roots of the home.
Daaji, the WORLD spiritual leader of the Sahaj Marg (Heartfulness) path of Meditation.
Daaji was awarded the Padma Bhushan (2023) by the Government of India. India’s most admirable spiritual leader.
UK-Indian Triumph Awards 2023
Completion date: 2023
Cost: Rs. 20000000 / 198014.70 £ / 240351.40 $
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| Materials Used | MATERIAL USED IN CONSTRUCTION IS DEVELOPED AS AN INTEGRAL PART AND NOT JUST APPLIED, PRESERVING THEIR NATURAL TEXTURE AND COLOR, WITHOUT ANY COSMETIC OVERLAYS.
1. Material Emphasis: The home's design is strongly influenced by nature, focusing on the use of simple, humble materials reflecting the beauty and goodness of Earth. These materials include locally crafted on site red bricks, eco-friendly lime plaster, and Kota stone flooring.
2. Ecosystem Integration: During construction, great care was taken to align the built structures with the existing rocks, trees and surrounding ecosystem encouraging a harmonious coexistence
3. Biophilic Design: The concept of biophilic living, which embraces the integration of vegetation into the living spaces, played a pivotal role in shaping the material palette. This approach enhances the connection between inhabitants and the natural world.
4. Environmental Commitment: The conscious choice of natural, locally sourced materials reflects a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. This choice is a deliberate effort to reduce carbon emissions
5. Greenery Development: Charcoal, a natural fertilizer, was employed to facilitate the lush greenery surrounding the home. Rainwater collection ponds were strategically placed to irrigate the landscape, minimizing ecological impact and conserving water resources.
6. Natural Sun-Shading: The presence of large, mature local trees serves the dual purpose of providing natural shade and acting as sun-breakers, contributing to energy efficiency.
7. Habitat Preservation: The design prioritizes habitat preservation, environmental balance, and a profound connection with nature. This holistic approach defines the essence of the home, promoting sustainability and minimal environmental impact.
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| Sustainability | 1. We used earthy, local materials, shaped and worked by local hands, to build this modest, private retreat.
2. This conscious choice of materials reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship, REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS. The organic locally
procured material palette comprised of red bricks lime plaster and Kota stone. Natural stone is an energy efficient and climate responsive
material choice creating dialogues with the architecture and interior.
3. The skewed wall in the living room, for instance, allows a massive rock to come inside the room, so that the monolith lies partly enclosed and partly outside in the adjacent courtyard. The angular deployment also ensures sufficient light from the south, southeast and the northwest directions. Similarly, a wall of the outdoor verandah that was whittled away to make way for the tree to grow through the cut-out.
4. The surrounding landscape has been developed by adding ponds which collect the rainwater that is used to irrigate the area around the home as wells as the communal landscape.
5. The elements were not restricted to just local species of plants but also extended to rainwater harvesting.
6. The usage of charcoal, a natural fertilizer, played a huge role in developing the greenery around. The surrounding landscape has been developed
by adding ponds which collect the rainwater that irrigates the area around the home as wells as the communal landscape minimising ecological
impact and conserves water supporting sustainability efforts. The large local mature trees act as natural sun-breakers.
7. The height of the building not exceeding the existing trees was deliberately done so prevent the architecture from asserting dominance —
symbolizing nature to be above all.
8. The surroundings were left largely undisturbed while building this ecologically sensitive accommodation encouraging biodiversity.
9. The micro ecology of the waterbodies, natural local special of plants build their own eco system.
10. Throughout the home, openable fully glazed windows usher in breeze and fresh air. Warm sunlight and green trees add to the human health.
11. The interior spaces are flanked on all sides by green pockets alternately and are visually and physically linked to the central courtyard,
underscoring again the philosophy of being one with nature.
12. The site is surrounded by large local mature trees that act as natural sun-breakers, Shading all the pathways and the periphery of the home. The
alignment of the built-form & ecosystem became a part of the construction process.
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| Issues Faced | 1. Unique Challenge: Located within the Heartfulness Centre at Kanha Shantivanam in Hyderabad, this house posed a distinctive challenge. The land was initially characterized by ancient rocks, believed to be among the world's earliest formations, and a scattering of trees. Recognizing the intrinsic value and rarity of these rocks, Daaji, with great reverence, desired to preserve them in their natural state. This preservation presented a formidable challenge during the planning and execution of the house's footprint.
2. Nature-Inspired Design: Drawing inspiration from the fluidity of water, our design approach embraced the essence of nature. We envisioned a fluidic layout that gracefully enveloped existing trees and meandered around the ancient rocks. This design aimed to seamlessly integrate the house with its natural surroundings.
3. Low Profile Integration: To harmonize with the environment, the house was intentionally kept low and spread across the site. This deliberate choice allowed the architecture to meld into the landscape. By minimizing vertical development, the building established a stronger physical connection with the land, allowing the natural elements, particularly the trees, to visually dominate the space.
4. Navigating an evolving construction site presented a unique and ongoing challenge as numerous rocks emerged and unexpected trees sprouted, in alignment with Daaji's specific vision. This required constant on-site adjustments. Decisions made in real-time ensured the design harmonized with these dynamic elements. This adaptive approach throughout the construction process was indeed a formidable challenge but ultimately resulted in a home that organically wove itself into its surroundings.
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| Additional Comments | ¼ of the total plot area has a built form
Conscious use of eco-friendly materials signifies dedication to environmental responsibility and biophilia philosophy, aiming to cut carbon emissions. Local, organic materials include red bricks, lime plaster, and Kota stone. The usage of charcoal, a natural fertilizer, played a huge role in developing the greenery around. The surrounding landscape has been developed by adding ponds which collect the rainwater that irrigate the area minimising ecological impact and conserves water. The design prioritizing habitat, preservation, balance and a deep connection with nature define the essence of a home.
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