Mango Orchard House – Karamsad, India
Title
Mango Orchard House – Karamsad, India
Designed by
We Design Studio
Image Credit
© Studio Kunal Bhatia
Website Source
Project Description
Project description provided by Eztablish design - Nestled among 500 mango trees across seven-and-a-half acres of fertile land, this idyllic retreat evokes a feeling of contentment that accompanies a return to nature. The clients wanted the villa built by their parents to be refurbished. But Nupur and Saahil of We Design Studio felt that the existing structure did not do justice to the lush surrounding landscape, and suggested rebuilding it with a new design language.
Multiple open-to-sky courtyards carved out of the rectilinear volume strengthen the connection between space and place. In order not to cut a single tree, the footprint of the new structure was contained to the extents of the old home. Even the cobblestone driveway was woven around the existing trees. The home has been built out of locally available brick and finished with a sand-faced plaster. The interiors are a combination of locally available slate tiles, wood, and textured paint.
Louvered gates open to a 150-metre cobble-stoned driveway ending in a cul-de-sac that serves as an ideal drop-off point. A bougainvillea shaded canopy serves as an entrance to the home. The two-storey home has been punctured in multiple places to allow natural light and ventilation from above. A double-height living room visually connects both floors. The ground floor houses the living, dining, kitchen, and guest bedroom, and the three private bedrooms are placed on the first floor. Each bathroom is washed in natural light with the help of open-to-sky courtyards, which are hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
With the studio's ethos of being sustainable and creating contemporary spaces using local material, the floor and bathrooms are finished in a local grey slate tile. All windows are finished in black aluminium and doors are made of recycled Burma teak stained in a black linseed oil polish. The furniture is made of teak wood, while colourful art, accessories, and area rugs bring in pops of colour to the interiors.
A freestanding black metal staircase serves as a strong highlight feature and connects both floors. Floor to ceiling glass windows allow for a strong visual connection to the mango trees outside. A metal canopy over the entrance and outside the living room allows for nature to blur the boundary between inside and outside. Nature in the form of bougainvillea is slowly allowed to creep onto the built fabric, creating naturally shaded semi-covered spaces.
The footprint of the home has been optimised to the needs of the family. The functions are placed in order of use, and navigating through the home is seamless and effortless. With the mango trees and the landscape looking into the house, the interiors have an inclusive design language that celebrates nature -- with the not-to-be-missed freestanding staircase that shouts out 'contemporary' in muted tones.
