2 6 InDIAn InsIGHt SATHYA CONSULTANTS

TexT: Vivek Gopinathan | PHOTOS COURTeSY: Sathya Consultants

Bangalore based Sathya Consultants use natural materials

to produce cost effective architecture that becomes one with

the environment

Vernacular roots

for a Contemporary Living

sathya Prakash Varanashi

Architecture is essentially a means of changing environment to suit to one’s needs and in the process, contemporary architectural practices often take the environment for granted as opposed to traditional ideas, where architecture went in hand with the elements of nature. The more one builds disregarding the environment, the more one needs to intervene, to make the space suitable for human activities, which in turn leads to the usage of increasing quantities of energy. In a day and age, where energy consumption is almost always directly related to the deterioration of global environment, architecture is quickly turning into one of the most unsustainable practices around. In this context, it comes as a breath of

fresh air, when an architect designs wonderful spaces which respond to the local environment and imbibe natural elements and materials, creating cost effective architecture, honest in its principles and underlying ideas.

Architect Sathya Prakash Varanashi of Sathya Consultants, based in Bangalore, blurs the lines between, the interior and the environment, creating spaces with a minimalist approach in planning, that lends itself towards a sustainable, low energy intensive lifestyle, without straining the necessities of a modern lifestyle. Varanashi echoes Gaudi’s belief, ‘Originality is going back to origins’. His practices espouse a Gandhian approach to architecture, where locally

1. the extensive use of locally sourced stone punctuated with hollow clay block dictates the material palette for Good Villa

sourced materials mix with natural ones, creating spaces which respond to the environment and let in ample amounts of natural light and air.

For Varanashi, over designing, kills it. He says, ‘Designing is not deciding how to build, but deciding how to live.’ The subtle aesthetics of architecture reveal themselves when one stays true to certain core principles without obsessing too much over an elevation, as an end product. Here the architecture emerges out of the needs of the client, which is derived after extensive dialogues between the architect and the client. The design values find their root in vernacular traditions and eco sensitive ideologies; organic curves are synthesised with straight lines, discovered by humans; verandas and related traditional interfaces act as informal entrances to the interior space creating a gradual transition from the outside to the inside; fenestrations respond to the site context and the necessity in the interiors providing ample natural light and air, bringing the outside inside; semi open spaces that allow spaces to flow into each other; variation in roof profile to break the monotony of a uniform roof while responding to the local needs as well as the interior spaces within; integrating the ancillary architectural elements into the design; all of which resonate with the underlying principles of using natural materials to the fullest, thereby leading to cost efficiency throughout the life span of the building.

Using natural materials doesn’t imply that architectural form is stymied by it; rather its unique properties and forms are explored to create rustic yet chic spaces, with a strong material expression. In many structures, concrete columns are completely absent, often substituted with Hollow Clay Blocks, (HCB) packed together with mild steel rods and mortar; a technique that also finds its expression as HCB lintels. HCB being sturdier than conventional bricks, while also, being an insulator makes it a design favourite; finding extensive use in Varanashi’s

work. Mud blocks, hurdi tiles, oxide flooring, filler slabs, laterite, granite and other local stones are some of the other materials, used widely, rendering the structure sustainable and cost effective.

Good Villa

The residence for Mrs. Kanimozhi and Mr. Deenadayalan, designed by Sathya Consultants in 2012, envisions Varanashi’s practice. The 3300 sq. feet house that employs stone, HCB and plastered brick walls sits on a 40’ by 60’ plot in Bangalore. The Jagali, a traditional element along with the entrance foyer leads to a gradual transformation from the outside to the inside. The ground plus first storied structure is punctured by light in two major nodes that bathes the interior in natural light. In a city like Bangalore, where the space between two adjacent structures is often nothing

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2 8 InDIAn InsIGHt SATHYA CONSULTANTS

Jagali8'x8'2"

lvl +0'0"

lvl +0'9"

lvl +2'3"

Up

Bedroom12'0''X11'0"

Bedroom 15'x12'

Utility10'x5'9"

Garden

Garden

lvl +0'9"

40 '

60 '

SCALE

SATHYA CONSULTANTSBANGALORE.

DESIGN

DATE DEALT INITIALFILE NO.

PROPOSED RESIDENCE FOR

Job Architect :Ar.Kalpana

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

N

20.11.10

AREA STATEMENT:

GROUND FLOOR :

FLOOR AREA = 1400.00 SQFT CAR PORCH = 220.25 SQFT JAGALI = 84.66 SQFT

TOTAL =1705.00 SQFT

TOTAL BUILTUP AREA =3310.00 SQFT

Carporch 11'9"x18'lvl +0'9"

DRAWING

Mrs .Kanimozhi & Mr .Dayal

ROAD

1" : 7'

Planter box

Living

Kitchen 8'3"x10'8"

Toilet 8'0"x5'0"

Up

Foyer

Up

Water body

Garden

MSStaircase

FILE Path : D on 16/kalpana/mrs.kanimozhiand mr.dayal/scheme

janany 612/10

Puja4'x5'

Garden Wall

Ju

la

Bath5'x4'

W.C.5'x3'8"

Dining

revision date descriptionR1 28-10-10

servant's toilet added,NE Bedroomdimension changed with setback forborewell.

Cylinder

Crockery Unit

SE

W

20-11-10R2 store room added

Store6'0"X4'0"

Crockery Unit

Dn

Exposed brick pillar

Materials list

external Walls: Chapadi Stone and

Hollow Clay Block

timber: Teak

roof: Filler Slab

Staircase: Folded Plate, Steel

Fact File

Client: Mrs. Kanimozhi and

Mr. Deenadayalan

principal architect: Sathya Prakash

Varanashi

plot area: 2400 Sq. Ft.

Built-Up area: 3310 Sq. Ft.

Job architect: Bhikshupati

Structural Designer: Srinivas Kaiwar

Contractor: Labour contractors by

client

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2. the private spaces, the bedrooms and the baths, are woven around a large open space that defines the living, dining and family spaces

3. A curving staircase that leads to the first floor breaks the otherwise orthogonal edges, creating a smooth façade with functional interiors

4. the offsets in the plan allows the interiors to open into private gardens

5. Jali block ceiling over semi-open spaces allows natural light to filter in

6. the distinct line between the inside and outside gets blurred at the living area, where a sliding folding door, when opened brings in a little garden which has been maintained at the same floor level

7. Aditi and Parag’s residence sits admist the greenery in natural tones of mud blocks and stone.

more than a formality, skylights, ensure that healthy natural light is available all through the day and also paints the house in a rhythmic play of light and shadows, aided by the jali that filters the light.

The private spaces, the bedrooms and the baths, are woven around a large open space that defines the living, dining and family spaces. The distinct line between the inside and outside gets blurred at the living area, where a sliding folding door, when opened brings in a little garden which has been maintained at the same floor level. even in enclosed bedrooms, the diagonal placement of tall windows, floods it with light and natural ventilation which almost entirely displaces the need for artificial lights and ventilation for most of the day.

A curving staircase that leads to the first floor breaks the otherwise orthogonal edges, creating a smooth façade with functional interiors. Access to the terrace is from another set of steel stairs at the back, aloof from the mundane activities of the house. The water tank, often an eyesore in many urban dwellings, has been transformed into a semi open pavilion that can be utilised for a variety of purposes- from drying clothes during monsoons to sipping tea in the evenings, enjoying the breeze and the pleasant Bangalore climate.

Aditi and Parag Residence

The layout of this suburban residence in a quaint gated community in Bangalore is carved out of the skewed, 40’ by 70’ site with multiple recesses

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to increase the surface area that brings in more light and allows for greater scope for ventilation. These recesses in turn have been turned into multiple gardens. As one approaches the house, the curved stabilised mud block (SMB) wall with graduating stone pieces hint at the staircase within. The car porch is a curved hurdi roof which leads to a jagali and the foyer. The living room opens out into the gardens on either side, giving a sense of spacious interior surrounded by nature. A curving corner on one edge and the curved staircase on the other, lead to the dining which further opens out into a veranda and a garden with the help of a sliding folding door.

The cantilevered stone staircase gets flooded in natural light from the skylight, creating an interesting play in shadow and light as the seasons progress. The multiple balconies of the residence, the gardens, and the brightly

Materials list

external walls: Hollow Clay Block,

Stabilized Mud Black and Chapadi

Stone

roofs: Hurdi roof over porch and

staircase

flooring: Kota Stone

Staircase: Cantilevered stone, steel

Slab: Filler Slab

Fact File

plot area: 2391 Sq. Ft.

Built-Up area: 3320 Sq. Ft.

principal architect: Sathya Prakash

Varanashi

Job architect: Praneetha, Bhikshupathi

Structural Designer: Ravindranath

Contractor: Girish

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Using natural materials doesn’t imply that architectural form is stymied by it; rather its unique properties and forms are explored to create rustic yet chic spaces, with a strong material expression

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8. A curving corner on one edge and the curved staircase on the other, lead to the dining which further opens out into a veranda and a garden with the help of a sliding folding door

9. the design uses an open plan where spaces merge into each other to maximise the carpet area

10. the pedestrian entrance invites one in with greenery and a glimpse of what lies further inside

11. the skylights above cantilevered stone staircase gets flooded in natural light creating an interesting play in shadow and light as the seasons progress

Sathya Prakash Varanashi practices cost effective, eco friendly and culturally appro-priate architecture from Bangalore. He is also involved with teaching, writing, public talking, and INTACH

sathyaconsultants@vsnl.net. sathyaconsultants.wordpress.com

lit staircase well encourage multiple informal activities, calling for flexible spaces. Keeping in mind with future development, the house will have restricted views; almost all windows open to the recessed gardens. The house is mostly built of SMB where the mud used has been locally sourced. The

Parag residence is essentially a perfect place to forget the hustle and bustle of an urban life and live in tranquillity in a sustainable fashion.

In the software capital of India, where the last decade saw more and more buildings come up in stark contrast to its local climate; Varanashi is one of the few architects who have been practising architecture which respects its environment, includes vernacular ideas and local materials, all of this without any overt advertisement or labels making such claims. Varanashi’s work is a contemporary phase of traditional Indian architecture continuing it its philosophical tenets while evolving itself to suit the world today. •

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