Long low profile of the Lonavala house mirrored in the infinity pool, Sahyadri hills beyond

House with the Gabion

Location
Maharashtra
Year
2014
Typology
Residential
Area
2200sqft
Visuals
© Sabby

The Brief

Pawna Lake, offers some killer vistas.

This country home starts with an 8 foot thick Gabion wall, which acts as a spine, the first marker which runs for 170 feet, from east to west.

All spaces in a one room thick linear organization attach themselves to the Gabion and a generous 10 foot wide verandah lined in local bricks becomes the movement and principal living zone.

The break in the Gabion becomes the point of entry, almost like slipping in discretely, into a densely planted court, confronted by a swing bed, framing the phenomenal view.

The innovation of the musket spouts and the full length Y-rain collector makes sure that the water shed by the roof is tamed and shot out away from the verandah. This is a high precipitation, catchment area.

The pool sort of drifts away from the verandah as a reflective mirror plane, pointing to the peak on the opposite shore.

Open showers, high rooms, terrazzo en-suites and brass lamps add to the overall frugal natural atmosphere. The Gabion has become overgrown and is ruinous and modern at once, in a way.

We, couldn’t see any other way of addressing the site.

The Country home is built exactly like simple village homes, is one room thick and linear the key habitable space being a continuous 10 foot verandah addressing the killer lake vista