Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Garden of Earthy Delights: Vastu Constraints Frame House

Posted: 22 Oct 2012 10:00 AM PDT

[ Filed under Contemporary & in the Architecture category ]

A great example of limitations turned opportunities, this lovely house has a plan strictly dictated by Vastu mandates for orientations and placements, but the result flows with an elegance that looks loosely organic.

Cantilevered roofs, copious trees and indoor/outdoor water features blend the distinction between house and garden, creating a series of seemingly-infinite loops, lines and angles, despite the theoretical rigidity of the layout formulated by Khosla Associates.

The mild climate of Bangalore, India lends itself to such treatment, while a range of materials helps mix and match experiences as well: chiseled stone columns teak furniture, polished concrete floors mingle man-made with natural elements.

But returning again to Vastu: it is incredible how specific some of the requirements for spatial use and circulation are, but it goes to show that these kinds of restrictions can become liberating, letting architects worry about the details and connections.