Biophilic design—rooted in exalting a human’s innate connection with nature—brings together functionality and natural beauty to not only reduce the environmental footprint of the built form but also nurture a bond with the landscape. With the green allure of nature creeping indoors to dissolve formal boundaries, these biophilic designs from the archives of AD India are sure to captivate.
Virat Kohli’s Alibaug Home Embodies Biophilic Luxury
An unfiltered conversation with Virat Kohli suddenly changes the mood of the crew [sooner than he realises] when he says, “I’m never really on holiday…there’s no plan for how to relax…just being in a state of doing nothing is enough”. It delivers a resounding reassurance that Virat too, like a lot of his fans, wants to be in the comforts of his abode after a challenging season and desires an exit from Mumbai, where he can rejuvenate and immerse in nature. And he found this home away from home, as he deems it, in Alibag.
Virat was looking for a space with a soul, with a sense of belonging and community—a home that is a testament to his own taste—so Avās in Alibag delivered. Built over a 10,000-square-foot plot by globally acclaimed architects at SAOTA, led by Phillippe Fouché, the Californian Konkan-style four-bedroom villa celebrates “raw luxury’’. The nonchalance of California and the romantic minimalism of the Konkan coast are brought to life by the home’s high ceilings—featuring natural hardwood that creates harmony throughout the first floor—and an elaborate open layout. Furthermore, what really stands out in the home is its integration of biophilic principles. Bathed in the glow of natural light streaming through expansive windows and glass walls, it commits to sophistication and sustainability, qualities that resonated with Virat’s idea of a holiday home. – Harleen Kalsi
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Read Also: World’s “Most Important” Organisms Are On The Move. Reason: Climate Change
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This Bengaluru Bungalow Is One With Nature
An elderly couple reached out to Nayanika Natesh, Principal Architect of NNAD Studio, to conceptualise the architecture and interiors for their 1,800-square-foot Bengaluru bungalow. Aptly called the ‘The Garden House,’ the clients desired a home that offered a unique experience of living in synchrony with nature. The couple are passionate proponents of environmental sustainability and wanted a home that used upcycled and refurbished architectural components and furniture. Located in the suburban neighbourhood Banashankari, this one-of-a-kind brick-clad Bengaluru bungalow features a number of open and green-doused nooks to relax and reflect.
‘The Garden House’ showcases how an expressive design language can be woven in complete devotion to sustainability. “Unlike any other project that I have envisaged, this home was akin to piecing together a jigsaw puzzle from the outside-in. In keeping with the intent of upcycling and refurbishing, we initiated the process of design by procuring elements such as doors, windows, grills, and steel columns and beams from restoration sites and older bungalows that were being demolished around the area,” adds Natesh. Moreover, with a number of pockets of green areas, ‘The Garden House’ is a great instance of biophilic design principles. – Pallavi Mehra
This Biophilic Home In Kerala Is Naturally Climate Controlled
The past few years have seen families spending more time at home, making their living spaces open to the outdoors. While this has sparked an interest in biophilic home designs—a concept suggesting a deep-seated urge to connect with nature—the term has been generously thrown around in home design when placing a smattering of plants or flora-inspired decorations. For AD100 architects Reny Lijo and Lijo Jos, biophilia weaves the very fabric of their work, with structures that don’t just sit in a landscape—they’re in a constant harmonious dialogue with it, embracing and celebrating the surrounding natural topography.
In the seaside hamlet of Kadirur, the duo built The Stoic Wall Residence for a couple and their teenage children, to withstand the hot humid climate of Kerala, and the relentless dance between the scorching sun and torrential tropical rain. “They loved the spatial dynamics in the house we’d built for the husband’s brother, and enlisted us to build a place that would be connected to nature with elements from the outdoors running across each room,” shares Lijo. Clean linear designs across this biophilic home allow the numerous courtyards woven into the structure to stand out as verdant focal points, giving the home a deliberate sense of weightlessness while harmoniously engaging with the surrounding natural environment. – Ela Das
This Villa In Nashik Is Enveloped By Lush Greens
Snuggled in the arms of a rich flora belt, this villa in Nashik by the BNK Group is aptly titled the Urban Oasis. A unique combination of commercial and residential, the plush bungalow belongs to owners of a real estate company and houses their luxurious office and home. The 20,000-square-foot property for six spans four floors and borrows elements from the exterior landscape for the interiors.
The designers began by altering the spatial planning to introduce natural sunlight and cross ventilation in the central portions devoid of air and light. Introducing a courtyard on the first floor and staggering terraces on the floors above worked wonders to achieve this goal. Talking about this dream abode, Behzad Kharas, Chairman and Managing Director of The BNK Group, says, “The integration of nature within the home creates an unparalleled sense of tranquillity, providing a much-needed respite from the bustling cityscape.” Every space in the house is biophilic— letting in nature profusely and incorporating colours and tones of the outdoors. The large windows enable a picturesque view of the greens and bring them in. – Aishwarya Khurana
A Colombo House Reconnecting With Nature
A design that is contextual instantly lends the built structure a unique character, on account of specific and unique site conditions it responds to. Such is the case with this home too which is located in Colombo‘s Kalalgoda area. Damith Premathilake, founder of the Sri Lankan firm Damith Premathilake Architects, was brought on board to develop a narrow plot, adjoining a lush green paddy field. Having studied the context as well the site constraints, the firm came up with a design for the home that does complete justice to its surroundings while simultaneously adhering to the crisp client brief—“a house that appreciates the tranquility of the paddy field”.
The employment of certain passive design strategies has aided in maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures, in turn minimising the need to opt for active energy sources. “The house is oriented on site to bring in ample sunlight while avoiding direct sunlight that generates heat inside the house. The orientation has also allowed the interiors to be naturally ventilated by the free flow of wind throughout the house. The use of a pond feature in the central courtyard allows evaporative cooling, further enhancing the indoor environment quality,” explains Damith. – Avni Raut
NOTE – This article was originally published in architecturaldigest and can be viewed here
