The Light House
A compact urban home built around one idea: let daylight reach every room.
Location:
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Project Area:
3,200 sq ft
Plot Size:
30 by 40 ft
Completed Year:
2024
Duration:
14 months
Materials:
Exposed concrete, teak, pebble flooring
Project Brief:
The Mehta family of four had lived for years in a rented house where the lights stayed on from morning to night. When they bought a 30 by 40 ft plot in Bengaluru, their request was simple: a home that feels open and bright, but still private.
Challenge:
The plot has neighbours on three sides, so windows could only be placed on the front and back. A conventional plan would leave the middle of the house dark.
Design Approach:
A courtyard at the center. Instead of pushing rooms to the edges, we opened the middle of the house. A small courtyard with a single tree sits under a skylight, and light reaches both floors through it. Every main room faces the courtyard, so each one has a second source of daylight.
Outcome:
Artificial lighting is rarely switched on during the day, and the family reports that the courtyard has become the center of daily life. The project was finished on budget in 14 months.
