Meet me at the oasis
Subterranean Ruins, Bengaluru | Completion Year: December 2022 | Gross built area: 1,766 sq.ft. | Cost: Approx. ₹85 lakh
Kaggalipura, a small village 40 km from Bengaluru city, received a makeover of sorts during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two philanthropists, Bhaskar and Kiran Mai, wanted to design a multifunctional place on their three-acre farmland that could be used by both private and public individuals.
Keeping this brief in mind, Avinash Ankalge and Harshith Nayak, principal architects and founder-partners at Bengaluru-based A Threshold, kickstarted the project during a tough time when workers were scarce. “The challenging times of the pandemic gave us a unique opportunity to maximise the use of locally available materials, and employ villagers who had just lost their jobs ,” he says of the “win-win situation” for both clients and villagers.
The building features multifunctional caves tucked within the earth to blend with the existing terrain, like unnished ruins, planned in and around existing trees. Ankalge says it has been sensitively designed to conform to the existing landform. “The structure integrates with the natural terrain, taking advantage of a steep four-metre drop followed by at land. By utilising the existing topography, the structure harmoniously blends into the surrounding landscape without the need for land modication,” he says, adding that this design approach ensured that the building becomes an intrinsic part of nature.
The setting of this project made the design rooted to its context, and the site demanded the use of locally available materials, labourers, and technology. “The remote location, tree cover and terrain gave the team clues as to how the building should sit on the ground and merge with its natural slope,” he says. Which is why we see the use of natural materials like local brick kiln walls, black granite from a nearby stone
The building features multifunctional caves tucked within the earth to blend with the existing terrain, like unfinished ruins. quarry, boulders and stone pebbles sieved from excavated soil. Now that the project is two years old, Ankalge says additional trees have been planted so the structure looks more seamless with the natural environment. “The landscape is taking over and the building is ageing very well.”
The project gave the team the opportunity to interact with various artisans, potters, and sculptors, which led to a sense of belonging. “We started organising workshops here for school kids on painting, pottery, sculpting, gardening, yoga, etc., and also invited expertise in other allied elds to educate locals,” says Ankalge of the centre that they have imagined as a knowledge hub, and hope to open up for artist residencies in the future. “The activities were planned thoughtfully to get villagers together and create a sense of belonging between communities. It’s important to create these centres across the country, especially in the smaller villages and towns where there’s a scarcity of education and facilities,” he concludes.