UNDER THE MANGO TREE

WADAWLI, KARJAT, MAHARASHTRA

Plot Area: 1 Acre

Built Up Area: 5,500 sq ft
Project Timeline: 2015 – 2016
Project Cost: INR 4,000 per sq ft

STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Principal Architect: Nishita Kamdar
Project Team: Khyati Kansara

© Skyboard, 2018. No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.
1 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

When dreaming about ‘a vacation home’, the idea gives an instant hit

of a house amidst the natural landscape of greens, natural waterbodies

or tucked by the cliff. Weekend houses evoke a feeling of living in

harmony with the natural setting untouched by human hands and

appeals one to dive deeper towards understanding what experience

life has to offer.

2 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

This is a 1 acre site located in rural setting of Wadawli area of Karjat, which has been
a famous location for gifting own self a short weekend break from the rattling city
life. The plot on one side looks at the Karjat highway and towards the other, it is
bounded by private plots.

The area gets heavy rainfall during the monsoons which last for around five months.
The site is essentially a farm, owned by a couple in their mid 50’s for a second home.
They wanted their farmhouse space to offer an exact pause and solace which their
hectic lives lacked in the city.
3 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Eventually a strategically planned layout evolved depending on the sequence of

usage: living, dining room, common veranda and the bedrooms pushed towards the
side to create a sense of privacy. All these blocks were designed overlooking a large
mango tree existing on site. The built up form is a narrow yet spacious orientation
of a linear 100fts, and appears as a slim box nestled between the large shade of trees
that exist on the site.
4 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

The primary design intent was to offer the users unobstructed views of the sprawling
farm from any location in the house. The romantic idea of waking up to see your farm,
or sipping on hot tea whilst lounging in your living room watching your cows graze
have birds chirping above you while you have your dinner cooked with your own
hand plucked vegetables. We wanted the clients to live an orchestrated lifestyle built
on their fantasies. The services and other utilities have all been secluded towards
the south side and camouflaged behind a row of large banana trees.
5 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Living Space with a view of Dining area in the background

The house is open from both the sides, which avoids any side to be a typical front
or backspace. Continuous picturesque windows and long veranda’s exude a sense
of being with the nature. To maximise the visibility from one end to the other,
solid walls have been replaced with large MS framed glass doors which pivot
90 degrees to open up completely and expose the columns. One can seamlessly
view from the east end all the way to the other end of the house.

A large pitched roof consisting of steel rafters supported on waif thin steel
columns. The infill between the steel rafters is naturally polished seasoned old
teak wood batons which is then layered with bitumen, insulation and the final
one being shingle layer.
6 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Living space

7 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above and Left: Dining Area

8 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Continuous picturesque windows

The entire 5500sq ft plinth is covered in a leather finished granite stone. Inlays
in grey stone or a handmade cement tile give relief and help define functions on
the floor plate. The continuation of one material as flooring gives an illusion of a
large floor plate. The plinth is extended beyond the wall line to flow and connect
to other spaces.
9 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Seating space

10 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Verandah
11 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Guest Bedroom

12 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Master Bedroom

The simplicity and the beauty of the shell layers itself form the design language
of the farmhouse. The rest of the furniture has been kept muted. The doors are
made from reclaimed and leftover teak wood batons of the roofing. Accent brick
walls and simple pendant lights are used to create warmth in the space. Section
wise, the spaces flow into larger plinths outside the main living areas to form
extended spill out zones. The overall height has been modulated to 15 feet to keep
the scale more relatable to the surroundings
13 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Above: Toilet
 14 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Ground Floor Plan

LEGEND

Living Room: 13.8mtrs x 7.26 mtrs

Kitchen: 4.52 mtrs x 2.58 mtrs
Powder Toilet: 1.2 mtrs x 2.5 mtrs
Verandah: 6.7 mtrs x 8.3 mtrs
Master Bedroom: 5 mtrs x 6.3 mtrs
Master Bathroom: 3.9 mtrs x 2.3 mtrs
Kids Bedroom: 6.1 mtrs x 4.4 mtrs
Kids Bathroom: 3.6 mtrs x 2.7 mtrs
15 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

Elevation
16 | UNDER THE MANGO TREE > STUDIO NISHITA KAMDAR

PRODUCT & MATERIAL APPLICATIONS Air Conditioing: Daikan from AirFrig

Roofing: Owens Corning from Fibroplast Technologies, Mumbai
Windows: Sentry Laminated Glass from Marble: Granite Flooring from Raj Darshan
Fibroplast
Tiles: Gaurav Ceramics, Mumbai KEY CONTRIBUTORS
Lighting: Abba Lighting, Pepperfry Structural Design: MAQ Projects
Colour: Asian Paints Civil, Façade & MEP: Jamal Mustafa
Sanitaryware & Bath Fittings: Jaquar from Landscape: INORA
Gaurav Ceramics, Mumbai HVAC: AirFrig Technologies Pvt Ltd
Furniture & Furnishing: Custom Made by
Architect PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
Hardware: Hafele Photographix | Sebastian + Ira
Kitchen Sink: Nirali from Gaurav Ceramics,
Mumbai
Laminates: Greenlam laminates
Mosaic: Raj Darshan, Andheri West

© Skyboard, 2018. No part of this eBook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.