Chitra Vishwanath

Hornbill house, is located at O'land estate, a tea and coffee plantation. The estate is an “end of the road property”, bordering forest lands and commanding spectacular views. The estate had an existing bungalow which needed renovation and the brief called for an additional 8 bungalows to be built on this 135 acre estate which would then be rented out as farm stays. Out of these nine buildings, three have been realized.

In subsequent discussions with the client, we suggested that these bungalows be located over the expanse of the property rather than a close knit development. The idea was to provide privacy to the guests and a new and varied experience to a returning guest. The estate already had motor-able roads and usable footpaths within and therefore these were used to reach the different locations with ease. Thus the building sites were chosen based on the views, easy access to a road or footpath, and terrain.

The Hornbill house is located on an old drying yard sitting on the edge of a water fall. The house opens onto the views of this water fall, a valley with a backdrop of layers of mountains in different hues of blue of the sky, and green of the tea gardens, thereby integrating each of these views strategically from a different direction from within the house. All the rooms have predominant view of one of these features, while having a glimpse of the rest. 

The walls are composite, of stone on the outside and mud bricks on the inside. The exterior stone walls blends with the rock face near to which the building is located and hence rooted to it's surroundings whereas the inner mud walls provide a feel of warmth and shelter. The striking roof of the villa invokes a sense of flight that one feels while gazing at the views of the valley and hills from within the building.

Nestling into a hillside, Hornbill house, has walls of stone and mud brick, overlooking a tea and coffee plantation in the grounds of the O'land plantation in Nilgiri, a district of Tamil Nadu.

It is one of the 3 holiday cottages that was realised out of the 9 designed, and these cottages sits scattered across the 135 acre estate on an "end of road property",bordering forest lands and commanding spectacular views. These bungalows are strategically located over the expanse of the property rather than a close-knit development, making ample use of the existing paths and trails, hence reducing it's impact on the land. This futher enhances the privacy while providing a new and varied expereince to a returning guest.

The house shelters below  a tree with it's foundations laid on the plantation's old drying yard between  a rocky waterfall and a  forest. It opens onto the views of a  waterfall, a valley with a backdrop of layers of mountains in different hues of blue of the sky, and green of the tea gardens, thereby integrating each of these views strategically from a different direction from within the house.

The walls of Hornbill House are clad in stone to match the rocky terrain, while inside earth brick walls are paired with rustic timber furniture and richly coloured  textiles to offer a more homely atmosphere.

The striking roof invokes a sense of flight that one feels while gazing at the views of the valley and hills from within the building while sheltering a small terrace in front of  the master bedroom.