Santosh Kumar Kugunnavar

The residence was designed for a family of 6 with two generations staying together. The courtyard became the physical connector between the two floors, which also brings in light and ventilation. Also it becomes a meeting point for the family members for informal interaction moments just like the way it was intended to be in the traditional courtyard houses of south India. Therefore in many ways this design is a modern interpretation of the traditional courtyard house. However unlike the traditional courtyard house, which looks inwards, this house, was designed to look outwards too. For example the living and dining have very large sliding folding doors that open into decks overlooking large expanses of landscape. So in many ways it is a reflection of changing lifestyle of the and how architecture can be an amalgamation of a traditional concept and modern aspirations of the inhabitant. The central courtyard has a breathing pyramidal skylight. The air that comes from the living and dining decks rises up and ventilates through the small openings at the base of the pyramid. The interiors The all white internal walls are intelligently contrasted by the blue pearl granite flooring rendering the spaces serene and tranquil. The retro furniture stand out in the white background but at the same compliments the spaces. Going local thinking global Right from the onset the residence was to be designed using local artisans and labor yet the design sensibility had to be contemporary and spaces had to be modern. The structure The structure is a composite one with cement block and stone masonary. The locally available stone is abundantly available & became an element for place making within the property and immediately outside. Clients testimonial Santosh was the architect for our residence that was completed in 2013. We are very happy with the way the residence has turned out especially the informal interaction spaces inside the house and every part of the house is also visually connected to the outdoor landscape. Since then we have commissioned him three projects a library, an apartment in Bailhongal and an apartment in Dharwad, all of which are under construction. A100 bed hospital project in Belgaum has been commissioned to him, which is in design stage.