This bungalow in Bangalore came from an older generation of design thinking and had to be given a new identity. But the challenge here was to make it contemporary thinking and Vastu-compliant as well. Architects Smruti Kamat and Lester Rozario decided to work around the stumbling blocks through a smart tweaking instead of complete submission. The house has as a result gone from drab to the sprightly other end of the spectrum.
A renovation project distinguishes itself if it changes the demeanour of a structure completely and Kamat & Rozario Architecture can claim full bragging rights here. The previous home, almost 30 years old, had seemed like a cloistered hunk with little breathing space; now it has been opened up on the sides, letting in natural light and quite some vitality. Older segments like the projection atop the driveway have now found new functionality, in this case, the conversion to a study. Older materials have been swapped with concrete and brick leading up to a fascinating juxtaposition.
All existing doors and windows were reused and the new windows, although different in language attempt to echo certain aspects of the old ones.
