Set within the forested landscape of Vijayanagar near Hampi, this home is organised as a vertical and radial journey through space. Entry occurs at the upper level, where private life is held quietly within the tree canopy. From here, one descends along a generous central staircase; an intentional moment of transition; into the lower floor, where the house opens outward into collective living.
A forest home that unfolds through descent, opening private life into a shared radial landscape
House on the Hill
Tanvi Jindal Shete
JSW, Vijaynagar, Karnataka
Ongoing
Built Up : 9,612 sq ft | Site : 1 Acre Site
AT A GLANCE
-
25
steps of a grand staircase descends from the entry to the social spaces
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A radial forest home in Vijayanagar, unfolding from treetop privacy to a social heart, where decks, stone, and water dissolve into the landscape.
The lower level forms the social heart of the home. Living, dining, kitchen, and a social bar are conceived as a continuous, flowing interior, visually and physically interconnected without hierarchy. The bar, finished in layered hues of green, becomes a focal point—both playful and grounded—anchoring social life within the forest palette. These spaces open seamlessly onto a wraparound radial deck that extends the architecture into the surrounding landscape.
The deck unfolds across multiple levels, accommodating a gazebo, vegetable garden, play areas, and informal seating. It operates as both threshold and terrain, allowing everyday life to move fluidly between inside and outside. Granite flooring continues from interior to exterior, reinforcing continuity, while a natural stone pool carved in granite sits quietly within the forest setting. Green roofs soften the built form, allowing the house to merge gently with the canopy while enhancing thermal performance.
The upper floor houses three private bedrooms, approached via a gently sloped ramp rather than a conventional corridor, ensuring ease of movement and a calm transition between spaces. Bathrooms are detailed with a tactile mix of hand-glazed tiles, microconcrete surfaces, and bespoke washbasins—each space crafted with care and material depth.
Throughout the house, seamless microconcrete defines the interiors, offering a quiet backdrop to the surrounding greenery. This Radial House is shaped as a descent—from privacy to openness, from enclosure to landscape—where architecture frames living as a gradual unfolding into forest, light, and shared ground.
FIG (O1)
Granite
Abundantly found in the vicinity, granite cladding composes the exterior in enduring layers, its dense texture celebrating regional craft, endurance, and material continuity.
FIG (O2)
Teak wood
Teak-framed doors and windows choreograph thresholds with warm grain. Retaining the natural tone in the interior spaced, the house reflects on timeless architectural presence.
FIG (O3)
Micro Concrete
Micro-concrete floors flow seamlessly across spaces, their restrained texture unifying movement while sustaining the contemporary calm and continuity.
FIG (O4)
Pigmeneted Concrete
Sculpting functional objects like basins with colour and mass, everyday rituals turn into delightful expressions.
FIG (O5)
Dual tone paint
Calibrated hues sweep across walls, softening volume and light, composing interiors as gentle, immersive spatial backdrops.
