Homes
Mankala Residence
Made of terracotta, with trees growing through the house.
Thalaghattapura, Bangalore · 2007 · 5,000 sq ft built · Plot 60 × 40 ft
We have never cut a tree for a project. At the Mankala Residence we went further and opened the slabs so existing trees could grow through the house. Three levels rise around an 18-foot-high dining space lit from above, an inner court that ties every floor together. The walls are concrete and terracotta blocks carried by a single column, and much of the house is left unplastered, so you see the real materials. Terracotta tiles inside the roof slab keep the rooms cool. Students from BMS College of Architecture compared conventional houses with this one and recorded the difference. The master bedroom has a small window to the entrance, so the family knows who has arrived before answering the door.