Mumbai-based firm SPASM Design builds a case study based on Parikrama — Sanskrit for ‘the path surrounding something’ – a circu-ambulatory path found in many Hindu temples. Nestled in a coconut grove, the house perfectly illustrates this concept, adapting traditional building materials with nods to modern architecture.
Found in India’s Murud region, Parikrama House leads visitors through a circular or figure-8 path around the house, with two main segments –the higher main living area and the dining area — at the center of each loop. The windows, while of modern design, is meant to perfectly frame the view of the grove as one takes on the path, while also distracting from the middle section of the house where the bedrooms and guest rooms can be found.
Stone slabs and wooden ceilings accentuate the view provided by the windows, ensuring that the attention is focused on the natural beauty of the area, rather than the house itself. The architecture spans outward, causing one to always feel contact from the outside throughout the home, allowing one to feel secured by the outside elements.
The studio previously completed another project in India, the House Cast in Liquid Stone. Follow the architects via their Instagram.
Photography © Umang Shah for SPASM Design