Set on a 200-by-50-foot plot in Bengaluru, India, this residence finds clarity in contrast. Two sides of the site are hemmed in by dense urban housing, typical of the city’s fabric, while the remaining edges open out to a rare pocket of unbuilt land. The western boundary, facing an untouched hillside, offers a sense of release within the otherwise tight grid of the neighborhood.
The architects were tasked with designing a home for a family of four, complete with four bedrooms, a terrace hangout, a spa, and ample space for parking. But beyond the program, the project’s identity emerged from the terrain itself. The design takes cues from the site’s original rocky topography, translated into an expressive, curving façade wall held between contoured concrete slabs. Like exposed geological strata, these slabs trace the natural layers of the land.
The façade acts as both envelope and experience. alternating between solid and porous, open and enclosed. Clearstorey openings punctuate the wall, orchestrating a play of light and shadow that shifts throughout the day. Inside, spaces expand and compress, guiding movement while maintaining a tactile connection to the site’s material character.
Common areas such as the living and dining rooms are oriented north and west, capturing open views of the landscape. More private functions, the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms, occupy the quieter southern edge. To the east, an open yard and garden extend toward the street, integrating kennels and paved outdoor areas into the daily rhythm of the house.
Responding to the site’s natural slope, the main entry is located on the first floor, with the ground level reserved for parking. The second floor houses the family’s private quarters, three bedrooms with attached dressing rooms and bathrooms, along with a small spa and a northeast-facing balcony overlooking the approach road.
The topmost level transforms into a social domain. Designed for gatherings and events, it accommodates a bar, lounge, and games area, opening out to terraces and an open yard. In a city where density often dictates design, this residence turns the hillside’s quiet edge into its defining feature, a rare balance between urban life and topographic memory.
Project Details
Project Name: Ale Mane House
Location: Bengaluru
Architecture Firm: N&RD
Architect: Nikhila Raveendran, Rejin Karthik
Project Year: 2025
Built / Unbuilt: Completed
Built Area: 1250 sq.m
Photographer: Vinay Shekhar
Software Used: Rhinoceros3D, Autodesk AutoCAD, Vray, Enscape
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