Add To Collection
Add to Collection
Jālī House
Jālī House
Pune, India
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
Other Projects by STUDIO VDGA
Jālī House
Pune, India
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
Jālī House – A Dialogue Between Light, Stone and Simplicity
Design philosophy
Set within the dense fabric of a bustling urban neighbourhood and
constrained by a modest 4,000 sq. ft. plot, Jali House reimagines the
potential of urban residential architecture. Far from feeling confined, the
home crafts a serene and poetic spatial experience proving that powerful
architecture can emerge despite limitations.
As its name suggests, Jali House is a thoughtful response to both climate
and culture. India’s abundance of sunlight, the availability of locally sourced
materials, and a deep architectural heritage formed the basis of the design
strategy. The jali (lattice screen), a traditional element reinterpreted here in
a modern idiom, becomes both symbol and solution; a tool to filter light,
frame views, and moderate climate.
The homeowners, deeply influenced by Jain philosophy, envisioned a home
rooted in simplicity, restraint, and purpose. At its core lies the principle of
‘Tyaga’; a Sanskrit word embodying renunciation and the letting go of
excess. This ethos is translated into a built form that is pared down,
functional, and deeply meditative. Every element is intentional. Every
space, an invitation to pause.
Beyond functional excellence, the architecture speaks to the five
‘Tanmatras’ ; the sensory elements of sound (Shabda), touch (Sparsha),
sight (Roopa), taste (Rasa), and smell (Gandha). The home engages these
senses in quiet, often unexpected ways, from the echo of footsteps on
stone, the tactile roughness of native textures, to the fragrance of fresh air
moving through the jalis. In this way, Jali House transcends the visual and
becomes an immersive living experience.
Space planning
The smart use of multilevel planning creates an illusion of expansiveness,
making the home feel as though it sits on a much larger site than it actually
does. A modest courtyard at the entrance introduces controlled natural
light, infusing the interiors with a refreshing atmosphere. This lightwell,
vertically stitched through the floors, forms a strong spatial and emotional
axis,
anchoring the home and tying its levels together. It acts as the central lung
of the house, nurturing both physical and psychological connectedness
among its inhabitants.
The house features intricately carved stone jalis (lattice screens), not merely
as decorative elements but as vital architectural tools. These lattices serve
a dual purpose: shielding the interiors from the harsh glare of the sun and
the unsightly commercial buildings opposite the site, while also enabling
ventilation and diffused natural light. Crafted from 30mm thick Indian
sandstone slabs, these screens possess natural thermal properties that
keep the surfaces cool while allowing hot air to dissipate through their
perforations. In cooler or pleasant weather, they can be opened to offer
unobstructed views and a seamless connection with the outdoors.
The son's bedroom on the top floor is designed as a complete bachelor
pad, featuring a private courtyard that leads to a neatly tucked-away study
and activity zone. This thoughtful layout seamlessly extends the space to
the private top terrace, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor connection.
Throughout the day, shifting sciographies animate the courtyard walls,
casting everchanging patterns of light and shadow that bring the space to
life, reflecting the seasonal moods. Each level of the home is designed to
engage differently with light, privacy, and landscape, creating nuanced
spatial moments that shift between openness and enclosure, exposure and
intimacy.
Material Palette & Experiential Journey
The material palette of Jali House is deliberately minimal, yet deeply rooted
in its geographic and cultural context. It resists extravagance, instead
choosing to communicate through authenticity and tactility. Subtle white
marble floors and softly textured off-white lime plastered walls (paste made
at site) lend the spaces a sense of lightness and restraint, embodying an
airy modernism that sets the tone for the entire house. These luminous
surfaces act as quiet backdrops, allowing natural light and shadow to take
on a dynamic, almost architectural role of their own.
In contrast, the generous use of locally sourced Indian stone brings a
grounding, rustic warmth to the spatial experience. Whether underfoot, on
the walls, or sculpted into the intricately carved jalis (interpreted in modern
context), this native stone offers visual texture and thermal comfort. The
intentional juxtaposition of raw and refined materials, the smoothness of
marble against the grain of stone, the brightness of stucco against the
earthy hues of natural textures, creates a dialogue between permanence
and impermanence, refinement and origin. Together, they bestow the home
with a timeless, quiet character that neither shouts for attention nor fades
into the background.
The architectural skin of the house; calm, composed, and understated, sets
the tone for what lies within. This outer restraint is complemented by a rich
inner layering of surfaces, tones, textures and volumes. Interior elements
continue the earthy palette through handcrafted wood, sandstone accents,
and subtle fabric textures, creating a cohesive material narrative that is both
calming and deeply sensory.
Jali House is not designed to dazzle on arrival. Instead, it offers a more
contemplative encounter, a spatial experience that slowly unfolds,
rewarding attention and patience. From the moment one steps through the
threshold, the home begins to reveal itself as a carefully choreographed
sequence. The interplay of light and shadow, filtered through jalis and
reflected off pale surfaces, becomes a quiet performance that changes with
the time of day and the seasons.
Despite its small footprint, Jali House tells a rich and layered story, one
where architecture becomes a medium of subtle expression rather than
spectacle. It is a quiet rebellion against excess, demonstrating how the
intelligent use of materials, light, and proportion can create a profound
sense of spaciousness and meaning. It is a house that embraces simplicity
as sophistication, using the language of restraint to craft a home of
uncommon elegance.
In its most distilled form, Jali House is a meditative exploration of what it
means to dwell; to inhabit space not just physically, but emotionally,
sensorially, and spiritually.
JALI HOUSE, Pune, INDIA
Category: Private Residence
Location: Pune, India
Year of Completion: 2025
Plot Area: 4000 sq. ft.
Built-up Area: 7000 sq.ft.
Architecture firm: Studio VDGA, INDIA
Photographer: Edmund Sumner
Principal Designers: Deepak Gugarii, Rashi
Saanson
Project Architect: Viplav Paithankar Client’s
Name: Mr. Ashish Desai
Design philosophy
Set within the dense fabric of a bustling urban neighbourhood and
constrained by a modest 4,000 sq. ft. plot, Jali House reimagines the
potential of urban residential architecture. Far from feeling confined, the
home crafts a serene and poetic spatial experience proving that powerful
architecture can emerge despite limitations.
As its name suggests, Jali House is a thoughtful response to both climate
and culture. India’s abundance of sunlight, the availability of locally sourced
materials, and a deep architectural heritage formed the basis of the design
strategy. The jali (lattice screen), a traditional element reinterpreted here in
a modern idiom, becomes both symbol and solution; a tool to filter light,
frame views, and moderate climate.
The homeowners, deeply influenced by Jain philosophy, envisioned a home
rooted in simplicity, restraint, and purpose. At its core lies the principle of
‘Tyaga’; a Sanskrit word embodying renunciation and the letting go of
excess. This ethos is translated into a built form that is pared down,
functional, and deeply meditative. Every element is intentional. Every
space, an invitation to pause.
Beyond functional excellence, the architecture speaks to the five
‘Tanmatras’ ; the sensory elements of sound (Shabda), touch (Sparsha),
sight (Roopa), taste (Rasa), and smell (Gandha). The home engages these
senses in quiet, often unexpected ways, from the echo of footsteps on
stone, the tactile roughness of native textures, to the fragrance of fresh air
moving through the jalis. In this way, Jali House transcends the visual and
becomes an immersive living experience.
Space planning
The smart use of multilevel planning creates an illusion of expansiveness,
making the home feel as though it sits on a much larger site than it actually
does. A modest courtyard at the entrance introduces controlled natural
light, infusing the interiors with a refreshing atmosphere. This lightwell,
vertically stitched through the floors, forms a strong spatial and emotional
axis,
anchoring the home and tying its levels together. It acts as the central lung
of the house, nurturing both physical and psychological connectedness
among its inhabitants.
The house features intricately carved stone jalis (lattice screens), not merely
as decorative elements but as vital architectural tools. These lattices serve
a dual purpose: shielding the interiors from the harsh glare of the sun and
the unsightly commercial buildings opposite the site, while also enabling
ventilation and diffused natural light. Crafted from 30mm thick Indian
sandstone slabs, these screens possess natural thermal properties that
keep the surfaces cool while allowing hot air to dissipate through their
perforations. In cooler or pleasant weather, they can be opened to offer
unobstructed views and a seamless connection with the outdoors.
The son's bedroom on the top floor is designed as a complete bachelor
pad, featuring a private courtyard that leads to a neatly tucked-away study
and activity zone. This thoughtful layout seamlessly extends the space to
the private top terrace, creating a fluid indoor-outdoor connection.
Throughout the day, shifting sciographies animate the courtyard walls,
casting everchanging patterns of light and shadow that bring the space to
life, reflecting the seasonal moods. Each level of the home is designed to
engage differently with light, privacy, and landscape, creating nuanced
spatial moments that shift between openness and enclosure, exposure and
intimacy.
Material Palette & Experiential Journey
The material palette of Jali House is deliberately minimal, yet deeply rooted
in its geographic and cultural context. It resists extravagance, instead
choosing to communicate through authenticity and tactility. Subtle white
marble floors and softly textured off-white lime plastered walls (paste made
at site) lend the spaces a sense of lightness and restraint, embodying an
airy modernism that sets the tone for the entire house. These luminous
surfaces act as quiet backdrops, allowing natural light and shadow to take
on a dynamic, almost architectural role of their own.
In contrast, the generous use of locally sourced Indian stone brings a
grounding, rustic warmth to the spatial experience. Whether underfoot, on
the walls, or sculpted into the intricately carved jalis (interpreted in modern
context), this native stone offers visual texture and thermal comfort. The
intentional juxtaposition of raw and refined materials, the smoothness of
marble against the grain of stone, the brightness of stucco against the
earthy hues of natural textures, creates a dialogue between permanence
and impermanence, refinement and origin. Together, they bestow the home
with a timeless, quiet character that neither shouts for attention nor fades
into the background.
The architectural skin of the house; calm, composed, and understated, sets
the tone for what lies within. This outer restraint is complemented by a rich
inner layering of surfaces, tones, textures and volumes. Interior elements
continue the earthy palette through handcrafted wood, sandstone accents,
and subtle fabric textures, creating a cohesive material narrative that is both
calming and deeply sensory.
Jali House is not designed to dazzle on arrival. Instead, it offers a more
contemplative encounter, a spatial experience that slowly unfolds,
rewarding attention and patience. From the moment one steps through the
threshold, the home begins to reveal itself as a carefully choreographed
sequence. The interplay of light and shadow, filtered through jalis and
reflected off pale surfaces, becomes a quiet performance that changes with
the time of day and the seasons.
Despite its small footprint, Jali House tells a rich and layered story, one
where architecture becomes a medium of subtle expression rather than
spectacle. It is a quiet rebellion against excess, demonstrating how the
intelligent use of materials, light, and proportion can create a profound
sense of spaciousness and meaning. It is a house that embraces simplicity
as sophistication, using the language of restraint to craft a home of
uncommon elegance.
In its most distilled form, Jali House is a meditative exploration of what it
means to dwell; to inhabit space not just physically, but emotionally,
sensorially, and spiritually.
JALI HOUSE, Pune, INDIA
Category: Private Residence
Location: Pune, India
Year of Completion: 2025
Plot Area: 4000 sq. ft.
Built-up Area: 7000 sq.ft.
Architecture firm: Studio VDGA, INDIA
Photographer: Edmund Sumner
Principal Designers: Deepak Gugarii, Rashi
Saanson
Project Architect: Viplav Paithankar Client’s
Name: Mr. Ashish Desai
Product Spec Sheet
Were your products used?
Join as a manufacturer to add your products.