When two people from Kerala and Karnataka got together, it was a marriage of different cultures, styles and nostalgias. This home was for a young couple, their daughter, wife’s parents and wife’s sister’s family- a joint family of 3 households. This four-bedroom house is an attempt to accommodate the needs of a joint family across three generations; a nurturing environment to tackle their differences and grow as a family. 

The 5.5 cent rectangular plot is nestled into a residential area in the outskirts of Hulimavu, Bengaluru, with external views limited to that of neighbouring houses. Main access to this plot is a 4.5m wide road on the West, towards which the house face. The house is placed with minimal setbacks towards the front and side yards, with more area for a private back yard. 

The front yard of the house consists of a car porch for two cars and a pedestrian entry leading up to the main door. Through the main door one enters into a series of spaces, all connected visually with each other to feel like one large common room for the big family. Meanwhile small niches are provided throughout the house to cater to individual needs. 

The entry foyer overlooks a pond on one side and living room on the other, framed by a recycled wooden window and a wooden column respectively. The living room and dining area is separated by a courtyard with skylight above. This area has double-height sloping roof, and can be overlooked from the floor above. The dining has an open kitchen to the south and a verandah on the northern side further extending the space beyond to the greens outside. The verandah tucked between a pond and the backyard garden, and houses a 3000L capacity rainwater harvesting tank underneath. A bedroom on this level caters to the eldest members of the family. 

First floor of the house holds three of the four bedroom and a family living room with view of the floor below. The balcony and open terrace accessed from the living room gives view to the backyard garden and serves as a laundry area. Second floor of the house has terraces, both open and covered, terrace garden and an attic room. The idea of all common spaces connected together visually is to encourage bonding and interaction between the inhabitants while providing privacy for individual needs through spaces like the attic and reading niche on the first floor.