Located in the foothills of the Western Ghats near Ghargaon in Maharashtra, India, Aher Design Studio conceived iKyam Farmhouse as a restrained architectural response to its natural setting. Occupying 8,180 square feet within a one-acre plot, the house touches the land lightly. It frames distant ridgelines, channels prevailing breezes, and modulates sunlight as a primary architectural material.
The project reflects a relationship between craft, climate, and context. Its sustainability strategy is rooted less in technological add-ons and more in spatial orientation, material sourcing, and passive environmental performance.
Site strategy and topographical response
The steep contours of the site informed the planning approach. Rather than flattening the land, the design introduces a terraced compound defined by locally built stone retaining walls. These terraces mediate between cultivated farmland below and the hillside above, preserving existing land patterns while creating usable outdoor platforms.
The built form follows a linear spine, with living and sleeping pavilions arranged along it. Each pavilion is oriented toward either the valley or the ridgeline, ensuring framed views and airflow. Service and parking functions are placed along the periphery to preserve visual continuity. Circulation unfolds as a winding stone-paved pathway, reinforcing a gradual movement across the site.
Spatial planning and environmental flow
The house is organised around a central staircase linking living, dining, and sleeping zones. These spaces open directly to landscaped courts, decks, and shaded verandahs, dissolving the boundary between interior and exterior. The living volume acts as a pivot within the plan. It is neither monumental nor enclosed, but open and porous.
Large openings are positioned to promote cross-ventilation. Shaded verandahs reduce solar heat gain while allowing filtered daylight to enter. By aligning the primary façades away from western exposure, the design lowers cooling loads and improves thermal comfort.
Each space is composed at a human scale, with measured proportions and an emphasis on horizontality. This visual calm mirrors the layered agricultural fields beyond and reinforces a sense of permanence.
Materiality and local craft
Material selection prioritises locality, durability, and reduced embodied energy. Random-rubble basalt cladding, sourced regionally, anchors the structure to its rocky terrain. Its dark mass contrasts with white plastered walls that reflect sunlight and reduce heat absorption.
Flooring in Kota stone offers thermal stability and durability, punctuated by hand-cut Jaisalmer stone inlays that introduce warmth. Solid teak wood is used for doors, window frames, custom joinery, and the staircase. This timber adds tactile richness and supports local craftsmanship and long-term repairability.
Passive comfort and resource efficiency
Passive design principles underpin the environmental strategy. Cross-ventilation, shaded transitional spaces, and thick masonry walls reduce dependence on mechanical cooling. Rainwater harvesting systems collect and store seasonal rainfall, supporting landscape irrigation and reducing groundwater extraction.
Minimal site disturbance preserves existing soil conditions and natural drainage. The use of locally sourced stone and timber lowers transportation-related carbon emissions, while the building’s compact footprint ensures that much of the plot remains permeable and ecologically active.
