BENGALURU: Inside out. That’s the mantra of homeowners in Bengaluru who are taking this concept quite literally and shaping their homes to bring in an inside-outside look with lesser walls and a more open-air style. Architect and spatial designer Shalini Chandrashekar’s home in Nelamangala screams her personality.
“I’m an outdoors person. The house is an extension of who I am. By adding long windows instead of walls, keeping some of the areas completely open and using a biophilic design (a concept that incorporates natural lighting and ventilation), I was able to add more landscape inside my home,” she says.
With antiques and reused or refurbished furniture to suit the interiors, Chandrashekar says that the pandemic has changed designs and tastes. “My re-done bedroom is my favourite spot. Once I open all the windows, there’s so much air and sunlight that just changes my mood,” she says.
The trend seems to continue as many architects in the city are also adapting this style with their clients. Anagha Bhaskar, principal architect of Pradyotha Associates, says open-air spaces make houses look bigger. “With people spending much of their time at home, there’s a need for more space. Adding walls immediately creates an illusion of a smaller space. So, people are opting for fewer walls,” she says, adding that homeowners are choosing non-conventional windows as well.
“Earlier, windows would be three feet from the ground. Now, clients want it from ceiling to floor. They oomph it up with two-layer curtains,” says Bhaskar, who has worked on ‘open-air’ spaces in Utharahalli, Nagarbhavi and Sarjapur.
According to George Seemon, partner, Stapati Bangalore, it’s mostly youngsters between the age group of 30 and 40 who are keen on such architectural designs. “When people are building homes, they want walls that open up to nature. For example, in a two-bedroom home, they would make one of the rooms to have fluid walls and keep that flexibility to make the space larger,” he says, adding that homes, until recently, used to be more traditional in their setting.
“Now, you will find open kitchens, bathrooms and perhaps even rooms. Since more people have lived in resorts, they want to adopt that style in their daily lives.” In fact, even offices are adopting similar styles. “Ever since the pandemic hit, the emphasis has been on fresh air entering the buildings has become important. I’ve worked on projects that opt for glass walls, no wall or lower wall designs. Glazing designs are popular too,” says Ajay Gupta, founder of design consulting firm Knowledge Squirrel. The addition of balconies along with the open architecture of office space is growing. “Some even add jungles on rooftops or in balconies for air circulation. Corporate offices are considering this to help employees get Vitamin D and not be cooped up without knowing if it is day or night,” he says.