Hasiru Farmhouse

How does one build responsibly in a highly eco-sensitive landscape? How do you create a home that allows its inhabitants to experience the wilderness while remaining safe from snakes, insects, and the frequent movement of wildlife? These questions became the foundation for the design of this weekend retreat for two friends and business partners, set on the edge of the Bannerghatta National Park.

The site commands breathtaking views of the forested hills stretching across Karnataka into Tamil Nadu, while also lying within an active elephant corridor. Rather than imposing a new architecture on the landscape, the design sought to tread lightly and work with what already existed.

The project unfolded in two phases. The first transformed an existing, nondescript house and staff quarters into a comfortable retreat. An eight-foot-wide verandah with traditional Mangalore tiled roofing was wrapped around three sides of the house, extending the living spaces into the landscape. The interiors were completely reconfigured by removing internal walls and introducing a new kitchen and bathrooms, while an additional floor was added above to create an entertainment space with panoramic views.

The second phase introduced two elevated cottages that touch the ground lightly, minimizing disturbance to the terrain and allowing wildlife to move naturally beneath them. Connected by a delicate perforated steel bridge with built-in seating, the cottages frame uninterrupted views of the forest canopy. Arrival is intentionally choreographed through an understated steel door into a dimly lit brick stairwell, where narrow masonry slits filter light and heighten the sense of transition. Emerging onto the bridge reveals the dramatic panorama beyond.

Clad externally in corrugated aluminium and lined internally with warm birch plywood, the cottages balance rugged durability with intimate comfort. Their split-level interiors place the living space at bridge level, while the sleeping area steps down by 450 mm to create a sheltered, cocoon-like retreat. A mezzanine sleeping loft, accessed by a ladder, opens onto its own private balcony overlooking the plantation. The result is a quiet dialogue between architecture and wilderness—an experience that celebrates the landscape without overwhelming it.