Design Exploration

Ar. Usha Rangarajan’s Experimental Designs Lends a Distinct Identity for the Landge Residence in Pune.

- Bindu Gopal Rao

In this age where nuclear families rule the roost, this home has three generations living under a single roof. The Landge Residence in Pune has been designed by Ar. Usha Rangarajan of Landmark Design Group.

This bungalow located in Pune, is designed for parents, their two sons and their families with teenaged children living together. The elder patriarch is a well-known public figure in the region. The client’s brief was clear, the design was required to enable the continuity of strongly-rooted traditional aspects, while at the same time, to meet the aspirations of the younger members of the family for a contemporary lifestyle.

The plot of land, located in the planned township of Pimpri-Chinchwad, is nearly 6,000 sq. ft. in size and as families grow and generational demands differ, the spatial requirements that would arise in the future were also considered in the design. The bungalow’s design provides for the public persona of the senior members, while also meeting the need for privacy and social requirements of the younger generations. “With the diverse range of spaces catering to different age groups and personalities having to be housed under the same roof; establishing a unified architectural language became essential to tie the home together spatially. The restrictions of plot size and permissible ground coverage necessitated vertical planning,” explains Ar. Usha Rangarajan.