Tropical Therapy

The naturally-spirited House 1058 in Hyderabad, created by the renowned Khosla Associates, is set in its own private sanctuary, basking in the crisp landscape views from every turn.

- Deepa Nair

When the young owners of House 1058 first approached Sandeep Khosla and Amaresh Anand, the principal architects of Bangalore-based Khosla Associates, they were already embracing of the firm’s holistic approach to architecture, interior and landscape design. Khosla Associates’ tropical sensibilities in architecture, the fine detailing in interiors and their well-thought-out material and decor selections were few more reasons for the couple to sit across the table with the architects. “When clients are familiar with your design vocabulary, it’s a boon,” says Sandeep “Other than the usual requirements for a home filled with light and air, their primary request was a house that was iconic — fairly arresting from the street at the same time contextual.”

Set in the swish Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad, House 1058 stands largely distinct from the others for its impressive architecture, the high point being its arresting cantilevered, timber-clad trapezoidal roof forms that hover above the main spaces of the house.The architects inform that the dry, cool and humid Hyderabad weather was instrumental in their creation. What lies beneath are a series of staggered rooms with slopes in different directions, to create a visual playfulness in the elevation, which orient towards the privacy of an internal garden.