Homes that Nurture Nature and Togetherness

Rethinking Homes through Conservation and Community

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This article by N Kalyani argues for a holistic approach to designing homes that integrates environmental sensitivity with cultural values of conservation and togetherness.

It highlights how architecture both shapes and is shaped by ecological, social, and economic factors, calling for a “720-degree” perspective that recognizes interconnected impacts. In modern urban settings, simple interventions—such as balcony and terrace gardens, use of indigenous plants, and bird-friendly features—can restore ecological balance. The piece also repositions the kitchen as the ethical and functional core of the home, advocating for spacious, well-ventilated, and inclusive designs that respect food, reduce waste, and encourage shared participation in everyday life.

Without being a trained architect or a design professional one can, by virtue of living in and making use of a space, come up with ideas and suggestions to improvise the space to make it more productive and beneficial to all those who use it.

It is in this sense that all stakeholders are invited to give their suggestions for any given project. Because they bring their own perspective and point of view to the table. And deliberations or improvisation can be done in a holistic manner.

Architecture and design is fundamental to the spaces we live in and use whether it is residential spaces, office spaces or spaces that host the innumerable other activities that make up our life. This includes built areas that offer facilities related to education, entertainment, shopping, healthcare, hospitality, transport, sports, worship and meditation, besides many other aspects of our life. Also included are gardens and parks that come under landscape designing.