Kamshet House by the Lake / kaviar:collaborative

Project: Kamshet House by the Lake
Architects: kaviar:collaborative
Architecture, Interior Design & Site Supervision: Kasturi Wagh & Vineet Hingoran
Landscape Consultants: kaviar:collaborative
Location: Kamshet, India
Area: 12000 ft2
Year: 2022
Photo Credits: Studio Suryan/Dang

Being an architectural design project, the site and its context proved to be the major source of inspiration for ‘Kamshet House by the Lake’. Recalling our very first site visit, we remember being entranced by the lake and the spectacle of nature in front of us. This lake-touch parcel of land surrounded by lush greenery on three sides demanded the building of a series of ‘viewing galleries’ entrapped within the notion of a second home rather than the usual ‘off the mill’ bungalow – a vessel to view and re-unite with nature.

Staying true to the intent of championing the ‘outdoors’, it was important to adopt a fairly minimal aesthetic for the ‘indoors’. To make sure the lake & the ‘outside’ is the primary focus, a muted palette of earthy colors (greys, beiges, whites, and blacks) adorns the house rather than highly polished/glossy surfaces. Textures of kota, local stone, concrete, and reclaimed wood add that much-needed tactile element that helps the occupant feel closer to the ‘Outside’. The texture of the river-washed kota stone beautifully mimics the ripples of the lake playing back to the notion of connecting the indoors and the outdoors.

The entrance foyer, in our opinion, is the standout feature of this home. As one enters the site, an attempt has been made to architecturally create a structure that purposely hides/blocks the visitor’s view of the lake beyond, only giving him/her small glimpses of the waterbody through minimal fenestrations and courtyards. A 10 ft tall black door greets one at the entrance inhibiting views inside and beyond the house. Upon entering through the door, the visitor is greeted with a couple of steps leading to the entrance foyer and the vast spectacle of the lake and neighboring greens – a deliberate attempt to ‘stage’ the view; to create a theatrical first reveal.

Another stand-out feature in the entire project is the grand volume of the space. Designing a sloping roof volumetrically helps by subconsciously drawing the occupant’s vision gradually toward the lake. No matter where one stands in the bungalow, his/her eyes end up gazing at the lake and the ripples.

Architecturally, the whole house has been planned in a way to mimic a monolithic structure with minimal openings from the entrance side, and a completely open glass house structure from the lake side. The house also drips over the contours to only reveal a lower level below once the visitor enters the house.

The upper-level houses the living, dining, kitchen, and public areas along with two bedrooms, while the lower level caters to the more intimate games rooms, yoga room, and four bedrooms with access to the swimming pool, jacuzzi, and lawn. Each of the six bedrooms and various living, dining, and recreational spaces open directly onto the lawn or decks overlooking the lake.