Govardhan Villa by Amruta Daulatabadkar Architects in Aurangabad, India

Project: Govardhan VillaArchitects: Amruta Daulatabadkar Architects adaa
Location: Aurangabad, IndiaArea: 3,804 sq ft
Year: 2022Photos by: PHX India

Govardhan Villa by Amruta Daulatabadkar Architects adaa

Amruta Daulatabadkar Architects adaa designed the Govardhan Villa — a luxurious and spacious residence located in Aurangabad, India. The living area is just under 4000 sq ft and was recently completed. Simplicity in modern design principles used in the interior aims to create a home with spaces that smoothly connect and become part of the surrounding nature.

The Govardhan Villa is based on principles of simplicity in layout with a modern interior ensemble, creating a home where spaces flow seamlessly together and extend beyond the walls to become part of the landscaped environment. The layout is designed around two axes: an east-west axis from the main entrance to the staircase serves as the central movement axis, while a north-south axis provides visual connection inside and outside the dwelling.

Following Vastu principles, the kitchen, living room, and bedroom are placed in the southeast, north, and southwest respectively. The dining area is centrally located as a two-level space that ensures light flow, as well as visual and acoustic connectivity. The two-story living room strengthens the connection between space and air, light, and landscape through windows that rise to two levels. The layout takes up almost the entire available area, with small remaining spaces in side zones used to surround the house with vegetation.

The courtyards are strategically planned as relaxation zones but also enhance the perception of the house from within. The northern and southern landscape zones connect with the living room and dining area, making the spatial axis a fully connected link to the landscape, delivering an expansive, open, and interconnected experience. The staircase with its adjacent courtyard also contributes to the perception of connection inside and outside, as well as managing movement between levels. Terraces, flower beds, and windows on upper floors continue the language of connections within and beyond spaces.

Simplicity combined with a modern theme becomes the design concept, conveying ideas of continuity and connection. A minimalist color palette helps achieve this effect: wooden finishes extend from the first-floor walls to the second-floor ceiling, and stone finishes with vitrified tiles continue from the inner courtyard to the external facade. Furniture elements such as an individually carved wooden headboard in the bedroom also extend outward.

This complements the perception of continuity and spaciousness, integrating multiple home experiences into one whole. Through-light openings, partitions, and screens enhance the play of light. Thus, architecture evokes compositions of space, plants, and light, making each view new. A wrapped landscape, strategically cutouts, through-windows, terraces, and both large interior and exterior windows maintain the connection inside and outside the home. The bungalow is designed on a 3000 sq ft plot with a relatively small landscape footprint, representing a space of wide-open, connected, and green living.

-Amruta Daulatabadkar Architects adaa