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Farmer House Maativan / Blurring Boundaries / India

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Unique eco-friendly house with organic design blending into nature, surrounded by dense trees and greenery, demonstrating sustainable architecture and innovative building technologies

The Farmer House Maativan by Blurring Boundaries is a living poem where architecture, materials and nature come together. Located at the edge of Tansa Reserve Forest near Mumbai, this 557 m² sanctuary is designed as a biophilic retreat, built from earth among trees — reading the forest, not ruling it.

Earthen farmer house nestled among trees at the edge of Tansa Reserve Forest near Mumbai.Photography © Inclined Studio

This is not an object placed in the forest, but a forest in architecture. Curved walls, courtyards, natural lighting and layered textures create an immersive atmospheric experience of living among nature.

Concept and Spatial Flow

The project is led by organic forms, material memory and ecological dialogue. Spaces curve along gentle walls, paths softly turn, and existing trees hold the plan. Rather than imposing geometry, the house sways with nature, connecting public and private zones through a system of courtyards and sheltered edges.

Central courtyard with curved earthen walls allowing soft light into the Farmer House Maativan.Photography © Inclined Studio

Arrival happens through an open courtyard filled with diffused light. From there, living rooms, dining area, kitchen and lounges open outward. Four bedrooms are positioned for privacy but always connected to the forest. Bathrooms lead to internal courtyards, blurring the boundary between inside and outside.

Curved corridor made of clay plaster connecting courtyards and rooms.Photography © Inclined StudioOpen living area with wooden flooring and clay walls opening to a shaded courtyard.Photography © Inclined Studio

Materials and Expression

The Farmer House Maativan is embodied in earth, stone, wood, bamboo and recycled artifacts, gathered using traditional methods that preserve crafts and reduce energy consumption.

  • Clay walls and lime form the main structure.
  • Random rubble basalt sets the foundation and accents.
  • Bamboo and wood shape roofs, arches and connections.
  • Recycled bottles, wheels and glass add light effects on certain surfaces.
  • Cotta stone and painted IPS floor define passages and rooms.
Close-up of a clay wall with lime showing tactile texture and hand-finishing.Photography © Inclined Studio

Using local materials and craft processes like clay and wattl-i-dab, the house is firmly rooted in place — modestly expressing texture and sustainability.

Random rubble basalt meeting bamboo and wood on a shaded threshold.Photography © Inclined StudioGlass bottle inlay creating a light pattern on the curved clay wall.Photography © Inclined Studio

Lighting, Ventilation and Climate Strategy

The climate strategy is comprehensive. Thick clay walls provide thermal mass, softening temperature fluctuations. Roofs are pitched to the north to ease solar load; southern walls are reinforced and shaded. Courtyards and narrow openings facilitate cross-ventilation, while layered overhangs soften sun and monsoon rains.

Deep roof eaves and clay walls form cool verandas around the courtyard.Photography © Inclined Studio

Passages and courtyards are oriented to capture seasonal winds; trees shade facades; earth covering cools the ground; building mass responds to topography. Comfort is maintained passively — architecture acts as a climate moderator.

Narrow vertical openings drawing air through clay interiors for passive cooling.Photography © Inclined StudioRoom opening to a private courtyard with clay walls and filtered daylight.Photography © Inclined Studio

Sensory Atmosphere and Human Experience

Walking through Maativan reveals itself. Stone, clay, bamboo, wood — surfaces are touched. Shadows move along curved walls. Light filters through a mosaic of glass bottles. Wind in the leaves accompanies quiet contemplation.

Bright curved earthen corridor with soft gradient shadows along the wall.Photography © Inclined Studio

The building recedes, the forest leads. Interiors appear humble and alive. Each threshold is framed yet open; each courtyard becomes a pause in the sequence of rooms.

Interior corner where wooden roof meets clay wall under warm daylight.Photography © Inclined StudioDetail of bamboo rafters and wooden connections above lime plaster.Photography © Inclined Studio

Rooms, Rituals and Daily Life

The living room, dining area and kitchen form the social center; guest rooms expand hospitality; four bedrooms face the forest for privacy and peace. Bathroom courtyards open to sky, making bathing a sensory experience of light, air and plants.

Gathering zone with built-in clay seating and wooden ceiling framing the garden view.Photography © Inclined StudioPrivate bathroom with clay walls, plants and open sky.Photography © Inclined StudioBuilt-in niches in the curved clay wall displaying recycled artifacts and crafts.Photography © Inclined Studio

Designed details — niches, thresholds, light bottles — reflect the work of hands and movement of seasons. The house becomes a slow archive of climate and craft.

Wooden door frame installed in the opening of a clay wall leading to a shaded veranda.Photography © Inclined StudioWarm interior light emanating from clay openings at sunset through the forest clearing.Photography © Inclined StudioVeranda with bamboo structure and clay wall opening to dense understory vegetation.Photography © Inclined StudioSmall courtyard under tree canopy with stone tiles and clay edges.Photography © Inclined StudioExternal path made of cotta stone and compacted earth leading between curved walls.Photography © Inclined StudioDistant view of the clay farmer house embraced by trees blending into forest canopy.Photography © Inclined Studio

Sloping Statement in Ecological Architecture

With the Farmer House Maativan, Blurring Boundaries affirms that architecture can be soft, contextual and alive. In an age of technological excess, Maativan speaks about slowness, material wisdom and ecological patience — a house not built on the forest but grown from it.