Nature's Abode – A Natural Brise-Soleil

Keywords: Green Architecture, Nature, RCCProject: Nature's Abode – A Natural Brise-Soleil Studio: Aura Architecture Studio Project Type: Residential Location: Shahabad, Haryana, India Area: 220 m² Status: Completed in 2022Architects: Aura Architecture Studio Project Team: Ar. Tawish Tayal, Ar. Paramhansh Yadav, Ar. Sejal Awasthy, Ar. Vinita Rawat, Nandini Goel, Paras Tyagi, Varistha SinghPhotography: Purnesh Dev Nikunj

Project Description

Nature's Abode is a contemporary residence designed for the Garg family in Shahabad, Haryana, a region characterized by extreme climatic conditions with scorching summers and cold winters. The project emerged from the challenge of creating a comfortable home that responds naturally to its environment while reflecting the family's preference for simplicity and timeless design.From the outset, the design process focused on selecting materials capable of performing efficiently throughout the changing seasons. Beyond material selection, careful attention was given to their installation, long-term durability, and environmental performance. These considerations formed the foundation of a residence that embraces climate-responsive architecture through passive design strategies rather than mechanical dependence.

A Living Brise-Soleil

Responding to the site's south-facing orientation, the architects envisioned the front façade as a living green wall integrated with cast-in-place RCC planters. Rather than functioning merely as an aesthetic element, the façade acts as a natural brise-soleil, filtering harsh western sunlight while maintaining privacy for the interiors.The concrete framework gradually merges with the vegetation over time, allowing the building to visually blend into its surroundings as though it has organically grown from the landscape. This living skin cools the incoming air, enhances oxygen levels, softens the microclimate around the house, and creates a welcoming streetscape for the neighborhood.The façade simultaneously performs multiple functions:Reduces direct solar heat gain.Filters views from the street while maintaining openness.Improves natural ventilation.Enhances biodiversity.Creates a constantly evolving architectural expression.

Spatial Planning

The residence follows an open-plan layout that maximizes daylight, visual connectivity, and cross ventilation.The ground floor comprises:Entrance foyer and drawing roomDouble-height living room opening into the landscaped backyardTwo bedroomsOpen kitchen with adjoining dining spaceA centrally positioned light well (OTS) containing the puja space, reinterpreting the traditional Indian aangan.The planning establishes uninterrupted airflow across the house—from the entrance water fountain, through the large oriel window of the master bedroom, and towards the rear garden. This continuous movement of air significantly enhances thermal comfort throughout the residence.Balancing Eco-Brutalist principles, biophilic design, and contemporary architecture while respecting the family's traditional lifestyle became one of the defining aspects of the project. The resulting home successfully combines modern living with familiar spatial values.

First Floor

The first floor continues the architectural language established below through generous openings overlooking the central light well.It consists of:Family loungeInformal seating overlooking the courtyardTwo bedroomsCommon family spaceSmall landscaped terrace featuring integrated RCC planters and cast-in-place RCC seating.This level seamlessly transitions into a larger terrace while maintaining strong visual and environmental connections with the lower floors.

The Meaning Behind "Nature's Abode"

The name "Nature's Abode" reflects the project's central philosophy—creating a home that reconnects its inhabitants with nature while expressing the honesty of exposed materials.The residence embodies a modern interpretation of a natural brise-soleil, where vegetation itself becomes the primary environmental control system. Plants integrated into the façade reduce heat gain, soften the architectural expression, and create an atmosphere of tranquility.The project represents a harmonious blend of conceptual clarity, climatic responsiveness, and emotional warmth, resulting in a home embraced by nature rather than separated from it.

Material Expression

The architectural identity revolves around the careful interplay of solids and voids combined with an honest material palette.Raw exposed concrete, steel, clay, wood, glass, and vegetation together establish a restrained yet expressive architectural language. The partially screened façade effectively minimizes solar heat gain while maintaining visual permeability.A thoughtfully positioned water fountain near the entrance further contributes to passive cooling while creating a calming sensory experience for the residents.The original vision evolved into a design that equally values:FunctionalityDurabilityThermal comfortMaterial honestyAesthetic simplicitySpread across a 220-square-meter site, the residence demonstrates how architecture can integrate privacy, daylight, airflow, and landscape without compromising openness.

Landscape Strategy

The landscape was conceived as an extension of the architecture rather than an independent feature. Every species was selected according to its growth pattern, maintenance requirements, climatic suitability, and visual contribution.At the entrance, Bougainvillea was chosen for its rapid growth and vibrant seasonal character. Low-growing flowering foliage enriches the front landscape, while flowering creepers wrap around the large front window, softening the building envelope.The façade planters incorporate curtain creepers across the lower levels to gradually establish a dense green screen over time. Additional creepers, Bougainvillea, and flowering plants provide texture, color, and seasonal variation.Pine trees positioned within the front landscape soften the visual weight of exposed concrete during winter while strengthening the overall composition.

Rear Garden

The backyard functions as a productive landscape, featuring species deeply rooted in the Indian context.The garden includes:Fig treesSapodillaDwarf mango treesCurry treeLemongrassHibiscusCorianderMintAt the center of the courtyard stands a Rudraksha tree, selected both for its spiritual significance in Hindu tradition and its perceived medicinal value.Money plants climb the courtyard walls while Bermuda grass forms the ground cover, reinforcing the project's continuous green narrative.

Upper-Level Plantation

The landscape strategy extends onto the upper terraces.Areca palms provide elegant vertical growth, while peace lilies thrive in shaded conditions and bloom throughout much of the year. Together, they create a peaceful outdoor retreat that continues the ecological identity established on the ground floor.As the vegetation matures, the building itself evolves—its architecture becoming increasingly intertwined with nature.

Passive Environmental Design

A carefully carved slit within the compound wall channels cool air across the entrance water feature before distributing it throughout the house via strategically positioned openings and fenestration.This passive cooling strategy, combined with cross ventilation, shaded façades, and abundant vegetation, creates a comfortable indoor environment while significantly reducing dependence on mechanical cooling systems.

Interior Design

The interiors continue the earthy architectural language established outside.Large glass openings maximize natural daylight while reducing energy consumption. Interior views remain constantly connected with gardens, courtyards, and planted terraces, reinforcing the biophilic experience.The material palette combines warm wood finishes, soft beige tones, exposed concrete, and natural textures, accented by muted blues, greys, and whites. Glass, aluminium, and carefully selected textiles complement handcrafted furniture with raw finishes, creating spaces that feel both contemporary and welcoming.The result is an interior environment that is calm, tactile, and deeply connected to the surrounding landscape.

Conclusion

Nature's Abode demonstrates that successful architecture extends beyond aesthetics to improve the relationship between people, climate, and place.By prioritizing human experience, passive environmental performance, and evolving green infrastructure, Aura Architecture Studio created a residence that becomes richer with time. As vegetation matures and seasons transform the landscape, the house continues to evolve—strengthening its connection with nature and enhancing the everyday lives of its inhabitants.Rather than imposing itself on the site, Nature's Abode grows with it, standing as a contemporary example of climate-responsive, biophilic architecture where architecture and landscape exist as one.