LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Leisure Club at Wild Orchid in Yercaud is a building designed to tuck away in the landscape. One would see only the facade of the building from outside. Large roof garden merges the building with the hill and extensive vertical gardens cover the slopes and vertical edges. The vertical garden is built with well-engineered custom solutions and careful selection of indigenous plant palette. Pool deck with enchanting infinity pool overlooks the large and deep valley of a blue-green canvas.
This environment friendly project office of Greenfield Shelters is perched on the exotic location on the eastern ghats overlooking the enchanting valley view. Built with reused steel frames, silver oak wood, bamboo, stone, mud and thatch it is a structure built to capture the nature surrounding it. A zero energy building which is off the grid, uses biogas based generator, wind power and solar power for all its requirements. The landscape incorporates big boulders of the site in its contours interspaced with a collage of mountain grass species and ground covers. The waterbody which penetrates the building and culminates in a vertical garden wall becomes the central feature. The Vertical garden itself is made of reused mineral water-bottles, stalked on metal frames and wrapped with geotextile. Organic vegetable garden, waterless toilets, mud-floor, bamboo floor, bamboo furniture and several other elements which exhibit strong commitment to ecological design principles.
The project was shortlisted finalist for the Indian Institute of Architects National Award 2015 for Excellence in Architecture
Good Earth Orchard was planned around cluster homes and intimate open spaces. The idea germinated from the natural landscape of the site and also the essence of community living. Each individual home responds to the context and climate and to the environment around them in terms of spacious verandahs, courtyards, backyards, gardens and boulevards. These elements integrate the homes with nature and thus bring about balanced planning. The clusters are linked by streets, purposefully not kept too wide to avoid heavy vehicular movement making it safe and more user friendly.
ATREE – Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment is a well known NGO and national research organisation with head office in Bangalore. Their new office building is designed by Good Earth. We developed the landscape design for the ATREE campus concentrating on the narrow strips of building’s yards and courtyards, with indigenous flora. Deccan’s geological specimens add an ecological interest and artistic value to the landscape. Natural stones and bricks are used for creating unique paving patterns. A shade-loving dry garden is designed for the inner courtyard.
