- Project: Nairy Residence
- Architect: Funktion Design
- Location: India, Bengaluru
- Year: 2022
- Area: 429 m2
- Photography: Saurabh Suryan
Nestled beside the Jarakabande Reserve Forest in North Bengaluru, Nairy Residence by Funktion Design is a carefully composed family home that embraces its natural surroundings. Designed for three generations—elderly parents, a couple, and their teenage daughter—the residence strikes a delicate balance between accessibility, privacy, and architectural drama.
Context and Site Strategy
The trapezoidal corner site, measuring around 3,500 square feet, is flanked by roads on two sides and opens toward the lush forest to the north. Its gentle slope presented both challenges and opportunities: protection from unwanted wildlife while capturing forest breezes and birdcalls. Funktion Design responded with a robust exterior and a sensitive spatial arrangement that integrates the landscape at every level.
A Dramatic Entrance Sequence
Marked by a three-meter corten steel gate, the pedestrian entry sets a bold tone. Narrow vertical slits tease glimpses of the interior, while beyond, a koi pond and polished granite steps welcome visitors. The entrance foyer doubles as a transition zone, where a resting bench invites pause before entering the central spine of the house: a triple-height lobby, a suspended steel-and-wood staircase, and a double-height prayer alcove illuminated by a circular skylight.
Multi-Generational Functionality
The ground floor is designed for accessibility, accommodating the parents’ bedroom, dining, and kitchen on a single level. Parking is discreetly positioned at the site’s northwest corner. Above, the living room opens to a terrace garden overlooking the forest, blending indoor and outdoor experiences.
The open kitchen faces a courtyard where a mature tree anchors the space, complemented by a cascading waterfall. Adjacent, the prayer alcove becomes a spiritual focal point with its floating platform and skylit sanctity.
Material Palette and Structural Expression
The architecture celebrates exposed concrete and brick, lending solidity to the home’s bold forms. A continuous brick datum wall connects three levels before curving into the sweeping boat-like concrete roof that shelters the entire residence. This roof, emblematic of Funktion Design’s portfolio, not only unifies the structure but also emphasizes its protective, sheltering character.
Sustainability is integral to the design: windows and doors are fabricated from recycled wood salvaged from demolished houses, reinforcing the eco-conscious ethos of the project.
Light, Shadow, and Vertical Drama
Skylights punctuate the design, filling the interiors with natural light while creating a constantly shifting play of shadow. The triple-height volumes amplify spatial drama, while the staircase—delicately suspended from the roof—becomes both functional and sculptural, a recurring motif in Funktion Design’s architectural language.
A Home Rooted in Nature and Memory
More than a residence, Nairy House is a sanctuary for family and continuity. Its robust materiality ensures longevity, while its sensitive planning accommodates the evolving needs of three generations. By fusing natural materials, eco-friendly strategies, and expressive spatial volumes, Funktion Design has created a home that is both deeply personal and contextually grounded—a forest-edge retreat that honors its occupants’ past while preparing for their future.
