An area untouched by temporal progression
In the heart of Hosur, India, Studio XS has crafted a unique villa that seamlessly blends the industrial and pastoral worlds, creating a sanctuary that is both sustainable and poetic. Known as Kaatu Veedu, which translates to "a home in the wilderness," the villa stands as a testament to thoughtful design and its deep connection to its surroundings.
Situated in a dichotomous landscape where an industrial factory coexists alongside a vast, serene bucolic orchard, Kaatu Veedu's design captures a nostalgic, almost cinematic quality reminiscent of an old film still. Sunlit spaces, fruit trees, and traditional Mangalore tiled roofs convey a sense of timelessness and memory, while the villa's architectural approach oscillates between shielding sightlines to industrial elements and opening up to daylight and views of the orchard.
Studio XS approached the project as one built "from the inside out," emphasizing how interior experiences shape the architecture rather than simply following conventional external design. This philosophy is evident in the villa's dynamic tension between retreat and openness, which reflects the contrasting surroundings and fosters a dialogue between the industrial and bucolic landscapes.
The villa embraces sustainability not merely as an aesthetic mimicry but through genuine conscious creation. It responds carefully to its environment rather than just replicating eco-friendly visuals. The use of vernacular elements such as traditional tiled roofs integrates the villa aesthetically into its rural setting, while the thoughtful spatial arrangement ensures natural light and ventilation, hallmarks of sustainable design.
Kaatu Veedu's design alternates between retreat and openness, creating a sense of protection from the harsher industrial context while simultaneously connecting its occupants to the calmness of nature. This balance between the two worlds makes Kaatu Veedu a villa that reconciles the industrial and pastoral through architecture that is at once protective and inviting, sustainable in practice and poetic in experience, grounded in its cultural and environmental context while offering a quiet refuge from modernity.
As one wanders through the villa, it leaves one wondering if houses like it still exist. If they no longer do, it is unclear when they were lost. But for those fortunate enough to visit Kaatu Veedu, it serves as a reminder of a bygone era and a beacon of hope for the future of sustainable, contextually-aware design.
In this unique blend of industrial and pastoral settings, Kaatu Veedu's design extends to encompass more than just home-and-garden concepts, promoting a sustainable-living ethos that harmonizes with its surroundings, offering a glimpse of a bygone era while serving as a beacon of hope for the future. Embracing a lifestyle that coexists with nature while maximizing energy efficiency and sustainability, Kaatu Veedu is a testament to the power of thoughtful design in shaping a habitable space that is both inspiring and practical.
