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Sustainable Urban Residences: Homes with a Soul

byStudio AlayaVisit Studio in Yelahanka; Projects across Bengaluru & Pan-IndiaStarts from₹350 Per Sq. Ft. of Built-up AreaView full gallery

Building a home in the city does not mean compromising on nature. We design residences that breathe, using earth, light, and honest materials to create spaces that feel deeply personal and alive.

The facade of the Tripathy family home in Bangalore, built upon an existing foundation to minimize waste. The honest, brutalist facade features exposed mud blocks and jaali walls, showcasing our commitment to sustainable urban architecture.

A street view of the Tripathy residence, showing its multi-level design and rooftop solar panels. The building stands as a testament to modern sustainable living within a dense urban environment.

Another perspective of the Tripathy home's facade, highlighting the texture of the mud blocks and the integration of large windows for natural light.

The entrance to the Tripathy home, adorned for the housewarming. The custom wooden door provides a warm welcome, contrasting beautifully with the earthy brickwork.

The Divyadarshan residence during its housewarming ceremony. This home, built on a compact 110 sq ft site, showcases how we use verticality and clever openings like these pivoted windows to create a sense of space and connection to the outside.

A worm's-eye view of the Divyadarshan home's facade, emphasizing the unique pivoted windows that open up to let in light and air. This design is a key feature for natural ventilation in a tight urban plot.

The exterior of Ramya and Madhu’s home, a contemporary structure that combines exposed brick with smooth grey concrete panels. The design includes a rooftop pergola, creating usable outdoor space on a city plot.

A frontal view of Ramya and Madhu's residence, showcasing the clean lines and material contrast. The design balances modern aesthetics with the warmth of natural brick.

The Aanandam Residence, a project featuring a prominent brick jaali screen on the first floor for privacy and ventilation. The rooftop is equipped with solar panels, reflecting the home's green building principles.

The Kaustubha Residence, nestled in a Bangalore neighborhood. The design uses a clean, modern aesthetic while incorporating green spaces and large openings to connect with the tree-lined street.

About Urban Residences: Homes with a Soul

We often get asked if sustainable design is restricted to large plots, but some of our most rewarding work happens on compact city sites. Take the 110 sq ft plot we worked on, where we used pivoted windows and vertical planning to bring in light and ventilation despite the surrounding density. When you are ready to chat, we can look at your specific plot dimensions to see how to carve out those light-filled, airy corners that make a house feel like a home.

13 years of building sustainable Indian homes — Approved by the tribe
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Studio Alaya

Visit Studio in Yelahanka; Projects across Bengaluru & Pan-IndiaStarts from ₹350 Per Sq. Ft. of Built-up Area

We are Studio Alaya, a collective of architects who believe building a home should be an honest, deeply felt experience. Over the last thirteen years, we have learned that the best spaces are not just built—they are crafted together with our clients, layer by layer, stone by stone.

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The entrance to a private residence, designed to be a tranquil transition from the outside world. I used natural stone, warm lighting, and integrated planters to create a welcoming and organic entryway.5
The play of light and shade is a fundamental part of my design philosophy. Here, rectangular skylights cast rhythmic patterns on the floor, turning a simple covered walkway into a dynamic, sun-drenched space.
A different angle of the walkway, showing how the light patterns move and change, and how the textured exterior wall catches the light. These small details bring a building to life throughout the day.
A direct view of the light-filled entryway, showcasing the clean lines of the skylights and the warm tones of the wall panels.

Homes That Breathe: Sustainable Design in Bangalore

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Absolute Architects & DesignersProjects across Bengaluru; Visit Studio at Banaswadi
This is the Vidyut Kapoor Residence in Bangalore, a prime example of our modern architectural style using exposed brick. The design emphasizes clean geometric lines and the interplay of solid and void, creating a dynamic facade that interacts with natural light throughout the day.8
The interior of the Vidyut Kapoor Residence reveals a double-height living space, a signature element in our designs. This feature, combined with expansive glass doors and exposed brick walls, creates an airy, light-filled home that seamlessly connects to the surrounding green space.
We also undertake large-scale projects like this estate house in Thrissur for Mr. Alex. The design balances a grand scale with traditional architectural forms, including sloping tiled roofs and deep verandas, creating a stately yet welcoming family home.
An internal courtyard in the Nivriti residence in Jakkur, Bangalore, serves as a private green oasis. We often incorporate such courtyards to improve natural light and ventilation, fostering a tranquil connection with nature within the home's footprint.

Featured Architectural Projects and Design Work

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Firm Terra ArchitectsProjects across Bengaluru; Visit studio in Jayamahal
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At the Gifty Residence, a combination of granite steps, patterned floor tiles, and an exposed stone wall creates a rich tapestry of textures right at the entrance, welcoming you into the home.
The floating staircase against a rugged stone wall is a central feature in the Gifty Residence. The contrast between the dark stone and the warm wood of the steps creates a dramatic and beautiful focal point.
An overhead view into the sky-lit courtyard of the Gifty Residence. This small patch of green brings life and nature into the very center of the home, providing light and fresh air to the surrounding spaces.

Urban Residences: Creating Sanctuaries in the City

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Kham DesignProjects across India; Visit Studio in Chamrajpet
This farmhouse design uses hollow clay blocks and a sloping Mangalore tile roof to create a modern home with a strong vernacular feel. The open verandah and stone bench invite outdoor living, blurring the lines between the house and the lawn.22
In my own home, the architecture is designed to embrace the landscape. A curved roof extends over an outdoor seating area, while lush flowering vines grow up and around the structure, making the garden a part of the house itself.
The entrance to this Bangalore home is designed as a gradual transition from the outside in. The staircase is flanked by greenery, and the use of exposed brick and stone creates a warm, earthy welcome.
A gracefully curving staircase creates a dramatic vertical space within the home. Viewed from the top, it reveals how open planning connects multiple levels, with natural light from above illuminating the entire core of the house.

Eco-Friendly Home Design Inspired by Nature

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Sathya ConsultantsProjects across Bengaluru & Hyderabad; Visit Studio in Banashankari
The Madhura residence features a distinctive facade with sloping tile roofs and walls made of CSEB mud blocks. The design merges two family homes on a single urban plot, using arches and vaults to create unique interior volumes.46
The Eesha residence is set amidst farms, designed to blend with its natural surroundings. The entire structure is built with exposed CSEB, creating an earthy, serene home that carries the essence of its rural setting.
A closer view of the Eesha residence facade, highlighting the patterned brick jali screen. This feature provides ventilation and creates beautiful light play while adding a decorative element to the earth-block construction.
The Madhura house seen from the street, with a local cow wandering past. I design homes to be a part of their context, reflecting the life and rhythm of the neighborhood.

Earthy & Eco-Conscious Home Designs in Bengaluru

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Design KacheriVisit Design Studio in Vasanth Nagar; Projects across Bengaluru & Karnataka
The renovated and extended residence for Sunith and Shruti in Hyderabad. The new facade features a striated pattern of alternating brick courses, a design choice that was both an aesthetic decision and a practical solution to material shortages during the pandemic.43
A before and after view of the Hyderabad residence. We chose to renovate and extend the existing structure rather than demolish it, significantly reducing waste and preserving the building's embodied energy while completely transforming its appearance and functionality.
The new staircase in the Hyderabad home is a central feature connecting the floors. By replacing an older, bulkier staircase, we opened up the interior volume, creating a sense of spaciousness and improving the flow between living areas.
A bedroom in the renovated Hyderabad residence. The exposed brick wall adds warmth and texture, while the simple window frames a view of the surrounding greenery, creating a calm and restful atmosphere.

Sustainable Homes & Residences: Building with Earth and Heart

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Biome Environmental SolutionsStudio in Vidyaranyapura; projects across Bengaluru & India

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Mud block homesSustainable interior designRat-trap bond constructionEco-consultancy servicesModern stone architectureSmall plot design

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