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Architecture

31-03-2026

Photographer : IKSHA

Text provided by Architect

The site, situated in Karjat against the backdrop of the hills had the TATA spillway stream cutting through the land making a 7m deep gorge in the middle. On the onset itself the project seemed to be burdened by a number of constraints: the two parcels of land had to be connected, but the foundations couldn’t rest within the 100ft width of the spillway; we could make a habitable bridge, but there had to be enough clearance for a JCB to clean the 2 streams underneath; we wanted to make the bridge with local materials, but wild grass seemed to be the only material within a five-mile radius. The idea for the Bridge House was conceived within these confinements: “A 100ft suspension bridge constituting of 4 hyperbolic parabolas, made with minimal steel pipes and tendons giving it tensile strength and a thatch-mud composite giving it compressive strength”.

Inset between the numerous trees in the gorge, the bridge floats like a giant cocoon, camouflaging itself easily into the dense foliage. The thatch layer inspired by the scales of a pangolin, providing thermal insulation and effective cooling also allowed us to push for a long-span, lightweight structure with just 4 footings, ensuring very less intrusion into the natural contour of the land. The mud plaster layer ensures that rodents or pests don’t burrow their way inside the dwelling (the prime reason for thatch roofs falling out of favour ) and added compressive strength to further stabilize the structure in the absence of a vertical suspension pillar. The structure becomes a living ecosystem - where humans dwell undisturbed on the inside and nature finds its place outside.

Karjat,Maharashtra,India

Architects	:	Wallmakers
Area	:	4500 sq. ft.
Year of Completion	:	2025
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/ar.vinudaniel/

Exterior view of Bridge House by Wallmakers

Aerial view of Bridge House by Wallmakers

Aerial view of courtyard of Bridge House by Wallmakers

Foyer of Bridge House by Wallmakers

Living room of Bridge House by Wallmakers

Courtyard to Living room view of Bridge House by Wallmakers

The farmstead has an open layout with an oculus in the center that acts as a courtyard through which the sky and rain can be enjoyed. The 4-bedrooms are designed with ample openings to the forest or overlooking the stream beneath. The jute screens, mesh screens and the flooring made up of reclaimed wood from ship decks completed the simplistic look of the farmhouse and serves as an example of adaptive reuse.

But most importantly the Bridge House is a reminder that the hardest of adversities, gives birth to innovations.