The Lakehouse in Hyderabad India Straddles The Line Between Light and Sophisticated Treatment of The Materials Used

Floating Stone

Appearing as floating stone-like volumes, the Lakehouse in Hyderabad India straddles the line between light and heavy with its sensitively considered massing and sophisticated treatment of the materials used.

A private retreat designed as a space for entertaining and as a respite from urban life, the Lakehouse is located on a steeply sloped and rocky site overlooking the Durgam Cheruvu Lake in Hyderabad. While the property is embedded in the heart of the city, by design, it still feels completely removed.

Entrance

View to the house entrance Exterior view from the pool

Due to its topography, the site has prime views across the water to a nature preserve and the contrast- ing density of a distant 150-acre tech park that has become a prominent part of the urban landscape of the area. Contrary to the standard architectural response in Hyderabad, which is to fill, level and clear the site, the house hovers above the ground, allowing the natural terrain to become a celebrated focus of the architectural experience.

Exterior details, composed of a granite stone facade and metal screens

Facing the lake, the building opens with a massing parti of three large teakwood portals that rotate and shift to frame unique views. Along the road and sides, the lightweight steel structure is clad with slabs and thin ribs of local grey granite to create a subtle play of shadow while maintaining privacy from the neighbours. A tension between heavy and light was used to establish a strong material and spatial logic, with floating stone-clad volumes that showcase the skill and precision of the masons who executed the stonework.

Entrance

Bar area looking out towards the living and rear of the house, which faces a lake

Ground Floor

First Floor

Living Area

The wood cladding continues along the interior to create continuity between inside and out, accented by full height wooden screens that allow for immedi- ate, filtered views to the small gardens and city beyond. The landscaping highlights the transi- tion between wet and dry as an integral part of the experiential narrative. From the road, the building appears solid and heavy, concealing the panoramic view, with a lush landscape that is for- eign to the hot and dry climate of the city. As one passes through the building, the verdant planting falls behind, and the dry and rocky landscape of Hyderabad opens up and reveals itself along with the extraordinary pano- ramic view.

Project Information

Project Name: Lakehouse

Location: Hyderabad, India

Principal Use: Weekend Home

Architect Firm: Collectiveproject

Project Principal: Cyrus Patell, Eliza Higgins

Project Team: Divya Shetty, Amandine Romanet

Project Area : 353sqm

Initiation Of Project: May 2015

Date Of Completion: March 2019

Main Materials: Granite Stone Cladding, Steel, Teak Wood, Glass

Photography: Benjamin Hosking