This Home in Bengaluru Takes its Cues from the Land it Stands on

When the team from Bengaluru-based Collage Architecture Studio first visited the site, the conversation quickly turned to the landscape. “There were these three strong trees lined up right at the front,” recalls Ar. Swapnil, co-founder of the studio. Sitting at the edge of the road, they naturally screened the plot, bringing in shade and making the land feel calm and inward. That observation shaped the planning logic from the outset: a clear split between public and private spaces, with the trees becoming the anchor around which the house would be built. In many ways, they went on to dictate the architecture itself, setting the tone for a home that settles into its surroundings, merging itself with the filtered light, moving air, and the quiet character of the land.

FACT FILE

The Split as a Spatial Spine

Instead of rooms being laid out one after another, the home reveals itself as one homogenous volume. There’s a continuous visual connection across the atrium, past the dining, up the staircase, and over the bridge. Walls don’t close spaces off; they frame them, giving depth while keeping everything visually tied together. This is especially evident in the living and atrium zone, where the house feels open and layered rather than divided.

At the center sits a double-height atrium that becomes the home’s quiet core. “This became a light-filled volume, with gravel and trees quietly complementing each other,” says the architect. This central void also organizes the plan. Public spaces occupy one side, private rooms the other, with the split running between them like a spine. A bridge stretches across this gap, linking the two halves while anchoring the space. Suspended at the heart of the atrium, the bridge becomes a prominent architectural presence, bearing witness to shifting light and changing seasons. More than just a connector, it turns into a place of pause, offering moments to reflect on the surroundings.

Light, Air and the Long Skylight

The split doesn’t stop at the floor plan; it continues upward, carrying the same idea of connection through the section of the house. “It starts as part of the facade, then becomes the skylight, and finally comes down,” the architect explains. Placed predominantly along the east-west axis, the skylight was carefully oriented to welcome the softer eastern sun while avoiding the harsher western heat. As the architect notes, by the time the sun moves west, the building’s mass begins to shade the skylight, keeping the light gentle and diffused. Even at noon, the glare never feels sharp, only bright and calm.

Through the day, the sky becomes part of the interior. The house feels naturally lit and ventilated, relying less on mechanical systems and more on its own section and orientation. It’s a quiet strategy about everyday comfort, where shifting light and soft shadows slowly animate the walls.

Living with Landscape

The landscape extends naturally from the house, with lawns spilling out from the living and dining areas and decks blurring the line between inside and out. Dense planting wraps around these edges, acting as a soft buffer from the surroundings and creating a sense of privacy without ever feeling closed off.

The material palette follows the same restraint. “White is a predominant colour throughout, and we bring in warmth with wood; it’s by far the most timeless material you could use,” the architect reflects. Surfaces stay quiet, allowing light and greenery to take the lead. Nothing calls attention to itself; everything simply supports the atmosphere.

Split House doesn’t try to dominate its plot. It settles into the land, shaped by trees, breeze, and shade. The split draws light into the home, letting shadows and reflections shift through the day. ;