_OPOLIS

A village house set within interior Maharashtra for a head of an entire village (Sarpanch). The house had to accommodate a large joint family and had nine bedrooms, two living spaces, family spaces, large kitchen, a dining space, a prayer room, a home theatre and a public hearing space. This large program was housed around a central courtyard. The site also accommodated ten cows and buffaloes along with staff quarters. The local black stone of the Deccan was used as a feature throughput the house by making walls in one direction with this material. This material moved in and out of the house, defining interior and exterior spaces. The house uses solar heating, rain water harvesting while the kitchen is served by gobar gas.