VAASTU SHASTRA IN

ARCHITECTURE
INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

VARALIKA SAHU | GCAD/17/235 | 18.11.20

Located on the small tropical island of Samui, Thailand, this extraordinary villa is known as the
Vastu Villa project - the first of its kind to be designed according to vedic knowledge, Vastu
Shastra. For those not familiar with the traditional Hindu system of architecture, Vastu Shastra
literally translates to ‘science of architecture’. It includes everything from design principles to
spatial geometry, and integrates architecture with nature, ancient beliefs, directional alignments
and symmetry. Many of these aspects become evident in this magnificent home tour. Sweeping
architectural features, natural materials and wide stretching reveals of stunning nature views give
this home design a terrifically tropical flavour that is hard to resist.

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A tropical scene forms the backdrop to this magnificent living room in Thailand, leaving
absolutely no requirement for fancy wallpapers! A leafy indoor plant brings a touch of the
tropical inside of the living area, between a light L-shaped couch and a swing chair. A cane
hanging lounge chair takes up the other side of the furniture layout, at the edge of an overlapping
rug arrangement.

Sitting low against the rugs, the rattan pouf is a wonderfully textural piece. The base of the sofa is
solid wood beneath the light seat cushions, to bring the modern piece back in line with nature.

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A live edge coffee table adds more rustic vibe to the lounge. Curvaceous architectural fins sweep
into view along the open plan living room, which mark the entry point to a central staircase.

Dropped ceiling panels echo the smooth geometry of the curved fins. Wooden ceiling planks
provide crisp contrast behind the white dropped volumes.

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Frosted glass panels provide symmetry on the tv wall, making light reflective columns up either
side of the screen and media cabinet.

The cane accent chair is perhaps the best seat in the lounge – due to its prime position facing out
to the tropics.

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The dining room pendant light is a bell shaped rattan one, which really anchors the eating area in
place in the spacious open plan room.

Rattan dining chairs seat eight around a rustic meets modern dining table.

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The sunlight and green views through the vast surrounding windows give the dining room a
sunny al fresco feel.

The dining set sits on an Aztec rug island. A buddha statue meditates peacefully by enormous
sliding patio doors.

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The stairwell divides the the lounge and kitchen diner from one another, which is partially
screened from the rooms on either side by the sweeping architectural fins.

The rustic spiral staircase design is accessorised at the bottom with a pair of rattan baskets that
can be used as ‘catch alls’ to keep the downstairs looking clear and peaceful. A rattan planter also
rests at the bottom of the stairs, with a plant peering into a golden wall mirror.

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 White and
wood kitchens provide the perfect balance of freshness and warmth, which is exactly the case in
this one here. Wood wall cupboards, open kitchen shelves and dining peninsula cladding all work
to break up the cold gloss white units.

Wood and metal kitchen bar stools line up along the dining peninsula. Three glass pendant lights
create a cosy glow above the bar stools, their illumination amplified by an attractive wall mirror.
On the other side of the kitchen, a recessed arch has been fitted with shelves and wooden cabinets
to hold more decorative kitchen items on display.

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The master bedroom is an impressive room with an imposing bed. A gathered canopy hangs from
a timber frame. A wooden accent wall provides a dark backdrop behind the clean white fabric.

A wood ceiling fan whirrs in the tropical heat.

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Tree stump bedside tables are tucked beneath low hanging rattan light shades. A glass vase holds
a sprig of green down at floor level. A rattan planter holds an indoor plant by a swing chair in the
window.

The bedroom is blessed with panoramic views on two sides. A vanity table area sits by the second
window, under a round vanity mirror. If you should ever tire of the amazing views, a flat screen
tv is mounted to the wall by the makeup table.

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Stunning blue tiles pattern a modest sized bathroom. If the tiles weren’t enough of a feature, the
vanity also holds an eye-catching unique sink, with a tactile rippled stone surface.

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The same beautiful blue tiles back the shower enclosure and cover its floor.

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A second bathroom design exhibits another attractively tiled shower cubicle. Thin timber beams
criss cross the ceiling, continuing the nature theme all the way to the top. A wood vanity table,
small side table and shower tray fascia add to the wooden accents.

Rattan bedroom pendant
lights hang in front of another wood clad bedroom feature wall, this time framing a four poster
bed design.

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A sheer runner drapes across the top of the bed frame.

A rattan chair
with matching footstool and a small side table have been placed in a sunny window spot.Beach
trinkets dress the bedside table.

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An illuminated wood mirror has a Thai beach meets Hollywood look.

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A decorative wall mirror amplifies the chic shower tiles.

Bathroom toiletries are held in a laid-back leaning shelf tower.

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Louvre doors cover up a couple of closets in a dedicated dressing room.

The rest of the wardrobe is exposed on hanging rails and open garment shelves.

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Ground floor plan.

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Upper floor plan.

Vastu House / Khosla Associates

Architects: Khosla Associates

Area: 2148 m²

Year: 2010

The space planning in this house was designed in harmony with the Vastu orientation and
placement concept called Vastu Purusha Mandala .To design within a dictated predetermined
rigid locations specified as per Vastu yet to arrive at a visually stunning and aesthetic architecture
was the biggest challenge of this project. Rising lazily from the North East which was the lowest
point to South East which was the highest point of the house, it was built on soft split levels.

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The trees in the open courtyard are beautifully weaved in its linear horizontal and cantilevered
roof .The massive stretch of glass blur the spatial boundaries between enclosed space of the house
and the open space of the garden

As one strolls down the open living spaces one can experience a sense of infinity, These spaces
are divided with sliding bifold doors and certain spaces do not have any barrier at all.

All the main areas were positioned as per Vastu Shastra. The Master bedroom is located in the
Earth Zone(SW),the location of the kitchen is in the fire zone(SE)and in the zone of water and
air(N and NE) was placed the swimming pool.The main door was in the North East and the
Childrens bedroom was in the West.Even the the position the staircase, the orientation of the bed,
study table and wardrobe and position in the bathroom lavatories were designed in accordance of
Vastu principles and the flow of the energy.

The location of this house is strategically placed near a busy street,a small inhouse office for the
Master of the house is positioned near the main road.The entrance to the office is covered by the
canopy of some old trees one makes a way paving through them. These trees act as a visual
barrier to the rushing traffic on the main road.

The black steps which are carved from a local granite leads one from the spacious living room
into the courtyard which is open to sky ,perched in the centre are some ornamental trees .The roof
is cladded with local manglore tiles. The support for the roof are hand carved stone columns
which are innovative and functional and carry the load of the roof through the diagonal steel

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struts. Taking advantage of the beautiful climate the dining table is placed in a semi-outdoor
space

The first floor which is accessed through a wooden staircase has a large siiting area with a fitness
center. The bathroom has huge glass windows with lots of natural light leading to a massive walk
in closet. There is an interesting amalgamation of luxury and Vastu exposed concrete ceiling with
rough stone steps and court gravel with polished concrete floors contrast well with fine teak
furniture, itlaian marble and silk and satin furnishings. The park looks interesting with the lap
pool on side and on the other side a large rough cut log forming an outdoor dining table to dine
under the shades of the giant banyan tree

This is a classic example to show that a house built with Vastu rules does not restrict the
creativity of a designer instead presents a challenge to achieve the a spiritual atmosphere within a
concrete beauty!

 In keeping with the clients desire for a strictly Vastu compliant house, the placement of spaces in
the house are in synch with the plan of the Vastu Purusha Mandala (the ancient Indian science of
orientation and placement).

Thus apart from positioning the main areas of the house according to the elements – Master
bedroom in the Earth zone (SW), kitchen in the Fire zone (SE), and the pool and entrance in the

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Water zone and Air zones (N and NE), - even positions of doors, the direction of the stairs,
location of beds, wardrobes and desks and the positions of the wc’s in the bathrooms had to be in
accordance with the correct energy flows. In all other respects however, the clients gave us
complete aesthetic freedom.

The biggest challenge while designing the house was to arrive at a visually appealing piece of
architecture from a rigid program that dictated the specific locations of various spaces. Our
approach was to respond to the traditional science, extract its essence yet arrive at a fresh and
innovative interpretation of the same.

The house, built on gentle split-levels ascends lazily from north east (the lowest point) to the
southwest (highest point). Its linear horizontal lines and vast cantilevered roof forms weave
around the resident trees, and large expanses of glass blur the spatial boundaries between the
garden and the house. One experiences a sense of infinity while walking though the open plan of
the living spaces, which are demarcated from one another by sliding, bi-fold doors and in some
cases no barrier at all.

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The house has two entrances. The private one faces a serene residential lane and the other looks
on to a noisy main road. The house is located near the quiet lane, and the home – office is located
near the main road. The home office acts as a sound barrier and while one is in the house nestled
within an almost unbroken canopy of old trees one cannot perceive the cacophony of the main
road.

Instead of having conventionally demarcated spaces, the house spontaneously responds to its
surroundings by choosing to dwell upon lovely views from strategically placed rooms.

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A linear hand chiseled stonewall and a low water body finished in lime green slate leads to the
intimate foyer. A solid wall of Quera granite separate it from the living area. The informal
intimate lounge area connected by a small flight of stairs with the living space faces a serene
courtyard but also enjoys views of the garden and a vast lily pool.

Large bifold doors open the living room into the open court, where gentle steps chiseled out of
local quera granite lead you to an open to sky courtyard with a single ornamental tree perched in
its centre.

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The verandah surrounding the internal courtyard has a sloping vernacular Mangalore tiled roof.
The column supports for this roof are innovative. Load is transferred via large diagonal steel
struts onto the hand chiseled stone columns. An outdoor dining table takes advantage of the
temperate climate of Bangalore where living and dining in semi –outdoor spaces can be more
pleasurable than sitting indoors.

The dining area is separated from the court by a channel of water flowing from south to north.

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The Vastu house is climate sensitive and takes advantage of Bangalore’s temperate climate all
year round. Large overhangs combat the fierce monsoons; the southwestern facades of the house
are shielded from the fierce summer sun, with the north side completely transparent to the
property’s lush tropical foliage. In every space there is free movement of air and light.

A flight of wooden stairs leads you from the courtyard to the Master Suite on the first floor. The
Master Suite has a large sit out, an attached gym, walk in closets and a courtyard bathroom filled
with natural light.

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There is an interesting mix of luxe and natural elements in the Vastu house – rough stone steps,
pebbled courts, exposed concrete ceilings and polished cement floors contrast well with polished
Italian marble, fine teak furniture, velvets and silks. The predominantly white facades of the
exterior are broken with select walls in rough hewn stone while some interior accent walls are
deliberately punched out in saturated Indian colours – deep magenta, orange and neel blue.

The garden with a lap pool on one side has an outdoor dining area with a 15ft rough-cut log as the
table. Here one can dine under the giant banyan tree with layers of tropical planting surrounding
you.

REFERENCES:

https://www.archdaily.com/68535/vastu-house-khosla-associates

https://www.ukessays.com/essays/religion/impact-of-vastu-shastra-on-contemporary-
architecture-religion-essay.php

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