Tall House


The cleverly designed layout of the 'tall house' reveals itself inside with its magnificently high courtyard and visual dynamics of space

Covering a carpet area of 484.78 sqm, this spacious bungalow is nestled in the residential colony of Baner in Pune. The house has been built for a businessman, his wife, a grown up son and daughter and their grandparents. Ar. Sunil Patil's belief that the client's brief and the architect's ability to conceptualize it into design is necessary in order to create a living space with a soul. He rightly calls this residence Tall House. "It was a typical urban scenario where the plot size was not enormous but the client's expectations were! Congestion in metros and the high land costs have forced independent bungalows to grow vertically. Hence, the challenge was to design a space that grew vertically with three levels (and included a basemen) and which enabled interaction at all the levels."

Tall House Konagiri


The outcome was a triple heighted courtyard and family lounge, with one bedroom, a kitchen and dining room on the ground floor, two bedrooms on the first floor, a swimming pool, gym and home theater on the second, and one bedroom on the third. A pneumatic elevator in the courtyard and a staircase connect the three floors.

Tall House Sunil Patil


Wooden floorings in the bedrooms bring beauty and warmth to the rooms. The master bedroom opens up to a huge terrace. Other features are walk-in closets in the attached dressing areas that attach the bathrooms. There are open shelves, a study unit and window ledges for seating in the daughter's bedroom. The son's bedroom dressed in while colour has a small courtyard and is dressed in white color and dominated by a huge bed.

Tall House Wooden Floorings


On the third floor is multipurpose hall that can be opened up to include the swimming pool deck. Convertible places have been created such that the room can become a partying space or closed for a quite home theater experience.

Project: Residence
Location: Baner, Pune
Client: Anil Dhawale
Architect: Sunil Patil & Associates
Structural Consultant: S S Patne & Associates
Landscape Consultant: Sunil Patil & Associates
Contractors: Shree Associates
Interior Design: Sunil Patil & Associate
Photo Credits: Hemant Patil
Commencement: Jan 2011
Completion: Sept 2013
Site Area: 5216.34 sq.ft
Built-up Area: 5108.74 sq.ft
Team: Ar. Sunil Patil, Ar. Pallavi Arwade, Er. Sanjay Patil


The exterior of the 35 feet high building is a simple geometric composition, but its Prodema exterior veneer clad façade is arresting. Grey granite steps lend elegance to the entrance, while another gate leads to the basement which can accommodate two cars.

Tall House Facade


The interior décor is part simple, part ornamental and mostly contemporary. The residence is urban in character, yet the basic principles of sustainability have been incorporated with the use of courtyards, water bodies, natural light and ventilation. The interiors are fuss-free and functional, with the classic black and white colour theme dominating throughout, while a clever use of colourful paint lends a dramatic effect.

The cleverly designed layout of the tall house reveals itself inside where the magnificently high courtyard segregates the living room into a formal and informal family lounge. To enhance the visual dynamics of space, the family lounge stretches till the walk-out, where a beautiful water cascade has been created, bringing light and nature indoors and giving a sense of openness.

Tall House Living Room


The formal living space is a mix of vernacular and contemporary style, where one side of the wall is done up in black stone masonry, while the other wall depicts circular holes or punctures on fixed glass and matches well with the glass chandelier on the ceiling. The circular punctures filter light in to create a dynamic mural that changes form and colour during different times of the day

An open kitchen next to the dining area and adjoining the family lounge is fitted with the latest high-tech gadgets to make it highly functional and efficient. The utility room and storeroom have been discreetly concealed behind the cabinets, so that the kitchen appears clean and uncluttered.

By keeping the number of walls to a bare minimum, the architect has created a sense of openness, and enhanced the open courtyard to channelize the flow of fresh air into the interior spaces. The dining area leads to a walkout where a vertical garden has been created. The servants enter the house via the basement, which also house an office. A pooja room adjacent to the dining area appeals with the use of white marble and frosted glass.

Tall House Swimming Pool


The end result being a tall house, where space flows with balance between openness and functionality, while the landscape design resonates with that of the architecture, interiors and the environs of the building.