Preserving Structure, Reimagining Space: The Architecture of Prema-Sudha

50-Year-Old Bangalore Home Renovated into IGBC-Certified Smart Residence
By Architect Yoshita Sriram – S

Project Details

Location: Bangalore, India
Client: Sudha Setty
Architect: Yoshita Sriram, Sāmya Spaces
Contractors: Krushi Builders
Structural Consultants: Keshav and Associates
Movable Furniture & Furnishings: Kosh Furnishing Studio and Kalatmak
Elevation Execution: Infiniti Concepts

The Brief

Prema-Sudha, To modernize a 50-year-old building with two residential units into a single-family home for a three-member family spanning three generations and their multiple pets.

Set amidst a dense residential fabric in Bangalore, the 30×60 ft site originally housed a G+2 load-bearing structure. We retained the external walls and roof slabs. Despite the building’s narrow setbacks—6 feet across the width and 1.5 ft thick external walls—we were able to incorporate the following into the layout: three ensuite bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes, a formal sitting area, a family and dining space with a powder room, a kitchen and separate store, a pooja room, a study, a media room, two utility areas, a staff toilet, and dedicated pet kitchen and toilet facilities—along with the existing garage.

50-Year-Old Bangalore Home Renovated into IGBC-Certified Smart Residence
By Architect Yoshita Sriram – S

Additionally, we opened up an internal courtyard within the building envelope and created two balconies to accommodate the family’s plants and enhance natural light. Older internal walls were carefully demolished, and new ones constructed with the aid of structural steel members.

As the original building consisted of two units, we aimed to create a cohesive vertical layout. To integrate an elevator, we designed a cut-out in between the existing staircase and topped it with a 12-foot solar chimney to promote passive cooling—aligning with the client’s commitment to energy efficiency. The new fenestrations allow natural light in while ensuring they remain under 20% of each room’s wall area, helping reduce the cooling load on the VRF system. The terrace now accommodates a 4.98 kVA solar power system and a heat pump. Both the terrace and internal courtyard are finished with white cool tiles for improved thermal performance.

Interior Design

We envisioned an interior concept that would highlight the family’s treasured keepsakes from their travels, accommodate diverse tastes across three generations, and embrace their fondness for maximalism. In pursuit of sustainability and local craftsmanship, we used Indian materials such as granites, Jaisalmer stone, and Indian marble. The flooring features matte-finish Indian tiles to provide traction for the pets. All 50-year-old teak doors and frames were carefully repurposed to align with the new design vision.

The colour palette across common areas—such as the formal living, family, and dining rooms—features a neutral grey base with accents of yellow, burnt orange, and emerald green. Private spaces, on the other hand, were designed to reflect the unique personalities of each occupant, while maintaining an overarching narrative of curated maximalism with references to their favourite destinations.

The two master bedrooms, stacked vertically and similarly laid out, draw inspiration from rich, classic tones and tactile contrasts. The daughter’s bedroom and media room are executed in cooler, contemporary palettes.

Façade Redesign

The elevation was reimagined with a metal framework supporting seasoned wooden (Luna wood) slats and planter boxes accessible from the balconies. This design is complemented by grey-textured external walls and a brick-lined boundary wall.

Sustainability Recognition

Notably, the project was recently awarded the prestigious IGBC NESTPLUS ‘Platinum’

Certification

This recognition underscores the client’s unwavering commitment to sustainable development, which is reflected in every aspect of the design.

“The objective of IGBC‘s NEST-Eco-friendly Self-developed Tenements rating is to drive and facilitate an integrated approach for greening self-developed & affordable residential projects in the country.” IGBC | IGBC NEST Rating System

Benefits

Green concepts and techniques in eco-friendly self-developed tenements can help address the following:

20-30% reduction in Energy cost
30-50% reduction in Water requirement
Improved health & wellbeing of occupants

NEST PLUS: The IGBC’s NEST PLUS framework is designed to address the specific measures of EWS, LIG and MIG individual homes developed by owner with a maximum built-up area of 300 Sq mt. Individual owners can apply for this rating directly.

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Built-up Area: ~300 m²
Age: 50 Years
Retrofit for energy efficiency, sustainability, and occupant comfort