In the hill station of Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, design firm ArchPro documented a walkthrough of a 6,500-square-foot hill station residence with beautiful, place-conscious architecture. Completed in 2007 by DDIR Architecture Studio under the direction of a French-Canadian architect Dominic Dube, the three-bedroom home avoids grandiose architectural gestures. Instead, it keeps things simple and lets the house blend with nature. Also read | Step inside stunning 30-year-old renovated home in Kerala
An architecture guided by nature
The fundamental philosophy driving this Kodaikanal home is adaptation. The foundational planning began with a singular environmental decision: rather than removing an existing eucalyptus tree, the design team chose to preserve it, transforming the natural landmark into the central anchor for the home’s layout.
This ethos extends to how the structure interacts with its sloping context. Rather than flattening the natural hillside, the layout settles organically into the contours using stone retaining walls, open terraces, terraced lawns, and subtle internal level changes. The surrounding landscape is not treated just as a scenic background viewed through a window, but as an active element that dictates how the resident moves through and experiences the home.
Inside the Zen spaces
The home itself follows an intuitive progression from shared social zones to quiet, personal sanctuaries. A vast, light-filled living and dining space features floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening out toward terraced lawns and gardens. Modern minimalist furniture —including warm beige sofas, a patterned rug, a sleek coffee table, and a contemporary dark fireplace with a tall flue — defines the living area. Adjacent to the living setup, a dining table and television area sit alongside built-in shelving loaded with books and art.
The house incorporates a dedicated billiards room enclosed by full-height glass walls that overlook stacked-stone retaining walls and lush ground cover. At the junction connecting the home’s primary wings, sliding Japanese-style screen doors open into a quiet room designed for yoga and meditation. The space features floor mats, a low wooden tea table, sliding frosted screens, and a traditional Japanese painted artwork hanging above a floating wooden shelf.
The art-filled gallery hallway
Internal circulation is rendered as an artwork gallery. A long hallway with polished, warm timber floors and steps is lined with artwork collected by the owners, ranging from large paintings to framed collages created by their children. Also read | Step inside Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s grand 7,250 square foot Kolkata home with maximalist decor
Explaining the personal collection lining the corridor, the architect noted that while the client is ‘not an artist’. “But they like art, and many arts are done by their kids… and this is the entire family story,” he said. Large window openings along one side flood the corridor with daylight and offer continuous views of the green outdoors.
The master suite
The master bedroom is designed to offer the most expansive view of the surrounding pine forest and manicured lawns. Furnished with warm wood flooring, leather armchairs, a classic wooden desk, and subtle drapery, the room features an entire wall of grid glass framing the outdoor greenery. Looking out from the master bedroom across the forest canopy, the architect reflected on his understated design philosophy: “This is the palette I’m working with for many, many years: glass, concrete, wood—simple material.”
By allowing these unpretentious materials to speak quietly without unnecessary ornament, the home establishes an organic connection with its hill-station setting.
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