A series of staggered, multi-level courtyards animate the plan of In-between Gardens, a house in the town of Tiptur, India, designed by architecture studio A Threshold.

The courtyards accompany each of the main living areas, functioning as semi-public meeting places in the home that A Threshold said help to “breathe life” into it.

This design is informed by the local old town in which it is located, where communal gathering spaces are considered an important part of the urban fabric.

A Threshold has created the In-between Gardens house in Tiptur

“The family background involves a rich tradition of large family gatherings, where relatives and guests come together regularly,” In Threshold told Dezeen.

“To accommodate this, we designed the home with numerous multilevel informal gathering spots, featuring wider steps and platforms for interactions,” it explained.

“This design concept mirrors the communal atmosphere found in surrounding vernacular villages, where gathering under the Banyan tree is a common practice.”

A black-granite wall surrounds the home

According to A Threshold, In-between Gardens has been created in Tiptur just as the town is beginning to experience “rapid, unplanned growth”.

By incorporating the courtyards within the home, the studio also hopes to provide the family with a comfortable internal environment away from the surrounding construction works.

The interior is filled with courtyards

“Tiptur, a small town still untouched by urbanisation yet, now finds itself amidst rapid, unplanned growth and construction in its surrounding layouts and plots” the studio explained.

“Unfortunately, there could be possibilities of tall building towers in the immediate surroundings in the future years” it continued. “Our focus was on creating an inviting environment within our control, fostering a curated indoor landscape flooded with natural light and air.”

The courtyards are designed to bring a “communal atmosphere” to the home

In-between Gardens’ open-plan kitchen and dining area is accessed through the entry court and organised around a stepped courtyard garden at the heart of the plan, which provides a visual connection to the courtyards on the first floor.

Designed to “gradually unfold”, a living room is tucked behind this kitchen garden, leading into the main bedroom, family bathroom and utility room.

Teak details have been repurposed from the client’s old house

A family room opens onto the two courtyards on the first floor and connects the two ensuite bedrooms to the north and south.

Looking to maintain privacy for the sleeping areas, the primary bedrooms are located away from the main courtyards to the rear of the property. buffered from the external stone wall by stretches of green planting.

Externally, In-between Gardens is enclosed by a black-granite stone wall wrapped around the lower exterior, sourced from the local quarry nearby.

This wall is designed to provide security while helping to cool the interior of the home by protecting it from the harsh sun. Its bold black finish is paired with minimalist white-washed walls above that reference the local vernacular.

A yellow staircase is a focal point of the interior

Wood and marble dominate the interior of In-between Gardens, with standout details including teak salvaged from the client’s previous residence and reused for the doors and windows.

A bold yellow metal staircase that serves as maintenance access for a roof terrace juxtaposes these earthy finishes, acting as a focal point that injects “a lively character into the home”.

The stair leads to the roof terrace

A Threshold also recently completed Ineffable Light, a family home that uses funnel-shaped concrete skylights to illuminate a plant-filled courtyard at its heart.

Elsewhere in India, The Stoic Wall Residence in Kerala, which is animated by barrel-vaulted concrete roofs and laterite walls, and Pott House in Hyderabad, which is topped by a lantern-like roof.

The photography is by Atik Bheda.

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