The Koramangala House in Bangalore (India) was designed by architect, planner, activist and theoretician Charles Correa in 1985. The traditional courtyard houses of South India represent a typology much older, and really quite different, from that of the bungalows built by the British which is usually a long shed (with the Living and Dining rooms down the centre and the Bedrooms on either side), wrapped around with continuous verandahs. The result: rooms which are large and generous, but sadly lacking in light and cross-ventilation. In contrast, the traditional old Hindu houses in Tamil Nadu and Goa are usually organised around a small central courtyard, with a tree or tulsi plant in the middle.
The front door, intentionally placed off-centre on the main facade, leads one along a shifting axis to arrive at the courtyard - which acts as the central focus, and brings wonderful bounce-light and ventilation to the rooms that surround it.
