Mayalogili: living in harmony with nature

Carved into a striking rock formation in Hyderabad, India, but detached from the hustle and bustle of the city, Mayalogili is a family home inspired by the story of Maya Sabah, from the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Indian architect Seetharam Vallabhaneni aimed to redefine the traditional concept of home by reestablishing a balance between the residents and nature in his design.

This two-story residence is organized around a central courtyard, which acts as its nerve center. With the living area at ground level and the night zone upstairs, the home has a living room, office, dining room, kitchen, staff quarters, bedrooms, library, and study.

The project used the structure of an existing villa, only preserving its outer shell. The interiors were completely reconfigured, while the services were upgraded to more energy- and resource-efficient technologies.

With the hot water system, for example, the copper pipes to the boiler help reduce energy requirements by efficiently conducting heat. A rainwater harvesting system is in place for the garden, with the stored water creating a cooler microclimate and reducing energy requirements for cooling.

Atop the home sits a translucent marble pavilion. Designed as an indoor/outdoor space, it’s equipped with a semi-open shower surrounded by reclaimed bamboo, adding another connection with nature.

Vallabhaneni designed the interiors with special attention to the interaction between shared, semi-private, and private areas. The planning of circulation spaces and the use of extensive glazing perfectly balance the necessities of bringing natural light inside and safeguarding resident privacy.

Natural materials, including stone, leaves, rotting fruit, and earth excavated during construction, were incorporated into the outdoor paving and interior pigments. Reclaimed timber doors replaced the old aluminum ones, reflecting an ecological awareness that extended to melting down the old doors to create brass-coated fixtures.

Mayalogili embodies the possibility of living in harmony with nature in sustainable, inviting spaces. The home has several bodies of stored water, including an underground tank, which filters and stores up to 14,000 liters of water during the monsoons, and technology that ensures a constant supply of drinking water.

Mayalogili also showcases innovative uses of materials, such as brick, marble, and earth, which are manipulated in such a way as to alter their shape and, therefore, our perceptions. Each room offers a unique sensory experience. In one, views of a jackfruit tree converge with the colors of the room, which were extracted from the leaves and pulp of the tree, creating the sensation of being surrounded by nature.

In another, marble dust, a by-product of mining, was incorporated into the plaster on the walls and floors. Sourced from local quarries and suppliers, the dust is used as a pozzolan in a typical Indian hydrophobic lime plaster mix, which varies by region. The result is a meticulously crafted polished marble floor that exudes elegance.

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