Normally architects use expensive, materials and finishes for making good buildings, some also get into a trap of what will other architects think if they experiment with the materials. Some designers also use the most expensive flooring tiles, granites, and marbles to create picture perfect spaces.

But at “Laya” the wastage of vita gold pieces were used as flooring for the entire house. The wasted, broken vitrified tiles were used for the toilets, and the same material was used as a tile dado inside toilets. The wood for the ceilings was the packaging wood; the same wood was used for the flooring on the first floor. The steel members were all the members reused from some other sites. All of this was beautifully designed around the plants and stones.The wood used on the external façade as horizontal members was also recycled one, and then some G.I. wires were added on top of it, for the creepers, and vegetables to grow, which will eventually give, fresh, organic, vegetables for a household kitchen.

The steep slope of the site was used to accommodate a large built- in rainwater harvesting tank, reducing the dependency on the unpredictable local municipal authorities in India, to supply drinking water.  Similarly, there is a separate rainwater harvesting tank on the  mid-level terrace for drinking water. They drink this water until June every year.

Maharashtra faces drought- like situation every year. There is a shortage of water in summers, and farmers don’t get enough water for the fields. The water supply in cities is stopped for alternate days, as dams don’t have enough water.  Mr.Beri has this ability to offer ingenious solutions to such problems, he stores the rainwater, and do not waste it, rather uses it for his daily chores! If every citizen thinks in this manner, the water shortage problem will be solved permanently. There is also a lesson for the insensitive urban designers, who can implement this strategy at larger scales, and help to solve water shortage issues, instead of designing cosmetic city beautification projects.

Surprisingly this is just a one and half bedroom house. There is just one bedroom on the ground floor and half bedrooms on first floor. On a ground floor, the door of the bedroom is a folding door, and when one opens it, bedroom becomes a part of large single volume (one large space).

The house also has the servant’s quarters and separate toilets for the servants on the lower ground level.  I fell in love with the toilet on the ground floor, It has plants and also a skylight for the plants! It is impossible to describe the design philosophy of this architect in words, as he loves nature to an extent that he thinks of plants as his own family members, creating a special space for them in his design of the house, and allowing them to grow! The experience is similar to that of a father designing a bedroom for his young child. Shree Nisargadatta when asked about how to live spontaneously once said,

 “ Give up all false ideas about yourself, your personality, and just be! ”

The statement is applicable to Shirish, as the main theme of his architecture and life is based on denying all the unnecessary things, and co-existing, and adjusting with nature, or perhaps becoming one with nature. One does not find a bed inside the bedroom, but Shirish prefers to sleep in a balcony attached to his bedroom, in summers and it’s almost like a naturally air- conditioned sleeping area!

At “ Laya ” the water from the washbasins, bathing areas, goes to the trees outside, the house, giving them life. Even this water is not wasted, but used, for trees! At the entrance, there is a fishpond with fish in it even though a cat is present in the house as a pet.

It would be unfair on my part if I do not thank Mrs.Manasi Beri for a tasty, beautifully prepared, sumptuous, and tasty, lunch, and also my wife Rhuta as Mrs. Manasi Beri is Rhuta’s aunt and because of this special relationship, I got a chance to spend  time  with Ar.Shirish Beri.

Place :  “Laya” Current residence of Shirish and Manasi Beri, Kolhapur  time: around 11.00 pm

In the night, I could witness the great architect working on his presentations for a graduation day talk in an interior college! As per him, interior designers make too much of a fuss, and spend a lot on the furniture items, light effects, false ceilings, paneling etc, when all of that is really not necessary. As per Ar.Beri, one should design simple, qualitative spaces, with multiple usages, something like dining table becoming a study table at night!

Mr.Beri is not just an architect, he also has a social cause for his life, after receiving a lifetime achievement award for practicing architecture, he donates a fellowship amount to a graduating student each from CEPT university in Ahemadabad, and from the two architecture colleges from Kolhapur. The fellowship is offered to these fresh architect’s to take a much-needed pause to decide what they want to do after passing architecture, whether to continue as an architect or to do something else in life. The scholarship takes care of the monetary concerns for a period, where students get a chance to ponder upon themselves and do not have to worry about the financial aspects of day to day living. In today’s materialistic world, Mr.Beri is the only architect, who offers scholarships to upcoming graduates for pondering upon themselves and doing nothing else!

After taking the experience of this house, and this person, it almost seems like Ar.Shirish Beri has merged his design ego completely with nature! Such an eloquent, architect never gets bogged down by the challenges offered by the  site, or by the life, and proves to the world time and time again;

“ If architecture and design are generated spontaneously from one’s understanding and concerns in life…… from LIFE itself……then the whole process becomes very honest and effortless…..”

 Written by:  Ar.Hrishikesh.S.Pratinidhi,

 Email: rprati2000@gmail.com

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