Otlo Studio designs skylit home in India to provide "meditative experiences"

A skylit pool sits at the centre of the House of Quiet Raga, a home in Indore, India, designed by local practice Otlo Studio to provide a calm atmosphere for its residents. Located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, the 604-square-metre dwelling was created for a family who wanted a space that would feel like a sanctuary away from their busy jobs at a nearby hospital. Otlo Studio designed the home based on different qualities of light, using a mixture of clerestory windows and skylights to diffuse daylight into spaces divided by layered, arched openings. Otlo Studio has completed a skylit family home in India "In a context where daily routines often become mechanical, the house is conceived as a spatial framework that slows movement and heightens awareness – transforming ordinary acts into lived, almost meditative experiences," the studio told Dezeen. "Ritual here is not symbolic, but spatial. It is embedded in how one arrives, moves, pauses, and gathers – through calibrated light, sectional variation, and a deliberate sequencing of space," it added. To create a more secluded feel, the House of Quiet Raga's main living areas are positioned on the first floor, above a ground level containing a gathering hall, guest room and cow shed. It was designed to feel like a sanctuary for the residents This first floor is organised around a central pool of water, flanked by a lounge to the west and a raised dining area to the east. Both of these spaces open onto an external terrace and balcony at either end of the home. The roof has been split open to create a series of skylights above the pool, while the top of its western gable end has also been fully glazed to illuminate the home's stairwell. The main living areas are held on the first floor Two bedrooms occupy the eastern corners of the plan, while opposite, the lounge steps up into the kitchen through two overlapping arched openings. "The pool gathers light and reflection, creating a constantly shifting surface that marks the passage of time," the studio said. "In an otherwise continuous flow of spaces, it introduces a pause - an inward moment of stillness where movement slows and attention settles." A sunken pool sits forms the centre of the home Mottled lime plaster finishes in pale cream tones have been used for the internal walls to complement the soft light. In the main bedroom, the headboard sits below a contrasting green wall, while the children's bedroom and kitchen wall feature painted murals that reference the city of Vrindavan, where one of the clients grew up. Kota stone flooring was used throughout the home's main spaces, and the kitchen features a patterned tile floor and glossy green ceramic splashbacks. Mottled lime plaster is used throughout the home Other homes in India that have recently looked to create a sense of calm include Zenhouse in Kerala by Studio Nirvana, which features exposed concrete interiors and planted patios. Elsewhere, Design ni Dukaan created a geometric house in Gujarat that references the works of architects Le Corbusier and Balkrishna Doshi, while Iki Builds used local stone and earth to created a "cascading" vaulted home near Hyderabad. The photography is by Studio Iksha. Subscribe to our newsletters Your email address New! Dezeen Agenda US Sent on alternate Fridays, this US edition of Dezeen Agenda is a fortnightly newsletter rounding up everything you need to know from America, featuring news, projects and interviews with industry figures. Plus occasional updates and invitations to Dezeen events. New! 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