ARCHITECTURE | 16th Nov, 2025
Set above a seven-metre gorge in Karjat, Bridge House, designed by architect Vinu Daniel, challenges conventional building logic with a suspension-driven approach.
Karjat presents a landscape defined by irregular contours, a seven-metre-deep spillway, and a divided site that restricts any straightforward construction. This setting became the foundation for Bridge House, a project where Wallmakers responded to every limitation with a direct, technical solution, rather than relying on conventional methods.
The land is split by a hundred-foot spillway where foundations are prohibited and machinery requires uninterrupted access. Transporting standard materials to the location is difficult and inconsistent. These factors pushed the studio toward a structural format that could work with minimal intervention. The result is a habitable suspension bridge built on four footings and shaped through four hyperbolic parabolas using steel tendons combined with a mud-thatch composite.
The structure sits inside the gorge with an intentional restraint. Its form does not overpower the landscape and instead aligns with the density of the vegetation. The thatched exterior, informed by the armour-like texture of a pangolin, delivers insulation and helps the house blend with its surroundings. The mud plaster strengthens the shell, prevents pest intrusion, and supports the bridge without the need for a vertical suspension pillar.
Inside, the central span holds the primary living space, marked by an oculus that opens to the sky. This feature allows direct interaction with daylight, rain, and airflow. At both ends, angular double-height volumes house the bedrooms. Each room is oriented toward the forest canopy or the stream running below, ensuring proximity to the site’s natural features without decorative overstatement.
Material selection follows a practical approach. Reclaimed ship-deck wood forms the flooring, adding durability and a grounded visual character. Jute and mesh screens manage light and ventilation without disconnecting the interior from the environment. The mud-coated surfaces retain the imprint of the steel grid beneath, clearly showing how the structure is held together. Net-lined pockets near the living space offer simple resting areas, adding to the utility of the layout.
The interiors operate with strict spatial discipline, shaped by the bridge’s tapered geometry rather than decorative ambition. The living span uses custom-cast furniture fixed directly into the shell, preventing unnecessary load and keeping every element structurally accountable. Storage is integrated into the wall thickness, allowing the space to remain open while still managing daily utility. The oculus above anchors the room, but the surrounding layout is defined by a clear circulation path that moves along the natural curve of the deck. Seating follows this arc, creating an uninterrupted visual line from one end of the structure to the other. Windows are positioned to cut direct glare and pull in lateral light, which keeps the interior calm without artificial intervention. The floors transition subtly between shared and private zones through material shifts rather than partitions, preserving continuity. Every decision inside prioritises performance, structural logic and the immediate terrain outside.
Bridge House stands out for its methodical approach and its refusal to rely on standard templates. Every decision stems directly from the site’s constraints, from the lightweight suspension system to the reliance on materials that could be transported and assembled without heavy equipment. The project demonstrates how architecture can shift when the land dictates the rules, forcing the design to operate with precision instead of default solutions. Its structure responds to load, access, climate and topography with equal attention, showing a design process built on verification rather than assumption. The material palette reinforces this intent, prioritising components that perform structurally, insulate effectively and integrate naturally with the terrain. Even the form is shaped by measurable requirements, not stylistic pursuit. The result is an example of how clarity emerges when a project is stripped of excess and guided by direct problem-solving. Bridge House becomes a study in disciplined thinking, environmental responsiveness and technical restraint.
For Bonafide, this project has been a clear reminder of why design should stay focused on purpose and context. Bridge House shows how strong ideas can grow from tight conditions and practical choices. Its approach to material constraints, structural discipline, and terrain-driven decisions has pushed us to rethink how we evaluate our own design challenges. It reinforces the value of responding to a site with precision rather than convenience, and that perspective continues to guide how we move forward.
BONAFIDE is a digital design platform that goes beyond aesthetics. We spotlight the thinking, intent, and craft behind
meaningful design- not just the finished product. From architecture and interiors to product design and independent
brands, we cover work that challenges the norm and pushes ideas forward. Our content is visually sharp, editorially
bold, and purpose-driven. We ask better questions, tell smarter stories, and put creative minds in focus. If you’re
building something original with substance and clarity, we’re the platform that gets it, and tells it like it is.
BONAFIDE is a digital design platform that goes beyond aesthetics. We spotlight the thinking, intent, and craft behind meaningful design- not just the finished product. From architecture and interiors to product design and independent brands, we cover work that challenges the norm and pushes ideas forward. Our content is visually sharp, editorially bold, and purpose-driven. We ask better questions, tell smarter stories, and put creative minds in focus. If you’re building something original with substance and clarity, we’re the platform that gets it, and tells it like it is.
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