Tucked away in HMR Layout, a residential area in Bangalore, India, BetweenSpaces has crafted a versatile creative haven that responds intimately to the artistic pursuits of its owner, artist and material explorer, Geethica Naidu. The 5,310 sq ft AME Design Studio is intended to be an evolving environment fostering pottery, weaving, painting and collaborative artistic engagement. In their approach to the brief, architects Pramoad Jaiswall, Divya Ethirajan and Yash Singhi hoped to create a space that emphasised quiet strength and adaptability through an unassuming yet deliberate architectural expression. “We like to design buildings that have a certain amount of restraint, evoke a sense of introspection and have a tactile quality to them,” Jaiswall, founding partner and principal architect of BetweenSpaces tells STIR. “This project provides many opportunities to explore and experience the in-between – thresholds, the transition from inside to outside, from the built to the unbuilt,” he adds.

The client’s initial brief laid out a diverse set of spatial requirements comprising a jacquard loom, a small gallery to showcase her paintings, a material store room, a team workspace, a private studio, a waiting lounge and a boutique. The architects’ vision, however, transcended the functional needs and laid the groundwork of a space capable of transforming with time, flexibly accommodating workshops, exhibitions and community events. “At the onset of the project, we aspired to create a space that embodied poise and quietude and could serve as a firm backdrop to our client’s creative explorations,” Jaiswall shares.

The linearity of the site dictated an east–west orientation, while the Indian architects drew inspiration from the pavilion-like configuration of Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, and the restrained materiality and sensory richness of Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals.

The influences and needs culminated in a structure that appears to be both weightless and solid. The mass of the seemingly monolithic stone volume, strategically hollowed out and elevated, is equalised by timber and glass fenestration. The journey into the studio begins under a hovering form-finished concrete slab, flanked by a 40-feet-long wall and a landscaped water body that extends towards a small open-air theatre in the southeast corner. One is then ushered to the waiting lounge, where expansive openings capture views of the north garden, bridging them to the interior space. An inconspicuous pantry and bathroom are hidden behind hot-rolled metal-clad walls to the south, maintaining attention on the artwork on exhibit.

The heart of the studio is a dramatic 20ft x 40ft double-height weaving hall, where the loom takes centre stage. Here, a cantilevered RCC staircase ascends to Naidu’s private workspace and an exhibition space for her paintings. The upper level opens onto a deck, extending the creative experience outdoors and reinforcing the fluid connection between the built environment and nature. The architects’ ‘Architecture of Reduction’ philosophy—defined by the removal of all that is superfluous, to keep only the essential—guides every decision: from proportion and light to material restraint. “As a practice, BetweenSpaces endeavours to create spaces that do not overwhelm your senses,” relays Jaiswall. “Sense of proportion, clean lines, ample light and ventilation, and a restrained material palette align with our philosophy.”

Materiality plays a central role in creating spatial balance. The studio’s facade is clad in thin strips of neutral-toned stone, giving the structure its tactile and grounded presence. White walls dominating the interiors provide a silent backdrop for art while the warmth of timber joinery and the rugged form-finished concrete temper the stillness of the spaces. Terrazzo flooring in the studio features a delicate inlay of flowing white marble tracing a meandering path, the intervention mirroring stitches on a tapestry artwork the studio once encountered. This poetic ‘nod to the art of weaving’ leads guests down a soft, winding trail from one space to the next, acting as both an artistic gesture and an intuitive guide. Further, a landscape encompassing tropical planting and flowering shrubs softens and further compliments the visual experience of the built form.

Light is handled with similar precision. On the roof, skylights emerge as accents that invite soft, diffused daylight into the double-height weaving hall and gallery. Natural light eliminates harsh shadows and achieves an atmosphere conducive for focus and reflection. The longer façades face north and south to optimise the use of indirect sunlight while strategically positioned overhangs and cantilevered slabs shelter deck spaces and planter beds.

Passive strategies and locally sourced materials reinforce the architects’ commitment to sustainability. Stone, terrazzo, timber, hot-rolled metal and glass were all chosen for their durability and timeless appeal. “Construction industry is facing a serious dearth of good craftsmen,” Jaiswall recalls. “We faced some challenges in getting the right people to do the terrazzo flooring, but sometimes as designers we need to collaborate and work with whatever talents we have at our disposal and make the most of it,” he adds.

AME Studio aspires to be more than a setting for artistic work—it strives to become a part of the creative process. Its solidity offers anchoring, while the openness speaks of reflection and collaboration. Texture, restraint and proportion allow the concrete architecture to adapt to changing needs without having to compromise on spatial identity. The result thus comes across as a place of poise and quietude that offers a gentle backdrop for art and architecture to engage in an intimate dialogue.