Named as "The Street", Studio VDGA designed this unusual 15,000 sq ft clubhouse for a new community on the outskirts of Pune, creating a series of indoor and outdoor spaces, which together "create a rhythmic flow, encouraging pauses, interaction, and togetherness".
Unlike most clubhouses, it was conceived as an open space fostering social interaction among the 240 surrounding plot owners, each of them with a surface area between 150 and 175 m², offering families the opportunity to build their home in an increasingly rare and unaffordable environment in dense urban areas.
The Street by Studio VDGA. Photograph by Edmund Sumner.
Inspired by traditional Indian cities, it evokes meandering streets with shaded spots to pause and converse, as well as welcoming plazas, courtyards and lanes. Only a water tower on the southern side of the site reminds us of traditional Indian towns and villages, where water towers served as landmarks.
The program unfolds through pathways, brick jalis, gazebos, an amphitheatre, a pool and open dining areas—spaces that encourage encounters and connection with nature, where residents can meet and celebrate events together in many venues
"The architecture encourages interaction, movement, and shared experiences. It’s not just a building but a living street where activities overlap, people meet organically, and the boundaries between built and open spaces blur."
Studio VDGA’s Deepak Gugarii.
The Street by Studio VDGA. Photograph by Edmund Sumner.
The complex designed by Studio VDGA features a pool, framed by arches and tall brick walls, which provides a calm and secluded atmosphere.
Constructed with locally sourced brick, Indian stone, and IPS flooring, the project embraces regional craft and eco-friendly methods, where buildings are integrated into the landscape and partially submerged into the earth, following the old principles of ‘cut and fill’ construction to minimise their visual impact on the landscape.
"What I personally love is the honest use of locally sourced materials like Indian limestone, red clay bricks, and IPS (Indian Patent Stone), a traditional flooring made using a mix of cement, sand, and fine marble powder," says Gugarii.
The Street by Studio VDGA. Photograph by Edmund Sumner.
The Street por Studio VDGA. Fotografía por Edmund Sumner.
Though the budget was modest, it never limited their vision of creating a high-quality community space, driving climate-responsive, low-maintenance solutions, using Vastu principles and site contours shaped natural light, ventilation, and comfort. The result is a sustainable, collective heart for the community.
"We embraced the Indian way of living – where celebrations, conversations, and daily life spill out into open, shared spaces. That spirit of openness and informality was something we consciously celebrated."
Deepak Gugarii.
