A house of the hill, in the woods. This project was conceived as a low cost house for a farmer, by Mr. Dinesh Balsaver, founder of C.O.F.I (Co-operative of Organic Farmers India). As an organic farmer, Mr. Balsaver wanted to use local, natural materials and allow the house to "grow" on its own.



Built at a cost of INR 400 (8$) per square foot (Total INR 2,80,000 (5600$) It is not possible to provide a good home at this price. This 700 Sq.ft. home was envisioned as half a good house to the homeowner, which he then adds to in his own style. This will be a showcase to the other farmers in the region who typically spend INR 1500 (30$) per square foot on their homes. 



The home consists of a stone foundation with brick walls, a steel roof, and a steel frame around the verandah. The bathroom is fitted with a solar calorifier and an organic waste stove to heat water within the bathroom itself. 



Further additions to this house are being made by adding white agricultural net to the verandah, a high-density thatch roof, and bamboo woven walls for the bathroom, to let the spaces breathe. 



The most important charachteristic of this project is the element of ownership. The architect no longer owns the design, but it is a partnership between the architect and the user to come up with what works for each one. The architect in this situation is merely a facilitator, and the user will finally decide what will work best for himself, along with the colours, textures, and features.