Salban – Baihar, Madhya Pradesh, Architecture by M+P Architects

Salban - Madhya Pradesh - Meghana Kulkarni

The project is a 5000 sq. ft. bungalow near Kanha national park. Aim was to create a quirky colonial style bungalow using minimum RCC, providing large covered verandahs, all using the locally available material, expertise and labour. All this, keeping in mind a tight budget.

Foundation and walls were constructed using locally available brick with mud mortar. The soil required for mortar was acquired from the site itself which was tested. Roofing frame was partly in locally available seasoned Sal wood and partly in MS with marine plywood boarding and clay tiles. This site is within the buffer zone of Kanha national park, so the building was planned such that it doesn’t stand out from the surroundings.

salban-madhya-pradesh5

salban-madhya-pradesh6_r1_1280

The split roof is a predominant character of the  tribal houses. The house was planned in an existing clearing between sal plantation such that the trees become a backdrop to the house. The verandah has a view of the forest nearby as well as a beautiful old mahua tree which is a seasonal treat. The contractors and labour were all local residents. They were expert builders in brick and mud construction, but had had to be trained in some techniques such as building arches. Our clients: Sheema and Anirudh have moved there permanently and have opened their house for guests looking for a cozy forest experience.

Project facts:

Area: 5000 sq ft
Team: Pooja Chaphalkar, Meghana Kulkarni, Rajalakshmi Deshpande
Clients: Anirudh and Sheema Mukerjee
Structural consultant: Himanshu Tulpule and associates.

One Response

  1. Really liked the architecture of the colonial bungalow near Kanha National Park.
    I have recently bought 1.5 acre land in similar location in Kanha and looking for an architecture firm to design a similar colonial style bunglow for me.
    Appreciate if someone can provide me contact details of M+P Architects.
    Thanks
    Ram Kulhare
    9766280566

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent

Edwin Lutyens' bust which was replaced by C. Rajagopalachari's bust in Rashtrapathi Bhavan

“Changing The Statue Does Not Change the Room”—Geethu Gangadhar on Edwin Lutyens’ Bust Removal

The current Indian government replaced Edwin Lutyens’ bust with freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari’s at Rashtrapati Bhavan, framing it as decolonisation. But symbolic gestures don’t dismantle colonial mindsets embedded in governance, caste, and institutions. Geethu Gangadhar raises an important question: whether this removal is a way to eradicate colonial baggage or systemic removal of history.

Read More »
Massing during construction, retaining the exposed concrete facade composition, cross columns and profiled beams. Archival collection of Tibet House, 1977. Accessed in 2026

Brutalist India | Tibet House, New Delhi

As part of Brutalist India series Bhawna Dandona writes about Tibet House in New Delhi which is a non-profit cultural centre dedicated to preserving Tibetan heritage, founded in 1965 at the Dalai Lama’s request. The current building’s foundation was laid in 1974, with architect Shivnath Prasad.

Read More »
Vivek Rawal

Architecture, Power, and the Poor | “As a profession, architecture lacks moral position and has become complicit in the neoliberal dispossession of the poor.”—Vivek Rawal

Vivek Rawal argues that architecture—as a profession—is structurally aligned with political and economic power rather than social justice. He critiques how architectural education and practice prioritise developers and real estate over communities, turning housing into a market commodity. Even movements like sustainability and participation, he says, often become tools for elite consumption rather than genuine empowerment. True moral reform, according to Rawal, would mean architects relinquishing control and enabling community-led design and housing decisions.

Read More »
The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG 1

The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG

The Chunli Guesthouse, Shanghai, China by TEAM_BLDG’s response to nature, memory, and the spirit of place. The design takes “Catching” as its spiritual core, emphasizing the relationship between the architecture and the surrounding rice field landscape.

Read More »

Featured Publications

New Release

Stories that provoke enquiry into built environment

www.architecture.live

Subscribe & Join a Community of Lakhs of Readers

We Need Your Support

To be able to continue the work we are doing and keeping it free for all, we request our readers to support in every way possible.

Your contribution, no matter the size, helps our small team sustain this space. Thank you for your support.

Contribute using UPI

Contribute Using Cards