Malhar
an ecovillage... Kengeri, Bangalore

We dreamed of a community,
That lives with the land,
Where the shared spaces are like children,
To be enjoyed and cared for together,
Where driving the car, is not as important,
as slowing down and smiling at the neighbors on the street is,
Where privacy does not mean exclusion
and security means neighbors and not electronic systems.
Where the residents
Value water and the need to conserve it,
Recycle waste, and understand the need for renewing.
Learn about the seasons, through the flowering of the trees,
And delight at the birds, insects and other visitors.
Where the natural homes, blend into the landscape,
And into the lives of the community.

Good Earth Malhar is an eco-village spread over 45 Acres of land, located in Kengeri, Bangalore. Designed to accommodate 400 families, Malhar is divided into 7 communities, of 45 to 90 families each. Each community has an extent of 7 -12 acres. This has enabled us to create a development which is human in scale, and is easy to manage. We have experimented with various housing typologies – from Cluster homes and town houses to apartments, in response to different lifestyles and budgets each adding their unique flavor to the eco-village. Every community is designed to be self sufficient with regard to its services and amenities. Apart from these amenities, Malhar supports a variety of facilities which will be shared by all the communities. These facilities enhance community interaction at various levels and reduce dependence on the city.

WHERE

Located in Kengeri, Bangalore -20 kms South west of the City centre
Approached by the Mysore Road, and the peripheral NICE road.
Malhar is 1.5 kms from the junction of Mysore Road and Rajarajeshwari Medical hospital.
It is easily accessible yet away from the pollution of the main roads.
Kengeri town has a Major bus stand, and is well connected .
The third phase of the Bangalore Metro, is expected to stop at Kengeri.
Essential services and amenities are within comfortable reach

Why Mysore Road:
In Bangalore, we have been focusing our developments on the Bangalore Mysore road, which is the next development hub, and which we feel, will be of a better quality. The development of the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor, with the expressway and good connecting roads, make it well connected and has spurred economic activity. The region has a good water table and is abound with green farms and orchards. The proximity of educational institutions, schools and colleges, as well as state of the art health care facilities, also make this an attractive place to live. An area which has the conveniences of the city without the crowd would be a good way to describe the Bangalore Mysore Road.

WHAT

Projected as a phased development housing 500 families over 50 acres of land, the most comprehensive GoodEarth venture so far, Malhar nonetheless maintains the human scale of our previous projects. The master plan supports a variety of facilities that enhance community interaction at various levels and reduce dependence on the city. The layout is designed in groups of 8-9 clusters of homes. Each intimate cluster comprises 9-16 homes, giving residents asense of security and belonging.A similar hierarchy of open spaces, ranging from public and semi-public to private, is made possible by minimising building footprints and optimising vehicular access to ensure that a substantial share of the land is retained by nature. Be it the farm land, the jogging trail, the community playground and parks, or the courtyards and kitchen garden, these spaces encourage time spent outdoors. The presence of wetlands and wooded areas also sustains and attracts various species of flora and fauna, ensuring a vivid, versatile environment.

LIVE

Having lived in Bangalore for over 10 years, we have felt that its climate is well suited to outdoor and semi outdoor living. From having one’s morning cup of tea in the verandah, to a nap in the afternoon, to dining alfresco, a lot of activities can be enjoyed in the shaded outdoors.
At ORCHARD, these are some of the concepts we have incorporated in our homes. Entertainment is not limited to watching television alone, bird-watching, working in the garden, enjoying the outdoors, are activities which can be encouraged, especially for children. The informality and security of the neighborhood spaces support “hide and seek”, “hopscotch” among the kids and perhaps a spontaneous game of ball, an exchange of recipes, a barbeque party at the club, among the adults!!

WORK

With home-offices, studio units, shared office facilities and a dedicated office block, at Malhar it is possible to be productive and still be home for lunch. Or, if making lunch is your chosen profession, perhaps you would prefer to run a community kitchen. The community centre affords flexibility to accommodate various functions based on what the community needs and what you might have to offer it: a doctor’s clinic, a crèche, a space to conduct classes and workshops, stalls to sell produce or products that you grow or make at home. And if the farmer in you is not satisfied with the productivity of your backyard, you could participate in the organic farm thatis Malhar’s backyard. With the growing city rapidly encroaching on farm lands and making agriculture economically unviable, the issue of food security becomes relevant. While the community would still rely on other sources to a large extent, we would like to take our first step towards a cooperative farming initiative and have earmarked 2 acres of land at Malhar for this purpose.

PLAY

At the centre of sporting activitiesat Malhar is a club supporting a wide range of indoor and outdoor games, with facilities and equipment for your preferred fitness regime, a refreshing natural pool and a spa to unwind in after amatch or workout. And while large playgrounds where people can really stretch their limbs, even spread their sportingwings, are becoming increasingly rare in new developments, we are proud to be able to provide such a place, quite literally the size of a footballfield. You might also use this level ground for a walk, jog or run, or choose the slightly more challenging, and definitely more scenic, kilometre long trail that undulates along a wooded fringe of the property, past lakes and farms. Spread across the layout is also a variety of play areas, designed for various age groups or conducive to spontaneous play; planned so that younger children can be closer to home.

If you are a performer, a poet, a painter or photographer, a maker of films or rousing speeches, accomplished or peeking out of the closet, you might find an audience of your neighbours very appreciative and supportive.GoodEarth has established a tradition of inviting artists to perform on special occasions; and Diwali, Onam, Id, Christmas, or Independence Day, GoodEarth residents have made a practice of celebrating all festivals as a community. A lakeside amphitheatre forms the cultural hub at Malhar. This or the versatile community centre may be the venue of choice if you want to share an idea or issue, a hobby or skill, a great book or a film you think everyone should watch.

HOW

Having engaged intensely and individually with each of our clients, our experience has lent us the ability to gauge the usage patterns of people and families from various walks of life. With every project we have observed the responses and grown, at times adapting to the demands of our clients, at others, persisting in what we believe.At Malhar we have consolidated these observations to offer you several options: villaments, cluster homes, town houses and villas; and within these categories are several house types, each designed to cater to specific budgets and spatial requirements.Malhar will be developed in phases, and based on the ongoing phase and your particular enquiry, you will find enclosed a booklet with details of the home and it’s surroundings. We believe that each house should respond to the lifestyle of its residents and reflect an identity of it’s own. To achieve this, and yet not compromise the overall character of the development or ignore the realities logistical management, we engage with t e owner to detail certain elements and decide on finishes.We invite you to discuss these with us during our meetings and help us add that personal touch to your home. Moreover, we invite you to join us in our journey towards a sustainable future.

In Brief

Area of Malhar ecovillage: 45 Acres
Number of Families: 400
Plot Patterns: Cluster homes, Townhouses, villas, Apartments
Plot sizes: Cluster homes 1250 to 2400sqft Townhouses 2400 to 4000sqft. Villas 3500 to 6000 sqft.
Apartments 800 to 1900 sqft
1, 2,3 and 4 Bedroom options

Patterns - Town houses -
Bookings Open 2nd November 2014

Terraces - Apartments
Bookings Open, Work in Progress

Mosaic - work in progress ( bookings closed)

Resonance - work in progress ( bookings Closed)

Footprints - Completed

Highlights

The ecovillage is planned in various groups of houses: cluster homes, townhouses, villas and apartments to suit different lifestyles and budgets.
Houses planned in groups of 50 -100 units with secure compound walls around each group.
The different groups are planned along a "Main Street" which is a loop road, allowing no thoroughfare activity.
The architecture will be evocative of village like spaces and scale.
A material pallete of local stone, stabilised mud blocks, bricks, recycled/plantation timber, terracotta roof tiles, handcrafted by artisans, with contemporary and spontaneous expression.
The natural features of the land will be retained and enhanced.
Landscaped water bodies will serve as rainwater collection and recharge zones.
Rainwater will be harvested from the roofs and used for domestic supply.
Subsurface aquifers will be recharged, increasing the water table in the area.
The landscape will be designed to encourage biodiversity and conservation of local and indigenous species.
Eco-Friendly Sewage Treatment Plant. and recycling of water for irrigation and flushing.

Facilities

A playschool, a doctors' clinic, a vegetable and provision store are amenities along the main street, designed around a water body.
A football field and sports club will be accessible to the members of the community.

24 hour Security
Underground service ducts to take care of electricity and communications.Provision for Broad band connectivity
Backup power options using a hybrid system of solar energy and generator.
Centralised water supply
Common toilets and change room for servants, drivers etc.