I t was certainly not something he had planned. Not even something that he expected to be doing full time when he opted to do his masters in this field after graduating from UVCE Bengaluru. It merely appeared to be a passion that he chose to indulge in to complement the structures he was trained to design. But a few years of this indulgence proved to be career altering, the once viewed passion transforming into the main stream of work that he would thenceforth enter.
For architect Rohit Marol of Terra Firma, landscape architecture simply happened, pulling him into a segment that he found so irresistible, the indulgence in the greens so complete as to literally remove structural design from his focus map. “When you design landscapes, you are looking at a different dimension, different scale of spaces, the solutions arising more from the flora and fauna than topography,” says Marol.
While contending that the basic materials worked with and the context may be similar in architecture as well as landscape, Marol says, “The crucial difference is the living element you work with in a landscape as plants grow and alter unlike a brick-and-mortar structure. This larger perspective of growth and change has to be kept in mind while designing.”
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Trees for character
Explaining it, he draws attention to the presence of large trees that bring character to a landscape. “When new trees are planted, the palette of the landscape alters. This needs to be planned for, the landscape shaped in accordance to accommodate the span of the full grown tree.”
For Marol, a landscape has to be functional and experiential, relaxing the mind as well as inspiring the user. “Plants cannot be contained within boxes, they should be permitted to overflow out of the pots, be wild, yet managed”, he avers. Not surprisingly his approach is nature inspired, with free-flowing forms and articulations of colour and texture. “Manicuring is forcing nature to go into forms. This goes against natural growth. The true return to nature occurs when you do not dominate or curb nature.”
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Invariably, the seasonal rhythms bring their own unique expressions into the landscape. Marol brings forth the variations through a judicious balance of native and adaptive species. While he firmly believes in the importance of conserving native species for long-term environmental benefits, especially in large-scale developments, Marol opines, “mixed varieties of native, adaptive and exotic species work well for smaller sites.”
Water bodies are an important component of Marol’s landscapes as they “form the emotive aspect”. According to him, the water feature can be absolutely still, evoking a meditative state. Alternatively it could be a waterfall, the loud gushing waters eliciting a different emotion as against a soft trickle. “Depending on the desired reaction it is proposed to induce, the water element needs to be designed.”
A landscape is incomplete without structural elements such as art installations, pavers, outdoor furniture, and gazebos. “A careful combination of materials - stone, metal, wood or other contemporary ones - will usher in the chosen setting.” Whatever be the final setting opted for, Marol stresses on seamless blending of the interiors with the landscape where the demarcating lines almost blur. “The landscape and the structure need to respond to each other’s presence, revealing sensitivity in design”, he states.
Vertical garden
In his project Basant Betons, Marol brought in a dramatic vertical garden into the sky-lit courtyard. The garden, extending to four floors, reveals an altering palette based on the natural light filtering in. An experiential arrival court invites the visitor, the still water body relaxing the mind, making it more receptive to step indoors and explore the outlet’s products. A slim vertical terrace adjoins the management cabins on level four and interestingly this narrow strip too has been charmingly landscaped, with a live bamboo barrier, water bodies and a cosy gazebo complete with seating elements amidst the greens.
His project in Mangaluru, Quiet Retreat, has a landscape that literally leads into infinity where it is structured to blend seamlessly into the green expanse of the valley that the site overlooks. Given the 5 acres that required to be landscaped around the existing structure, Marol retained the native trees and designed the landscape around the site contours. The dramatic driveway to the entrance ensures an experience of the building even as one makes her way through thick albeit managed foliage.
The striking stone clad, wood column porch opens thence on to a Zen garden that is in stark contrast to the thick greens of the driveway. The visual afforded from the living area is stunning, encompassing the sprawling lush greens of the property and the green valley beyond to further include the glimpse of a picturesque river that meanders its way to the ocean.
Quaint water bodies prevail amidst the ubiquitous trees and green foliage while a cantilevered gazebo overlooks the valley to offer a romantic spot to stop by and contemplate.