Daily Mail
The house built ACROSS a gorge: The incredible home that is also a bridge... and is so unusual the couple behind it couldn't even understand how it worked
By FRANCINE WOLFISZ, NEWS REPORTER
Published: 12:49 EST, 1 February 2026 | Updated: 14:16 EST, 1 February 2026
A couple who wanted to build a sustainable house deep within the rural surrounds of South West India thought they had found the perfect plot - only to discover the site was divided in two by a deep canyon.
But an innovative architect has now helped them turn that problematic gorge into something gorgeous.
Almost a decade in the making, Bridge House, in Karjat, Maharashtra, is neither solely a bridge or a house, but rather both at the same time.
Described as a 100ft inhabitable suspension bridge, the unusual structure does not rest on the ground, but rather floats majestically above the 23ft deep gorge which was carved into the land for a nearby hydroelectric power project.
Owners Ashish Shah, 50, who runs a garment interlining business, and his wife, Nipa, 48, who heads up an organic, farm-sourced food company, live a two-hour drive away in Mumbai with their two daughters.
They had been on the lookout for plots suitable for their very own organic farm when they came across the 'beautiful' two-acre site nestled within the Western Ghats mountain range.
The couple snapped up the land for 6 million Indian rupees (£47,000) nearly a decade ago and originally thought to build a simple farmstead where they could grow mangoes and other crops.
But the gorge threw up obstacles early on - while they had intended to connect the two sections, the local authority told them it had to remain open as a throughway for construction equipment to pass through.
Given the deep vegetation surrounding the plot, they also wanted a house that was sustainable and reflected their own passion for eco-living.
Only a handful of architects were happy to take on such a challenge, with the couple finally settling on Vinu Daniel and his company, Wallmakers, based in Kochi and which specialises in building with waste and alternative materials.
Originally Daniel thought of a separate bridge and house, but then he found a more creative answer by designing a house that is also a bridge, suspended over the gorge.
Four hyperbolic paraboloids, shaped like saddles, hang over the two plots of land and are strengthened by steel tubing and tension cables more commonly found in lifts.
All other materials used within and outside the sparsely-furnished house are sustainable and found within a five-mile radius of its surroundings.
A straw-and-mud composite roof, inspired by pangolin scales, is waterproof, keeps the heat in and blends in with the natural landscape. It has been designed to keep pests and rodents out.
The home also has an oculus, a circular opening, in the centre of the structure, providing natural light, air and rain into the courtyard area.
Within the living area, the couple have placed a uniquely-designed Petty chair, made from a yarn woven from recycled plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets.
Four hyperbolic paraboloids, shaped like saddles, hang over the two plots of land, creating unusual shapes within the home
The home boasts a straw-and-mud composite roof, inspired by pangolin scales
The uniquely-designed house keeps the heat in and blends in with the natural landscape
The living areas look out onto the verdant surroundings of the house in Karjat, India
A hammock made from natural materials is suspended between the walls and the curved roof
The bedrooms look out onto the forest landscape or the canal running beneath the house
Within the living area, the couple have placed a uniquely-designed Petty chair, made from a yarn woven from recycled plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets
Each of the four bedrooms overlook the forest or watercourse below, while other materials used for the interior include reclaimed shipwreck timber for the flooring, alongside jute screens and metal meshes lining the rooms and corridors.
Outside, a triangular pool is carved into the verdant surrounds.
When Daniel first showed the couple his idea, they 'couldn't understand it', such was the innovative concept he had come up with. Yet they decided to trust the process and await the result.
There were of course the inevitable challenges that come with building a home from scratch, let alone within a dense natural environment.
First there was the excavation work, which proved slow and messy - and then there was the arrival of intense rainfall. During monsoon season, the region can average between 2,000mm and 2,500mm.
The architect had estimated it would take two years to complete the house, but the team were swiftly forced to re-evaluate that.
Speaking to The New York Times about the project, Mr Daniel said: 'Our initial estimates went out of the park because during the monsoon season, it's impossible to even stand in the area, forget about working there.'
In the end, the home took four years and 24 million rupees (£190,000) to finish - but even with all the setbacks and challenges, the couple are pleased with the result.
'When you're trying to create a piece of art, you really don't know how it's going to come out,' Mr Shah said, adding he plans to open it up for artists to stay and short-term rentals.
'But first I want to enjoy my house for some time, since we've worked so hard on it.'
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