The 5-acre site is situated in Awas village located about 17km away from the town of Alibaug. The site is prominently divided into two parts. The western part is an orchard of 230 trees which include mainly mangoes and other fruit trees like coconut, chikoo, jamun and lemon. The eastern part of the site is dominated by wild grass that grows upto a height of 6 feet. The entire site along with several neighbouring plots are low laying paddy fields prone to flooding during the monsoon months.

Spatial Planning

The house is one to be discovered, full of surprises and contrasts. The spatial layout takes inspiration from the lines and forms of abstract pieces of art. It aims to be clear and easy to understand, while also allowing one to get lost. The planning incorporates moments of pause and awe to make the experience an interesting one.

Two main axes pierce through the house in the north-south and east-west directions. This helps in establishing a sense of orientation and also creates a stronger link between the rooms of the house and the exterior garden areas.

The building seamlessly integrates with a meticulously crafted landscape imagined as a series of cascading levels that relate to the existing site contours and allow for long lines of sight through the surrounding orchard trees.

Architectural Language

The architectural language of the building is that of a series of arched openings along the primary and secondary axes which result in framed views of the surrounding landscape. The main living spaces are wrapped by a verandah envelope which becomes a transitional space as well as a protective skin for the house against the scorching summer sun and the harsh monsoons.

The choice of material is such that it evokes a sense of longevity and having existed for centuries. Buildings meant to last, like the fortresses and townhouses were built in solid stone masonry. Along with rough cut stone, smooth to textural white lime finish was a material option that was considered for budget comparison reasons.

The building is a monolith with rhythmic arched punctures. The choice of external material was crucial as it would impact the overall aesthetic of the mass. Site context and decisions lead to the external material flowing into the interior spaces, essentially enveloping the entire civil shell, inside and outside, in lime plaster.  This helped bring the design cohesively together and act as a canvas for the various interior elements.

The lime wash finish on the walls is complimented by the use of multiple materials in the flooring. They range from different textures of Kota (an Indian stone) to various coloured Indian and Italian marble. They are used in interesting patterns to accentuate the plain walls.

Skylights

The horizontal volume allowed for the introduction of skylights as nodal pause points throughout the house. Despite the design of the spaces remaining constant, they evolve through the days and months due to the play of light and shadow. These sculptural roof elements bring an ethereal quality of light that adds a touch of drama to the design.

Swimming Pool

The pool is first revealed along the primary circulation axis from the main door. An arched, cave-like opening frames the first glimpse of the pool with a vista of the surrounding fruit orchard. It consists of three interconnected parts that go from indoor to covered to outdoor and are full of sensory experiences of sound, light and the movement of water.

The house is conceptualized as a single-floor structure with a 9×9 unequal grid. However, instead of a dogmatic faithfulness to the sanctity of the grid, it was transformed by combining grids to create a variety of scales and spatial experiences.

The main living spaces are wrapped by a verandah envelope which becomes a transitional space as well as a protective skin for the house against the scorching summer sun and the harsh monsoons.

Drawings

Site Plan

Master Plan

Section-A

Section-B

Section-C

Section-D

Section-E

Section-F

The pool consists of three interconnected parts with very distinct characteristics. It starts with an intimate, almost cave-like vaulted indoor pool which continues to an open-air pool shaded by patio walls on the sides.

The larger spatial volume is made up of smaller modular units that are arranged along the two axes. The modules are ratios of the length to the breadth. The base module is a 1×1 unit which multiples along the length and/or breadth to make up the modules.

The spacious design allowed for skylights to be incorporated as key focal points in the living room and corridors. While the layout remains consistent, the atmosphere shifts throughout the day and across the seasons, influenced by the interplay of light and shadow. These sculptural skylights create a magical quality of illumination, adding a dramatic flair to the space.

Skylight study – Living Room

Skylight Study – Corridors

Drone images showing the evolution of the building