A getaway from the chaotic life entices the urban city dwellers towards resorts and retreats. Nestled in the green abyss of a quaint village Uttan, East India House is a boutique resort located an hour away from Mumbai. Encasing 10 rooms the site overlooks stunning vistas of a hilly area with a rainwater stream slicing through it. The resort design and masterplan is dictated largely by the existing plinth and walls. Adhering to constraints like cost-effectiveness, time and material availability; and owing to the existing structure, the design is made to enhance smaller spaces, harmonize with nature, reflect portuguese-style architecture and engage surrounding vistas.
A twin wooden door in a stone-clad gateway embarks the entrance of the resort. It opens up to a random patterned tandur limestone walkway flanked by the foyer and restaurant on one side and the hotel block on the other side. The path is created as a central spine, connecting different sections of the resort. The hotel block is built as a hybrid of load bearing structure fabricated through locally available stone on the ground floor and brick-steel fabric on the above floor. Acknowledging the limited feasible space, outer extensions are developed for the rooms. The ground floor rooms possess balcaos with side seats and the first floor rooms support projected balconies. Floating circular creeper grills are provided in continuation to the first floor sit-outs to enhance the proportion, house the bougainvillea plant and soften the rigid linear lines. The single storied block dominates the broader portion of the site. To further augment its scale, a sandwiched metal roof is contemplated as a single side sloping feature. The roof is projected out as a cantilevered mass to case pool-side rooms on the front facade. Portuguese inspired interiors embrace the project, designed with mid-century elements like wall panelling with flute glass, stone foots, rafter ceiling and use goan colours.
Aesthetically pleasing and meaningful landscape elements contribute towards well-being and the quality of life. An infinity pool is edified to admire the hilly wilderness, elevate the site's beauty and endow tranquility upon the patrons. In continuation to the pool, a deck with chaise lounges and ankle-deep water is made to serve as a respite from hot summer days. Breaking the humdrum of traditional blue mosaic tiles, the swimming pool and the adjoining deck areas are arrayed in tandur limestone. In response to the infinity pool being in close-proximity to the room extensions, privacy became an imperative factor. An introduction of a lily pond around the hotel block slits its access from the pool and plantation between the rooms further maintains the privacy of balconies. The design for East India House is a remedy from daily drills, and responds to the existing structural constraints with a zest for local materials and capturing landscapes.
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