Spread across a sprawling land bank of approximately 4,00,000 sq.ft the resort house is undoubtedly an attempt to create a building that brings you close to nature. A building that resonates with the feeling of living in a resort ‘full time’. As directed by the client brief the program asked for two twin houses connected by a common central formal block. In addition to this primary requirement was the need for a separate structure to be referred to as the clubhouse. The aesthetic brief asked for a design that finds the right blend between tradition and modernity. The architectural interpretation of the same was established in the roofscape which is a combination of primary functions having pitched sloping roofs to connecting corridors having a flat roof structure reflecting a modern minimalistic language. For a house with a built up of approximately 50,000 sq.ft one might imagine the program to be very elaborate and complex. Surprisingly the brief was simple with a lot on emphasis of spaciousness and sheer scale. While the twin houses enjoy individual entry points the main entry to the project is via the central formal block. A tree lined driveway brings you into the lofty formal living block. A wooden bridge over an expansive shallow lotus pond takes you from the drop off to the main entrance door. The formal living block was conceived as a double height glass pavilion overlooking the plush central lawn flanked by the houses on each side.

Stepped sloping wooden ceiling with elegant modern bronze chandeliers accentuate the sheer grandeur of the space. On the garden side the formal living enjoys a generous shaded verandah space. With large sliding glazed windows the same can become an extension of the living in fair weather. Neatly tucked away and hidden from public view are the pantry and toilet facilities. Glass lined corridors on either side of the formal central block form a bridge like connect between the central block and the individual houses. Floor to ceiling veneer paneling and screens finished in metallic duco add to the sense of grandeur. Individual houses have been planned as a C shaped block arranged around a family garden. Enclosed glass edged corridors run along the entire periphery of the garden connecting the various functions. Located at either end of the ‘C’ are two master bedroom suites housing the residents. Each individual house is complete with dedicated living dining and kitchen spaces. These spaces have been designed to provide a visual connect with the family and formal garden on either side to enhance the sense of transparency. The Pooja room for each house is envisaged as a semi-detached space flanked by shallow water bodies on either side.

For both houses the look and feel of the public spaces has been kept identical to establish a sense of continuity. The individual master bedroom suites, four in number have been given distinctly different aesthetics that echo the user’s individual personalities. Each master bedroom suite is complete with its own lounge, private study, walk in wardrobe and bathroom facilities. The bathroom boasts of a lavish built in Jacuzzi that looks out onto a walled in open to sky landscaped court. The court is complete with a shower for that outdoor experience. All the master bedrooms enjoy access to a shaded verandah that overlooks a private garden. Keeping the generic layout constant each suite enjoys a distinctive look and feel established by changes in materiality from flooring and wall finishes to artwork and accessories. In addition to twin guest bedrooms that are tastefully anointed the individual houses have a family library and a more formal study room to create variable experiences. Incorporated into the master layout are service corridors that connect the central formal block and the twin houses to utility spaces like an elaborate central kitchen, store, cleaning and washing rooms as well as servant quarters.