When the talk of making a weekend getaway came up, the client took Ar. Vishal Chitte of De’Caves by Chitte Architects, to view different sites in the outskirts of Vadodara. This site in particular caught the architect’s eye due to the nature’s beauty that enhances the value of this 4500 sqft plot . Sherkhi is a rural part of Vadodara and this site is surrounded by lush green farms, while the site itself is gifted by the presence of palm trees and mango trees. Upon the selection of the site in the nature's bounty, the client expressed his wishful desire of having a weekend home designed in a way that makes him feel that he’s far away from the city’s clutter and is within the tranquillity of nature. This is where the architect suggested the client go with a Portuguese-Goan style villa.The client gave an open hand to play with the spaces.
This villa has an open plan layout with free flowing informal spaces and bed spaces. The layout was planned in such a way that spaces like the open and covered terraces, parking and the pool fall to the south side of the site and the private spaces of this home fall on the northern side protecting it from the scorching heat of the sun.
The Playful Welcome
Upon entering the villa, one is welcomed with a series of arches that lead you inside. Apart from the arches, the foyer holds a unique identity of its own, both aesthetically and functionally. The architect likes to call the foyer a symphony of patterns as it beholds a bold chequered marble pattern which is complimented with the presence of yellow Jaisalmer marble. This space accommodates a small lounging area which overlooks the poolside. As a way to privatise the pool a provision of tropical themed sliding doors have been provided, when closed beautiful views of the nature can be seen from the flamingo shaped cut outs while relaxing in the lounge.
Cosy Nook
As the series of arches lead you in the house one can see a cosy sunken sitting area which is below the pine staircase that looks like a sculptural element itself. The wall sub joining the cosy nook has small holes punctured with colourful tinted glass fixtures that enliven the space with the pops of colours.
Da Vinci’s Table
The client had a strong desire to have an extravagant meal with his huge extended family and friends while residing in the villa. While he was describing his dream, the painting of Leonardo Da Vanci’s “The Last Supper” popped up in the architects mind where lord Jesus is seen to be having a meal with twelve apostles on an expansively long table. Being inspired by that a 17 feet long live edge table was designed with assorted sitting for the longitudinal living space. This unique living room is connected with the pool using arched windows that bring in the shades of blue. The southwest winds pass through the pool that flows into this living space keeping it cool throughout the day. The red laterite stone is used as a lining on the exterior wall sub joining the pool which further helps in keeping the living space cool due to its thermal insulating properties.
Shamiana of Arches
One of the most cherished spaces of the client is the semi covered living space on the first floor of the villa. The architect has tried to capture the essence of the client’s extroverted nature in this space by opening it on all three sides - one overlooks the pool while the others get a view of the palm and mango trees present in the site. The arches invite abundance of natural light during the day and actoffer splendid views during the sunset and cool winds at night with beautiful views of the starry sky.The minimal ceiling gets highlighted post sunset hours as a play of the radial sciography of the lamps adds glory to the space which makes it a perfect place to host musical gigs.
The Lavish Ascent
The villa has a unique feature of a passive circulation- the ramp , which highlights the whole villa and gives it the character of a fluidity. The 12 feet wide ramp connects the ground with the open terrace on the upper level, so one can come up the ramp , attend a sundowner party without having the need to enter the house. The ramp is a prominent feature that caters the aesthetic of the villa as well as the functionality of it. The ramp acts as a partial shade to the pool and also gives it privacy. The powder toilet, servant’s room and the electrical room are all strategically accommodated below the ramp.This ramp is lined with grass pavers and has a landscape element showing the initials of the client which is seen as a symbol once arrived at the site. The ramp at every point gives you a different view of the site and the villa making it an interesting journey on your way up and down it.
Play Of Arches
This luxurious villa is a contemporary Portuguese-Goan style home. In order to achieve it, a beautiful play of arches is visible quite prominently which is not only aesthetically sound but also serves a unique function. On entering the site, a three centred arch welcomes you into covered parking space, while a round arch leads you in the villa. Another set of arches connect the expansive living space with the pool creating a porous boundary between the water and the built up area. A part of the pool is also covered with a huge semicircular vault arch, located right below the ramp, which shades the space but also lights it up during the golden hour. The segmental arches on the semi covered terrace opens up the whole area to nature and looks as if it is creating a set of frames for splendid views.These arched openings that add to the Portuguese goan style of architecture bring you closer to nature. You feel like you're a part of the landscape even when you're inside.
Write Up: Ar. Rati Kanetkar
