Just a 45-minute boat ride from Mumbai’s central business district, one is teleported from the chaos of the metropolis to the serenity of the vernacular in Raigad. Built for a jeweler, his wife, their three children, and a host of visiting friends, the quaint surroundings, lush landscape, and endless sea breeze are ideal for a business lunch or weekend escapade. The site area is 54,360 square feet (5,050 square meters) and the floor area is a generous 15,600 square feet (1,450 square meters).
Inspired by strong imagery of a large aquatic animal or a ship marooned on the beach, the retreat also came to resemble the ruined forts dotted around the coast, reverberating with past histories. The anchor of the design is a long and thick “wall” that acts as a threshold, both physically and emotionally.
The winding wall in local basalt locks the city into itself; one passes through it shedding all baggage, leaving the city behind and coming out on the other side liberated into nature and to the sea. All services, including staircases, storage, study, library, kitchen, toilets, bar, and a spa are tucked within this “wall” while a “plinth” contains all the private suites sunk in a half-basement, albeit with views of the coast outside. Sitting on the plinth, and placed between the waters of the sea and the pool, is an open pavilion of the living space—an elevated vantage point fully immersed in the landscape.
