At Grounded, where our office has been in Goa since 2010, we often go on heritage walks and bird-watching expeditions as a team to get to know each other as well as to get to know Goa. This time, we ventured into South Goa, villages of Assolna and Velim for a heritage walk organized by the Museum of Christian Art. Headed by Clive Figueiredo and Noah Fernandes. Our walk began at the Holy Cross Chapel Baradi, with stunning views of the area that we were about to explore. Followed by St. Francis Xavier Church, Velim, and Regina Martyrum Church, Assolna. 

Goa has more spoken traditions than written records. One such cultural tradition makes Velim village, important for the locals. The Churches here are not as elaborate as the churches in the north or other parts of Goa but have a historical importance. We started with St. Francis Xavier Church, Velim established in the 19th century. The facade of this chapel has a bell tower at the top center which is neoclassical, and has minimal features having IHS insignia. The facade can also be counted as Art Deco in Goa because of the sunburst on the sides. 

As we went inside the Church we were briefed about the iconography associated with elaborate features of the structure. For example, in Asolna the majority of locals are shipbearers so the Our Lady in the church holds a silver or wooden carved ship in her hand. We also learned about dying features like the Pulpit. Which is not in use anymore and some churches are removing those elements. In this church, because the staircase on the other side of the wall leading to the pulpit is now removed, it just floats on the wall with no way to access it. 

Pulpit

As the time passes, both the churches have gone through some modifications. We learned how by observing the color, sometimes the material, and intricacy in ornamentation we can tell the time period of that object. Both the churches we visited were of a different time -so we could observe the variations in detail and changes done over time. 

Our final stop was Regina Martyrum Church, Assolna. There is photographic evidence of this church having a fort wall remains in its premises back in the day. This chapel was more elaborate and huge with its school premises, offices, cemetery, and the Cristo Rei monument! We learned about the church and its mosaic tiles, wooden carvings, and iconography. One of the most fascinating moments of the walk was exploring the closet of ceremonial items inside the church building. 

It was a very good effort by the Museum of Christian Art to bring together a group of interested people from different backgrounds. We were also accompanied by residents from the Museum of Christian Art Society for the walk. The heritage walk was not just for architects, it was a wonderful gathering of local enthusiasts, conservationists, and historians, all passionate about Goa's rich cultural fabric. Whether you're living in Goa or you are new to Goa, this heritage walk can help you connect with the city a little better.

Holy Cross Chapel, Baradi

St. Francis Xavier Church, Velim

Regina Martyrum Church, Assolna

Cristo Rei, Assolna

Read more about South Goa and Goan Heritage

A few years ago we were set the task of designing an outdoor spa for one of our projects. The site was a house in Goa and surrounded by spectacular heritage buildings with unique forms and features that are no longer found in present day construction. We decided to use this as the inspiration and decided on a relaxing outdoor spa which would embody some of these details and elements found in these quaint, old structures. We set out to map and document these historic houses, institutions, and simple details of Goa through photographs and drawings. The illustrations below are part of this extensive archival project, and a fun take on some of the beautiful Chapels and Gateways that characterise Old Goa.

Geoffrey Bawa is an unforgettable and continuous inspiration. With every project we embark on, we see our inspiration translate into our work - in design, in spatial character, in connection and reverence towards nature - finding new meaning in every site we build on. Finding Bawa is a gallery we have compiled as an ode to the master architect. As we reflect on our projects, it feels great to see many of our spaces carrying the sensibilities and sensitivites that Bawa inspired throughout his practice.

Geoffrey Bawa was one of the original proponents of Tropical Modernism, a design movement in which sensitivity for local context combines with the form-making principles of modernism. His architecture led to the formation of a new architectural identity and aesthetic, redefining what it meant to be modern, celebrating a close connection with one’s built and natural environments.

In 1960, Bawa was commissioned to design the house for artist Ena De Silva. Set in Colombo, the plot was very much enmeshed in the busy urban fabric with the activity and movement of any capital city.

Bawa’s first response was to turn the house in on itself and resurrect the courtyard. The house was conceived as a series of pavilions and verandas contained within a high surrounding boundary wall. A major central courtyard led forward to five smaller satellite courtyards. Light and air poured into every room, with notions of inside and outside blurred nearly beyond distinction.

Its spatial qualities were enhanced by the choice of materials: walls of plastered brick, roofs of half-round Portuguese tiles, columns of satin wood, windows of timber lattice, floors of rough granite- materials that were used in ancient Sri Lankan mansions, but brought together in the contemporary open plan format, assembled in an entirely different manner.

After nearly 40 years of living here, Ena was finally forced to sell the house owing to health concerns and mounting bills. Her land in central Colombo was immensely valuable and was quickly snapped up by an adjoining hospital. But the idea of demolition was met by public outcry that made Urban Development Authority insist that the house must be preserved in its entirety.

This is when the Bawa Trust proposed an unusual solution - to move the house in order to reconstruct it. A team of architects, archaeologists and development contractors came together, led by conservation specialist Nilan Cooray. Everything that could be salvaged from Ena de Silva’s home, including the doors and windows, was carefully collected, stored, and moved.

Unlike examples from Japan and Norway, where timber structures had been relocated successfully, Cooray had to work with masonry, some of which was falling apart. The house was stripped down to its bones - every pebble in the courtyard was numbered, every shape was traced, before he was done. They paid particular attention to replicating the structure’s orientation to the Sun, because that was essential to Bawa’s original palette of light and shadow. Working from the roof down, they dismantled the house, which was boxed up and loaded on to lorries to be carted off to a plot next door to Lunuganga, Bawa’s beautiful garden home.

The process took six years from start to finish, and the Ena De Silva house was finally assembled to completion in its new home in 2016.

Relying on black and white photos and surviving furniture, the Bawa Trust intends to return Ena’s house to a spitting image of how she had kept it, even replanting the garden with her choice of plants. It takes the spirit and act of conservation to uncharted territory, preserving Bawa’s legacy for generations to come.

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Goa is beautiful and rich in its diversity. It has something to offer to every visitor. In this blogpost, we have created a quick map with some of Goa’s best - your very own printable checklist of what to see, where to go and what to do over your next Goa trip. The map has a mix of old houses in Goa, its most popular beaches, the best natural and wildlife sanctuaries in Goa among other popular destinations. For a detailed breakdown of the differences and similarities between North Goa and South Goa, click on the map to read our analysis comparing the two districts.

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Unlike the other colonial powers in India, the Portuguese managed to leave a much more visible mark on the residential architecture of the area they ruled. The British and the French left their mark on the architecture of huge buildings such as assemblies and railway stations which have since become landmarks of the period.

The Portuguese in Goa built residential houses reflecting a style which is hardly found elsewhere on the Indian subcontinent. These magnificent palatial houses inspired by European architectural style are still found in Goa today, although they are confined to the rural areas such as Chandrapura, Chandor and Loutolim. These mansions were built in an era when the Portuguese had handsome profits from their trading colonies in Africa and South America.

This blogpost looks at some of the old heritage houses of South Goa which were inspired by European architectural styles and stand tall even today.

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Braganza House

The Braganza House is 350 years old and occupies one entire side of the village square in Chandor. This elaborate mansion is spread over 10,000 sqm and is divided into two wings that are occupied by the Braganza family. The palatial house has a stunning ballroom, massive Belgian crystal chandeliers, exquisite antiques collected over centuries and the oldest private library in Goa with over 5000 books.

Palacio do Deao

Palacio do Deao, a 213 years old mansion, was built by a Portuguese noble man, who was the Dean of the Church, and founder of Quepem town. The house faces the Church he built and is on the banks of the wildly beautiful Kushavati River. Here’s a video about the lovely house.

Figueirido House

The magnificent Figueirido House in Loutolim took shape as early as 1590, at a time when the Taj Mahal was yet to be conceived. The Figueiredo family had a prominent presence in Goa as lawyers, diplomats and ambassadors. Today, the family has converted part of this palatial home into a historic museum with yet another section opened out as a breathtaking heritage homestay for visitors. Take a virtual tour through this palatial estate here.

Casa Araujo Alvares

This 250-year-old mansion belongs to the Alvares family and forms part of the Ancestral Goa tourist complex, set up to recreate Goan village life under Portuguese rule. The house has a spacious courtyard, a quaint chapel at its centre, old European furniture like most of its contemporaries and eclectic seashell windows that bring the beach inside.

To know more about the hidden gems of South Goa, read The Charms of South Goa - Part I

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Goa has a number of good schools that offer an enriching and inclusive academic environment to the students. In this blog post, we have put together a list of some of the most renowned schools in the state for parents who will soon be moving to Goa or are looking at the viability of living in Goa. The list covers a broad spectrum of top schools affiliated with various boards with a focus on holistic learning environments. The following schools are popular for balancing classroom education with experiences and practical application.

Paradise School in Goa

Sharada Mandir School

Founded in 1966, Sharada Mandir School was set up as the first school in Goa affiliated to The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (ICSE).

Sharada Mandir School, Panjim

The institution is made up of five separate sections: Elementary, Junior, Middle, Secondary and Higher Secondary. The school has around 2400 students and 130 faculty members with a low student-faculty ratio to ensures small classes with great interaction. The Sharada Mandir School Campus is green and beautiful, spread over an area of approxiamtely 15,000 sq.mts. It is located opposite the Miramar beach which makes for a serene and idyllic ambience.

The Ardee School

The Ardee School Goa is located in Sangolda. Established in 2008, the school offers the International Cambridge Curriculum and the National Curriculum of England and Wales at Key Stage 2 and 3 and offers the IGCSE at Year 10.

The Ardee School, Sangolda

The campus is split into 2 major blocks - the Junior and Senior School, in close proximity of each other. The school is designed in a heritage building with an open layout. It is built to provide a setting for the child to perceive the world through spatial dimensions, shapes and textures.

Sunshine Worldwide School

Sunshine Worldwide School, founded in June 2003, was one of the first CBSE schools with IB learning methodologies in Goa. Motivated to build a safe and creative learning space for children, the late Mrs. Swaran Khaitan, along with her son Deepak and daughter-in-law Sapna Khaitan brought this school to life.

The school is located in Goa Velha, sprawled over a 9000 sqm plot with a dedicated 2600 sqm playground. The campus is replete with facilities that include a well-stocked library, PC tablet laboratory, IT laboratory among others to promote research and activity based learning among the students

The Gera School

The Gera School was established in 1970. It is a Co-ed school affiliated to Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE).

The school is located in Panjim, Goa and is known as one of the best international schools in the city. The curriculum offers a blend of academics, arts, music, sports and life-skills training in areas such as Entreupreneurship, Communication, and Project Management to ensure holistic education.

Paradise School

Paradise School in Goa is for 6 to 18 year old children who wish to follow the Cambridge International Examinations Board. The school offers personalised learning programs and was accredited in 2017.

The school is situated in Aldona, in a 400 year old beautifully renovated Indo-Portuguese mansion, with large classrooms, big communal work areas, a generous dining room area and outside patio, set in an acre of land with an expansive swimming pool.

Manovikas School

Established in the year 1968, Manovikas School is among the most prestigious schools in Goa. The school has a ‘no exam policy’, with a Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation until standard 7.

In the past 50 years, the school has grown from a single class in a rented house with only two teachers to over 1,600 students, 93 teaching staff, 34 support staff and a sprawling campus measuring 35,000 sqm.

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Photo in center: Entrance to the courtyard at Raas Hotel in Jodhpur framing the Mehrangad Fort 

This year happens to be the longest time I have spent in India in the last 10 years. So for our year-end travels, we decided to stay within the Indian Subcontinent. When we travel, we like to linger at a few locations, trying to get to know the place, uncover its many layers, pretend to be local and do things the way locals do.... we find this to be more invigorating and revealing than trying to just check boxes of places visited...

In any case, coming back to the reason for this post, after sorting through a list that included Sri Lanka, Burma and Lakshwadeep, we have decided to travel through Rajasthan at the end of the year. The plan is to start from Jaipur (only place with a direct flight from Goa), then travel to Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Now, since I enjoy being in control (read 'freak'..), I am well on my way with the research and planning for the trip. Apart from the forts, palaces, markets, and museums, I am also very keen to discover the newer contemporary luxury hotel architecture that has cropped up in Rajasthan in the recent past. One that has caught my eye and my imagination is the magnificent Raas Hotel in Jodhpur. Seriously, I can't get enough of this one...Other highlights of course are the Devi Ratn hotel in Jaipur and Rasa tents also a Devi resort in Jaipur.

Facade of the new main building wrapped with a sandstone screen

Rass hotel is spread over a relatively small 1.5 acres. It is built into a complex with three heritage buildings that have been carefully restored. But the real beauty of the place is that 3 new buildings have been added to the complex and this has been done with such finesse that if one looks at the photos, it is hard to see where old ends and the new begins. The planning of the new complex is a great example of adaptive reuse. The new buildings are carefully sited and sized such that they become a part of the historic buildings and landscape. See plan and photo below.

Existing Site Plan with three original heritage buildings

New Site Plan for the Raas Hotel with new buildings added to the heritage compound

Photos of the Raas hotel courtyard, where it is difficult to identify the new buildings as they blend perfectly into the historic landscape

In order to blend the old with the new, the designers have used local red sandstone as the dominant exterior material. And that is fine... as the real naunce in design lies in how the designers have managed to use local material, blend it with the old but do all that using a very neat contemporary design language.

Detail of openable screens in sandstone

The building exteriors are wrapped in red sandstone that is used as a contemporary screen. The top of the building that sticks out of the screen in the main block is kept white to keep it from stealing attention but is still not devoid of character due to its understated modern geometry.

Main new building with sandstone screen and modern geometric form 

Inside the screens, they create dramatic patterns with light that changes during the day

Play of light inside the screens

The interiors follow the same wonderfully articulated blend of old and new. I also feel that lighting has been very cleverly designed to highlight the drama in the spaces.

Love this room and the juxtaposition of the old historic with contemporary furniture and lighting

Bathrooms are separated by thick sandstone slabs, bringing historic element to the otherwise modern space

Traditional seating area with contemporary interiors

Nothing looks better than flowing white curtains !! Notice the modern Bertoia chairs in the historic courtyard

Lovely historic courtyard dotted with contemporary furniture and lighting. Also, love the floors..

Designers used mirrors to reflect the surrounding vistas 

Use of mirrors while they distort the landscape adding drama while being whimsical and arty

Here is keeping my fingers crossed so we can get reservations at the Raas !

Designed by Lotus Praxis Initiative.

Watch architect Ambrish Arora's presentation on the design for Raas

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Link to

Raas Hotel Website

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Raas Hotel won the award for Best Holiday Building at the

World Architecture Festival 2011

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Most photos courtesy

www.designboom.com 

Last week the beautifully restored Reis Magos Fort was opened for public. Below are some pictures. The highlights are the fort's pristine condition post-restoration, its siting and views. I love the feel and texture of laterite stone with whitewashed walls, clay tile roofs and wild greenery, all aspects that I believe are so quintessential to Goa.

The fort is located on a hill and accessed through a ramp and two narrow staircases, all executed in beautiful laterite masonry. Laterite is the local stone and most common building material used in Goa.

I write this post while hoping that we can continue to maintain this treasure and not let it once again fall into disrepair and neglect.

Country tile roofs of the building inside the fort walls

Gorgeous earthy central courtyard

View of Reis Magos church and cemetary from the highest point of the fort 

View of the river Mandovi from the fort

Narrow stairs leading to the fort will beautiful terraces below

Fort wall with lookout station

These are pictures from my recent walk through Panjim's historic Fontainhas district. Love the colors, textures, and feel of tiny bylanes that are a reminder of the Portuguese era in Goa.