Celebrating Navovado, our design-build vacation house in the Goan countryside through a gallery of photographs of the courtyard house. Earlier this year, Navovado won the prestigious Platinum Certification from the Indian Green Building Council. Navovado harvests all of its roof rainwater and recharges the water well on site. The use of low-flow water fixtures further improves water efficiency. Focus on use of insulation on the roof, double-glazed glass, low­energy use appliances, LED lighting and 100% hot water from Solar power makes this home extremely energy efficient. The structure is constructed using locally manufactured materials and materials with a high recycled content such as Laterite stone, Matti wood, Fly-ash brick and Slag cement. The garden is planted using native local species to reduce water use for ir­rigation. Finally, large openings allow for maximum daylighting and cross-ventilation, reducing the energy use for lighting and cooling.

The heart of the home lies in the large central courtyard that is an extension of the kitchen, living and dining space. The courtyard houses the swimming pool and provides a green private space to be enjoyed by all the residents of the house. The courtyard morphs in its use depending on the time of day and occasion. The guest bedrooms on the ground floor are designed as pavilions on either side of the courtyard, while the first-floor bedrooms have a large terrace overlooking the courtyard that connects the two levels.

Find Navovado featured in detail on our Instagram page here.

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In this Q&A session, I take up a material that we frequently use in our houses in Goa - Indian Patent Stone or IPS. The material is incredibly versatile as it comes in a wide range of colours and is suitable for a number of surfaces right from floors to walls to counters to inbuilt furniture such as the balcao. Over the session I also answer questions about how the material ages with cracks and address the important precautions that need to be taken while using the seamless material. We discuss the similarities between IPS and oxide floors and how the material application technique has involved. We also speak about the curing and workmanship that is required to achieve the best finish.

Tune in to watch the entire session.

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If you follow our work, then you know that we are somewhat 'experts' in designing houses in Goa. We constantly highlight the key design elements appropriate for houses in Goa and the Goa lifestyle, such as preserving and celebrating the site's natural features, preserving the existing trees on the site, designing indoor-outdoor spaces with large verandahs, and spaces with ample daylight and cross-ventilation, while following sustainable practices to reduce the building's ecological footprint.

Another key element to consider while buying a property in Goa is 'maintenance'. This is not a topic that is often discussed but must be seriously considered while buying a new home. If the house in Goa is used as a second or vacation home, then one may not live in a it all year round and when you visit, you want to enjoy the beauty and luxury of the house and not be inundated by a plethora of maintenance issues. These concerns take center stage in Goa, specially due to the relatively heavy monsoon period in Goa which can lead to several problems of water seepage, mold and dampness.

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Here are the main points to consider while buying a house in Goa:

Balance your desire for design goodness with maintenance requirements

BUGS:

1. Be cognizant that you will be co-living with bugs and reptiles, and sometimes monkey and bats. Insist on mosquito net screens for doors and windows. These are vital to 'resort-living' and are sadly often omitted. The mosquito nets allow the home owners to keep doors and windows open without the concern for bugs, mosquitoes and other undesired creatures from entering the house. The homeowner can in-turn enjoy the sunsets, evening breeze and an indoor-outdoor lifestyle without a compromise.

2. Avoid decorative ponds. In my experience, the decorative ponds become habitats for reptiles and can become a maintenance headache.

DAMPNESS:

3. Get closets that can breath. This is critical due to the high humidity during the monsoon period in Goa. If you plan to leave you things back in the house (as you should), then it is important to have closets that can breath. This can be achieved by using breathable materials within the closet doors, in the form of lovely cane weaving, wood louvers, canvas and even cotton curtains.

4. It is important to air-out your house in Goa. While you as a homeowner are away, it is important that the house staff or friends periodically open up the doors and windows and air the house. This is critical to avoid mold from growing in hidden corners in the house.

SECURITY:

5. Check the quality of glass used in a home. Toughened glass is the most commonly used glass for security purposes. Higher grades of security glass are also available and can be installed at a premium.

6. New technology allows for video surveillance. There is also an availability of motion sensors and special alarms that go off in case of vandalism. Panic buttons can also be introduced in each room if desired.

7. Finally, the best security is offered by watch dogs and guardsmen who can keep an eye on the property and raise an alarm when security is breached.

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