EPIC.png

This Is Epic

A curation of our design ideas and inspirations for houses in Goa, contemporary art and architecture.

 

 

 

 

Posts tagged architecture in goa
Sharing Visions at FOAID and Design Perspective Event in Ahmedabad

On 5th July, I had the opportunity to speak at a wonderful evening event at Ahmedabad, hosted by FOAID India and Design Perspectives India. The event brought together architects and industry leaders for a productive conference. One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to exchange thoughts with the immensely talented Vin Varavarn from Vin Varavarn Architects in Thailand.

 
 

During my talk, I shared the vision of Grounded Goa, our architectural firm that focuses on sustainable design. I explained our design process and gave the audience a look at some of our key projects, especially our Villas in Goa.

At Grounded, we combine rustic and contemporary styles to create buildings that reconnect people with nature and the simple joys of life. Our goal is to bring fresh air, natural light, and a sense of well-being into every home we design. Goa Villas by Grounded is a special part of our firm that builds unique and sustainable houses in Goa. We take care of everything from design to construction, ensuring that each house reflects our commitment to both beauty and sustainability.

Listening to other speakers and engaging with the amazing audience was truly enriching. A big thank you to Hiren Patel, Dipen Gada, and Grid Architects for attending the event, and a special thanks to Shraddha for the invitation. The evening was beautiful, and I walked away having learned so much.

Old wood new life - recycle material

On one of our Villas in Goa sites for Grounded Villas, we faced the need to cut down a few teak trees onsite. Instead of letting this valuable wood go to waste, we saw an opportunity and decided to reuse it creatively.

Working with a local craftsman, Nereus Drego in Goa, we designed the teak into custom-made furniture pieces. The furniture pieces are a long country table for the eat-in kitchen for Toybox, along with two uniquely designed center tables.

These furniture pieces not only stand out for their beautiful design but also hold sentimental value. It's crafted from the very trees that once were a part of the site, creating a lasting connection. It's our little effort to savor the precious resources of the environment and the trees in Goa.

Using natural materials in our interiors aligns with our philosophy of ecological design by blending indoor spaces with nature. One of the center tables is interactive and designed for a family that opens up into small storage for display. The long table in Toybox's kitchen serves as a focal point, as the double-height kitchen space is the heart of the house. Toybox is about to launch soon! Subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about Toybox and our sustainable design practices.

HOUSE WITH THREE PAVILIONS ON THE GRID

The House with Three Pavilions is a sustainable house in Goa, designed and developed by GROUNDED.

The house explores the intimate relationship between the land, its people, water, and the biodiversity that exists in Goa in India. It is designed as a cluster of three pavilions that gently weave around existing trees in an attempt to coexist with nature and to minimize the impact of new construction on virgin land.  

The architecture of the house takes inspiration from the surrounding Goan village houses. Mostly constructed as ground-floor structures, each pavilion attempts to match the volumetrics of its village peers. Throughout, a simple sweeping roof form is used in red terracotta tile that is ubiquitous to the Goan village built-landscape. Proportions are borrowed from doors, windows, and plaster bands of vernacular Goan structures even as a distinct contemporary style is articulated in the design.

With a focus on connection with nature, the materials used in the house are kept subtle and natural. All floors are finished with a natural Indian ‘kota’ stone in a blue-green color that merges with the landscape. Pigmented cement and exposed local ‘laterite’ are used extensively to mirror the rustic countryside character. ‘Teak’ is used for doors and windows to add warmth and rich texture to the interiors. Antique wood columns and stone pedestals are also incorporated to bring a sense of luxury and timelessness throughout.  

The project also prioritises the enhancement of the site’s resources and biodiversity through a comprehensive water-management system which includes a natural seasonal pond connected to a newly planned system of bioswales. This on-site wetland feature harvests rainwater, recharges depleted underground aquifers, and offsets the load on the public drain system. Furthermore, it preserves the pre-existing site habitat. It is a win to see that insects, birds, and animals continue to find the site a safe space even as they come in close contact with the human life around, making this truly a space for all seasons and species.


First Look - A Luxury House for Sale in Idyllic North Goa

We have some much-awaited news!

Grounded will soon be launching 2 new luxury villas for sale in North Goa. Set within beautiful Aldona, the house is surrounded by peaceful green vistas and the rustic charm of the Goan countryside. With expansive living spaces, intimate pockets that look out to the pool, and nearly 3500 sqft of open space, the house seeks to offer seamless indoor-outdoor living. Like all our other residential projects, the villas will be sustainable, architecturally relevant, and closely connected to nature.

To know more about the villas,

 
House with Three Pavilions in LivingEtc Magazine!

It is such a joy to see our project House with Three Pavilions find beautiful space in print and on the cover of Livingetc Magazine’s June 2022 issue. Aptly titled - ‘A Home with A Verandah’, the article draws attention to our countryside Goan house’s tangible connection to nature. It throws light on our tropical modern design approach and celebrates our efforts to create seamless indoor-outdoor spaces that allow our clients to take everyday life outdoors.

Read the published story here.

If you are considering buying a house in Goa, read our blogpost: What to Look For While Buying A House in Goa

To know more about our design process, take a look at: Designing A House in Goa

 
 
Press, House for Sale in GoaRoshini GaneshAnjali Mangalgiri, Architecture, architecture in goa, architecture india, sustainable architecture, House with Three Pavilions, Goa houses, Goa Life, Goa, goa, goa life, house in goa for sale, home in goa, House in Goa, houses in goa, houses in goa for sale, Buying houses in Goa, Goan Houses, Livingetc, Livingetc Magazine, A Home with A Verandah, Verandah, Balcao, Red Balcao, inside outside, Indoor outdoor, indoor outdoor spaces, Earthy Luxury, Barefoot Luxury, Design, Development Goa, design strategies, Design inspiration, environmental planning, ecological site planning, ecological construction, india, India, local landscape, Moving to Goa, North Goa, Outdoor Living, Outdoor living, Goa Properties, Landscape design, Real Estate, real estate goa, Responsive architecture, rainwater harvesting, Real Estate Development, Design Build, Green design, Development in Goa, Sustainability, Site Planning, sustainable design, Sustainable construction, Tropical architecture, tropical homes, Tropical, Tropical Modern, Tropical Architecture, Contemporary Architecture, Contemporary Design, rustic contemporary, vernacular contemporary, Gotta have country homes, Stormwater Goa, Water Management, Villa for sale Goa, vacation home, villa for sale in goa, Living in Goa, living in goa, live with nature, Build with nature, Luxury Home in Goa, Luxury Homes, Luxury Homes for Sale in Goa, Luxury lifestyle, Luxury architecture, Luxury villa, luxury villas for sale in goa, Buying property in Goa, Mindful Living, Soulful Spaces, Modern Living, Home Magazine, Goan homes, Life in Goa, lifestyle in goa, goan life, Goan lifestyle, goan lifestyleComment
5 Design Strategies To Connect The Inside With The Outside

We love creating spaces with an intention to reconnect with nature - spaces that allow ample daylight and maximise natural ventilation, that seamlessly transition from indoor to outdoor and facilitate outdoor living. All of these aspirations can be easily realised using 5 key strategies to connect the inside with the outside.

01. Build around site's existing features, elevations, topography and consider restoring habitats.

Try to retain the site in its natural state as much as possible by limiting building footprint and preserving the existing ecological patterns. Before building, take time to observe natural patterns such as sun and shade, rain and drain, dry and lush areas, etc.

Visit the link to learn more about taking a site positive approach.

02. Design for extensive verandahs and incorporate verandahs as transition spaces to take everyday activities outdoors

Design indoor spaces that are flanked by generous outdoor spaces in the form of verandahs and courtyards. You can read our blogpost about the benefits of incorporating verandahs here.

03. Create large openings that seamlessly connect the indoors with the outdoors

Introduce large openings in between these indoor and outdoor spaces which can be opened up to connect the two spaces to allow them to function as one space.

04. Frame views

The openings should be designed to frame views and focus on key natural elements on the site, such as an existing tree, water feature, rocky outcrop, and/ or the views offered by the site.

Find out more about framing views here.

05 Continue the same material from indoor to outdoor and play with finish and texture to create variance

We like to use the same material in the indoor and outdoor space, once again connecting them visually and making them appear as one continuous space. The finish can be slightly altered from space to space ranging from mirror polished to rough cut as seen in the photograph below.

Find our answers to frequently asked questions about using natural stone here.

Looking back at Navovado

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.