Starting a new series on the blog today on ‘Designing a House in Goa’. Here we will outline some of the ideas and concepts that we have used over and over in projects which we believe are key to achieving the resort-style lifestyle desired and offered by these lovely houses in Goa.

This is a follow up on our previous post on ‘What to Look for when buying a House in Goa’.

First and foremost, create indoor-outdoor spaces that blend seamlessly together. By that we mean:

1. Design indoor spaces that are flanked by generous outdoor spaces in the form of verandahs and courtyards.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Plan openings on at least two walls within a room to allow for easy cross ventilation and try to align the openings to the wind direction on the site.

5. We also like to use the same finish in the indoor and outdoor space, once again connecting them visually and making them appear as one contiguous space.

6. Plan for doors with mosquito nets to keep the bugs and creepy crawlies out. This is a very important element that allows for a comfortable use of a Goan home specially in the evenings and during the monsoon.

Images from Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi

Photograph (above) from Nivim. Photography by Bharath Ramamrutham.

Partner Content : How to Create an Indoor/Outdoor Space That’s Fun and Functional has some great ideas on creating outdoor spaces for different activities. Their post will help you style your outdoor spaces with the right decor, lighting, furniture and much more.

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I was in Bangkok recently and following Pallavi's recommendation, I visited the Jim Thompson House.

Jim Thompson, an American architect who settled in Thailand after the World War II became a very successful silk trader and a celebrity of sorts in Thailand. His house in Bangkok is a collection of 4-5 original Thai wooden homes that he brought from villages and re-reconstructed on the current site in Bangkok.

The wood used to build the houses gives an incredible amount of warmth to the interior spaces. Walking on teak wood planks on the floor feel like walking on silk. 

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The landscape was the part that was most fascinating to me. In his original plan, he had planned for multiple courtyards, forecourts as well as a forest. There were lily ponds flanking the entrance courtyard which led to the forest, a tropical forest with meandering path ways and a little hidden pond with a tiny fountain. I loved the meditative quality of the forest space the most. I loved the treasures tucked away, where you could hear the water but not see the pond until you arrived right in front of it. At every corner, there was something new to admire, a new type of flower, a new fragrance coming from somewhere, a stone antique or a partial view of the house or another courtyard. 

The art of architecture, when done right can engage all the senses at once. A prime example of space bringing happiness...

For Singapore Design Week, I joined a group of design lovers to tour design significant buildings in Singapore. 

I was bowled over when I walked into 145 Neil Road, a traditional Peranakan shophouse that has been refurbished into a contemporary sequence of spaces dotted with traditional elements, rustic finishes, exposed concrete, large sliding doors with clear glass and light-filled courtyards. Great inspiration for our forthcoming projects!

Source for images: Spoonful of Home Design 

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Remembering a gorgeous Goan day spent at Nivim, our first project, with the sunlight filtered through trees, the chirping of birds, cool blue water of the pool and moonlight and stars at night...

Rass hotel is a boutique hotel located in the heart of the historic center of Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The new hotel is built within three existing heritage buildings that have been carefully restored. The real beauty of the place is to be found in the 3 new buildings have been added to the complex. The new addition 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 and historic preservation. The new buildings are carefully sited and sized such that they become a part of the historic buildings and landscape. 

Existing Site plan with three original heritage buildings.

New site plan for Raas hotel with new buildings added into heritage compound.

In order to blend the old with the new, the designers have used local red sandstone as the dominant exterior material. The real nuance in design lies in the manipulation of the material into screens that evoke the traditional 'jaali' but are fiercely contemporary in pattern and the way they fold out of the way to enhance transparency, frame views and create indoor-outdoor spaces. 

We love everything about this space and architecture, and want more of the same !

Designed by Lotus Praxis Initiative. Watch architect Ambrish Arora’s presentation on the design for Raas.

Link to Raas Hotel Website.

Raas Hotel won the award for Best Holiday Building at the World Architecture Festival 2011.

Most images courtesy of Designboom.

Amangiri, 'peaceful mountain' is located in Canyon Point in Southern Utah in the United States. The resort is surrounded by a dramatically surreal landscape of a desert. We love and drool over the minimal architecture in the monochrome palette with straight clean lines that frame the rugged and barren surrounding landscape.

We love the strength and confidence in design where embellishments are unnecessary and the landscape is at the center stage. We are in awe with the drama where the building is unapologetically modern in style but fits right into the landscape, where the building and landscape take turns in being the object and backdrop, the view and the frame.

Images courtesy of Amanresorts.

Utsav House in Maharashtra in India is yet another beauty from Studio Mumbai led by the very talented Bijoy Jain.

It is actually one of my favorite Bijoy Jain creations. I love the scale of the house, the bare walls against the expert wood carpentry and brass hardware. I love the way the walls continue to become the floor finish. There is a quiet and subtle beauty in the thought and precision in execution that elevates this building above the usual and prolific construction that we have become accustomed to. Kudos to him once again ...

All Images courtesy of Archdaily.

Elsewhere is a gorgeous down-to-earth resort in Goa with history that dates back to 1886. It is a located on a thin stretch of land adjoining the Arabian Sea. Defining true barefoot luxury, this is the resort Brad and Angelina have rumored to call home during their visit to Goa.

Elsewhere has 4 old houses on the beach that have been lovingly restored and the result appears breathtaking. Retaining the names of their historical use, they are referred to as the Captain's House, the Piggery, the Bakery and the Priest's House.

We love the simplicity of the architecture and the renovations. We love how the houses are simply a medium for users to experience the surrounding landscape which has been left largely untouched. We can imagine some beautiful breezy mornings and starlit nights in these homes.

The Captain's House

The Priest's House

All images are used with full permission, courtesy of the Elsewhere website.

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GOPIXPIC

Herzog & de Mueron is a Swiss contemporary architecture firm, one of the best in the world according to me. They have been hired to design the Kolkata Museum of Modern Art which is a very exciting prospect for all of us design lovers in India. I heard them speak some time back and one project in particular caught my attention and imagination.

It is one of their lesser known works, the Dominus Winery Estate in Sonoma, California. I love the contemporary design aesthetic, the simple building form, use of natural material, the play of light in the interiors and the building’s ability to blend into the surrounding landscape.

I specially love the elegance of clean straight lines and linear geometry that reveals textures and fine details when inspected up close.

All images via Dominus Estate (First image via Travelmodus).

Here is a video of what it feels like to spend a day at Nivim as the light changes from morning to evening.

Goa TL Full Compressed 03 from Anjali Mangalgiri on Vimeo.