Rustic Charm

By Marina Correa

Photography: Courtesy the architect

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With distant views of mountains on one side and the sea on the other, this single-storied weekend home in Kashid, Maharashtra is serenely nestled amidst greens on a one-acre plot…

The home is categorically simplistic yet paradoxical. A simple L-shaped plan separates the public and private spaces with the community area comprising the living, dining and kitchen while the bedrooms and bathrooms are housed in the perpendicular wing.

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“The distinct articulation of public and private spaces is formally expressed architectonically through the massing, fenestrations and materials,” informs Quaid Doongerwala, principal architect, DCOOP, who has designed the home, juxtaposing subtle and not-so-subtle contradictions.

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While the public block is expressed as an exposed stone surface with teakwood windows, the private areas are contrastingly block-painted in bold colours. While the public wing comes across like a pavilion-like space spanned by a large pitched roof, where the living and dining areas open out into the landscape along two parallel long edges; the private block has a solidity, which is relieved by carefully articulated fenestrations that allows controlled light inside. Similarly, use of basic materials such as Kota stone combined with Ita Gold sandstone for the flooring creates distinct spatial divisions.

In terms of challenges, maintaining quality construction while interacting with multiple local teams and sensitively addressing the site and climate were areas he had to constantly keep an eye out for.

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From the divisions of the doors to the pattern of the flooring, each decision has been deliberated such that it coincides with the bigger concept – that of creating a living space that is at repose with an understated identity of its own.

The essence of the house lies in its earthy and casual appeal.