• YEAR : 2022
  • LOCATION : Alibaug, India
  • CATEGORY : Residential

Plantation Retreat in Alibag

Building a large house on a sea facing hillside in Mumbai is both exciting and daunting. On one hand the prospect of a panoramic ocean view is thrilling. On the other hand it undoubtedly adds to the growing clutter of self important villas in these, what not so long ago were uninhabited, natural, landscapes.

Rather than fighting its presence however, the The Ray villa in Alibag emphasises on the profile of the built from. It is not much unlike the Portuguese chapels scattered around the rolling hills of nearby coastal Goa. These chapels in their pure white brilliance do not shy away from their existence with their characteristic axial orientation and dominant silhouette. Similarly, this retreat attempts to lend a comfortable scale to it’s surrounding landscape.

 

Silhouette

Two staggered linear pavilion-like structures, directed towards the view, define the character of the house. The pavilions are made of white “Dhrangadhra” limestone walls. White painted timber shutters shade the deep recessed steel framed windows. They are strong manifestations that act as long spatial telescopes, bringing the distant sea views seemingly closer by.

 

Settling

The house finds alternative ways to settle in the landscape. Half of the rooms are buried inside a solid “hook” shaped stone plinth. This stone base acts as a retaining wall. At the same time it supports a vegetated green roof terrace. At the lower level it forms a semi open courtyard. This orients towards the view and provides a sense of protection. Interstitial landscape elements such as a series of stepped down plinths and platforms reverberate the architectural intervention down along the slope. A curved infinity pool wraps around the covered outdoor lounge and living spaces. The sinuous lines echoes the shoreline a few kilometres away.

Project Data

Project Name

The Ray Villa in Alibag

Year

2017

Themes

Sustainability, Context, Solar Energy, Typology

Status

Completed

Design Team

Size

1800 sq.m.

Program

Plantation retreat

The Ray peeking between the tree tops
Animated Sectional Plans of Plantation Retreat Alibaug

Plans

Section Drawing AA of Plantation Retreat Alibaug

AA Section

Section Drawing CC of Plantation Retreat Alibaug

CC Section

Section Drawing BB of Plantation Retreat Alibaug

BB Section

Animated GIF Phyisical Model of Plantation Retreat alibaug

Model

The arrival leads to a blank entrance facade. The doorway reveals only a glimpse of what is beyond.

The Ray Villa Living Room
The Ray Villa Staircase
large boulder on the edge of infinity pool
courtyard with frangipani tree
Plantation Retreat with city view and view of Mumbai Bay
The Ray Villa white pavilion
plunge pool with waterslide in tropical garden
The Ray Villa Courtyard
white washed kitchen cabinets with white pigmented cement
wooden bench with basalt wash basin in bathroom
master bathroom with freestanding bath tub and pebble floor
view framed by cave-like stone window frame

Shot for Architectural Digest India by Ashish Sahi, Styling by Samir Wadekar

infinity pool with view of Mumbai city and bay in alibag