• YEAR : 2019
  • LOCATION : Uttarakhand, India
  • CATEGORY : Residential

Himalayan Mountain Retreat

The Mountain Home is located in a serene little village cocooned in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. At 2300m above sea level, between Nainital and Mukteshwar, the site of the Mountain Home is surrounded by miles of dense jungles, orchards and pine trees. Its steep 1:3 slopes, terraces down towards a majestic view of the Himalayas.

 

Extrusion

A boomerang shaped structure hugs the contour on the upper level. One guest room faces the view of a nearby reserved forest. A second guest room settles in the middle of a pear and peach orchard. Because each location is very different, each structure behaves and responds very differently.

The walls are built as if they are extruded out of the earth. Sometimes they are actually built into the earth. They emphasise on the solidity and massiveness of the wall compositions. The walls stop abruptly at the lintel level, as in a found ruin, to then receive a sweeping steel and timber roof.

 

Scenography

The approach of the site is from the top of the land. A pathway takes you down into a courtyard formed by the boomerang house and the slope of the hill. At the portico, the view of the mountain range suddenly gets revealed. Here one can choose to take a right turn to the common living room, to the left to one of the bedrooms, or ahead towards a long verandah and deck.

After the lawn, a long staircase takes you down to then curve back toward the forest pavilion. Even further down the path, it makes a sudden right turn following a staircase. This disappears into the darkness of a green covered roof. Hereafter it reappears on front of the orchard pavilion facing the Nanda Devi Peak.

The ensemble of structures act as an extensive photographic device, capturing the constantly changing dynamics of the Himalayan mountainscape.

Project Data

Project Name

Himalayan Mountain Retreat

Year

2021

Themes

Sustainability, Context, Green Roof, Solar Energy, Typology

Status

Completed

Size

2 x 400 sq.m.

Program

Mountain retreat

Himalayan Mountain Home aerial

The site is located along the slopes of Uttarakhand, opening up to the view of the Himalayas.

Himalayan Mountain Home verandah
Himalayan Mountain Home roof edge
Himalayan Mountain Home curved roof

A light horizontal timber roof plane that coveres this terrain emphasises the panoramic scenery of the Himalayas.

Himalayan Mountain Home green roof

The stone elements of the house seem to be an extension of the terracing of the agricultural terrain.

Himalayan Mountain Home fireplace
Himalayan Mountain Home curved roof
Himalayan Mountain Home glass pavilion

The orchard pavilion is a glass pavilion that can soak up the winter sun. A large extended roof protects it from rain and wind.

Drawings
Architecture BRIO Himalayan-Mountain-Retreat_Mukteshwar Uttarakhand India Plans

Plans

Section AA

Section BB

Section CC

The roof slopes down towards the view. The low roof on the front side emphasises the panoramic experience of the mountains. Additionally it allows the much welcome low winter sun to enter the interiors from the southern celestial window.

Floor Plan of Himalayan Mountain Retreat in Mukteshwar

Overall plan

Mountain home aerial view Uttarakhand

Under Construction Process

mountain home - stone wall sample Uttarakhand

The house is built in stone masonry, with local stone quarried from the site itself.

wall stone samples Himalayan Mountain Retreat in Mukteshwar

Samples made to scale, served to communicate and evaluate the desired aesthetic of the walls

mountain home under construction Uttarakhand

A stone carved staircase leads down into the arrival portico.

sample of pine beam mountain home Uttarakhand

Mockup of a beam in Himalayan Pine.

bedroom corner cantilevered steel beam mountain home Uttarakhand

This is achieved using cantilevered steel beams that allow the room to enjoy the view.

mountain home under construction Uttarakhand

Shuttering for the green roof in progress.