The Mandwa Resort is envisioned as a three-dimensionally embossed landscape. It is an architecture of enclosure, where walls define exterior spaces accommodating the existing vegetation. A newly introduced landscape, consisting of creepers, vines and mosses overtakes large surfaces of walls. Decorative and productive gardens will cover the roofscape. Branches of vines droop down from the roofs into the courtyards. Not unlike the city of Angkor Wat, the vegetation eventually takes over and becomes the structuring element. Architecture and nature are intertwined.

Retreat

The wellness resort is an escape from the chaos and extreme proximity of people in the city of Mumbai. Guests retreat in private domains of nature that are completely private and introvert, undisturbed by other resort guests. The resort is therefore divided into multiple courtyards. They are either completely of a private nature, or of a public nature in various gradations. The landscape design of the gardens feel personal and private. Guests are able to move into smaller breakout areas to continue with their wellness treatments.

These courtyards connect in multiple ways. They build up an experiential sequence of spaces. A journey through the resort instigates guests to discover and experience the multiple aspects of the resort, not much different from how one would visit a nature park.

Experiential Journey

Using the diversity in landscape of the site to its advantage, a series of courtyards, are characterised by the assortment of vegetation. The guests are taken through an experiential journey: First from a dense coconut grove to the natural cliff. Then from lush lawns to a majestic banyan tree surrounded by lush bamboo plantations. Meandering paths through this dense vegetation give the guest much room for exploration. Eventually  they reach the last courtyard with serene water bodies overlooking the paddy fields. Another path climbs up via a step lined courtyard to the pool level. Here one can enjoy a swim with the backdrop of the skyline of Mumbai.

The private courtyards are an escape to a more intimate space; with ivy spread across the compressed earth walls, and water bodies reflecting the sky in its surface. Floor to ceiling sliding doors in the rooms make it appear as if the spaces extend into the natural environment.

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Roof Plan

Lower Level Plan

Pool deck overlooking the Mumbai Bay

the Roofscape is a vegetated, productive landscape

The bedrooms overlook a private lushly vegetated courtyard

the suites open up with large sliding partitions to a garden and waterbody.

The bedrooms overlook a private lushly vegetated courtyard