In-built seats are one of my favorite features to design across projects. In-built seats truly capture the ‘sussegad’ spirit of Goa, where afternoons are meant for relaxing in shaded verandahs, napping in the afternoon breeze and enjoying the company of friends and music in the evenings!

In-built seats offer transition spaces for indoor and outdoor living. These are all interpretations of the traditional ‘balcao’ that is so integral to Goan architecture and is seen present in the old Portuguese houses in Goa. The ‘balcao’ emphasizes the importance of enjoying nature and the good life. The images are examples of in-built seats across our projects.

Photography: Sanjeet Wahi

Balcao from front entrance at House of Three Pavilions

Outdoor seating at the House of Three Pavilions

References of traditional balcao

Outdoor seating at the House of Three Pavilions

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I was invited by India Today Home to create a Masterclass for their readers during this lockdown. I recorded a session detailing how one can adapt the principles of Japanese Minimalism in the design of one’s home.

I chose two real-life examples by two contemporary architects I admire- Bijoy Jain and Kengo Kuma- to demonstrate how this has been achieved in their projects. Watch the video here, that has been reposted from India Today Home. This was something I really enjoyed making. 

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We work hard to keep our buildings simple and our focus is on creating exemplary indoor-outdoor spaces that blend seamlessly together. We do this through carefully placed openings/ fenestrations that frame views and focus on the surrounding nature. 

Images from Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi

Images from Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi

Images from Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi

Image from our ongoing project House with Three Pavilions.

Image from our ongoing project House with Three Pavilions.

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With the goal to reconnect with nature, each element in our homes is designed to be harmonious with nature. When it comes to external paving, we tend to maximize permeable paving rather than creating a non-pervious concrete surface. This typology allows the rain water runoff from the site to be absorbed back into the ground hence allowing the underground aquifers to recharge and reducing the storm water run off from the site that burdens the municipal drainage system (when they exist) and flooding of low lying areas (when they don’t).

Verandah at Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Front Elevation at House of Three Pavilions. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Landscaping is an important aspect of the design process at Grounded. We usually populate the landscape with native local species to reduce water use for irrigation. Our landscape design aims to blur the lines between the two textures- the verandah flooring, the green cover, and the soil. We pick local species that can co-exist and help give the landscape a naturally verdant look, rather than an unnatural manicured one. 

Image of ongoing project House with Three Pavilions. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Image of Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Image of Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Image of Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Image of Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Image of Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

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Bathroom at Neemrana Fort Palace. Photography by Anjali Mangalgiri.

The first picture is of the famous ‘Loo With a view' at the Neemrana Fort Palace. Some 25 years back, I had interned with an architect on a design job at the Neemrana Fort Palace. Along with the gorgeousness of the palace hotel, the super attention to every detail in design, construction and finishes, the 'loo with the view' left a deep impression on my mind. It illustrates the fun in architecture and represents the luxury of living away from the swarming crowds and making everyday moments grander, exciting, liberating and inspiring. The second and third picture is from Navovado and the fourth is the view from the bathroom at our ongoing project House with Three Pavilions.

The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

An ongoing project in House with Three Pavilions. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

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Bathroom at Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

Bathrooms are such a neglected subject in the design-build process. To view this space as a sanctuary, a place to retreat to after the chaos of the workday has passed, that has been the inspiration behind designing the bathrooms in all our projects. The above image is a bathroom from Nivim with sunlight pouring in.

A powder room in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

A guest bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Navovado. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

The master bathroom in Nivim. Photography by Sanjeet Wahi.

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What does it mean to incorporate nature within our built-in environment? What does it mean to reconnect architecture with nature? What are the benefits and how does it impact our lives? 
Tune in today to hear Founder and Principal Architect, Anjali Mangalgiri at Grounded, an award-winning architecture and development firm based in India and Singapore talk about the power of reconnecting architecture and nature.

Listen to "Reconnecting Architecture with Nature w/ Anjali Mangalgiri" on Spreaker.

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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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IMAGE OF MY SEED COLLECTION

Last week, I was interviewed by Priscille H Joseph on her podcast 'Design Talks'. She asked me what I mean when I say 'reconnect with nature'.  I have thought about it, and more than anything 'reconnecting with nature' is about a mindset. We are constantly surrounded by the wonders of nature, 'a reconnection' is possible by simply being in tune with nature and its cycles, and to begin to observe and attach value to nature's wonders that surround us.

I enjoy observing nature closely. I personally have a special fondness for 'seeds'.  I have become somewhat of a part-time seeds collector. I’ve gleaned quite a collection of seeds from my walks and travels, and they are peppered around my apartment. This is an obsession of sorts and I really enjoy admiring their unique forms. 

Seeds come in many shapes and sizes. The primary objective of seeds is to disperse and propagate life. The size, shape, color and smell are all reverse engineered from their method of propagation. Some seeds have the ability to take flight, like the Dandelion and Maple Helicopter Seeds. Others are colorful to attract birds and some have a strong scent to attract large mammals. I am fascinated by this diversity. And more than anything, I am fascinated by the complexity of shape and structure that these seeds present. No person's imagery can do better justice to these wondrous creations than photographer, Mary Jo Hoffman and her Still Blog. I am adding some images below, breath them in....

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