GHARANA RETREAT

This house in Koba, Gujarat, built in the commemoration of Late Shri Nandan Mehta, celebrates his simpleton lifestyle. The concept of the sense of incompleteness demonstrated by a structure like a vault allows the nature around it to seep in exhibiting the infinitude of nature. It utilizes the age-old building technique of brick tile vaulting along with CSEB for walls obtained from the site soil. The building has a connection to nature at regular intervals during its circulation throughout, with happening spaces like a central kund with double volume to allow skylight and ventilation, a bow window seating again acting as a "bethak" for musical nights and a bridge with a closed space for displaying instruments passed down to them through generations and a library. This bridge connects to the auditorium on the opposite side that is dug below a funicular structure with an amphitheatre made on its roof garden facing the residence which seamlessly merges with the landscape. Househelp's residence is also built near the kitchen garden of the house to maintain organic farming.