Casa B | Shobhan Kothari

Sunny Side Up
Fluctuating scales, transforming spectrums of light & a color palette that dictates vitality &
warmth. Casa B, an Alibag Getaway home designed by KDND STUDIO LLP is what tangible
bliss is made of.
With a context eluded of the boisterousness of their Mumbai lifestyle, the client’s family
entrusted the design firm with the genesis of an abode that would be an equivalent of
that of a ‘Second Home’ set in the plush fringes of Alibag.
Roughly a 2 Acre site interspersed with scattered palm vegetation & a monumental
mango tree, set the stage for the design premise of Casa B. A sense of intrigue builds as
one navigates the driveway & is welcomed by the built form soaked in a sunny hue of
yellow entwined with the element of green foliage. The built structure plays a hide &
seek of sorts as its façade harbors capacious spaces indoors while simultaneously
projecting a minimalistic exterior.
The task at hand was to design a form that would be inconspicuous to the public eye to
generate privacy whilst consisting of a series of seamless spaces at an internal microlevel
of design. “An integrated space such as this emerged by the conception of forms that
amplified a horizontal axial development, responded to the local climate & that developed to be
intrinsically synonymous with the client’s lifestyle sensibilities.”, shares Shobhan.
A two-year period of construction went into creating this ensemble of 14,000 sq. ft of a
space which is a concoction of stark architectural & rejuvenated nuances. The project’s
vital internal zoning has been based on the activity parameters & engagement of the
inhabitants with the nooks of the home. The physical zoning may be visualized as three
horizontal ‘bars’ of activity zones placed in an array to suggest three distinct sections of
functional needs & movement. The entry into the plethora of spaces is via a cascading
set of steps that open up into an elaborate arrival plaza replete with tropical strains.
The Northern Block houses the public functions of the design scheme. The spaces
designed are aimed at creating stimulating interactions amidst the family members as
they revel in the structural setup & the amenities curated therein. Functions like that of
a splendid Living & Dining Area, plush Seating Deck & a Games Room are
schematically arranged along the ground level of the block. A Metal Tin spiral staircase
gyrates its way up to a private Terrace Cum Seating space on the first floor level of the
Northern unit & provides generous views of the Central Pool stretch below.
The Central Courtyard zone housing the linear pool is the ‘nucleus’ of the home.
Flanked on either end with Changing Room units, the Kitchen section & a quaint Lily
Pond, this central section of the form acts as the spine of the design layout. The collage
of recreational activities with the core function of that of a Kitchen collated with
engaging softscape allows the family to gravitate towards one another’s presence.
The Southern Block is a G+1 unit which is constituted of the private sections of the
residence in the form of Bedroom spaces & some auxiliary recreational zones. The
ground floor consists of the Guest Room, an Entertainment Room that spills into a lush
Verandah setup, A Pooja Room & a connective staircase that facilitates vertical
movement to the first floor. The first floor is an amalgamation of 4 ensuite Bedroom
units with the addition of an intimate Family Lounge & is essentially the most private
section of the design framework. Each Bedroom has been curated in aspects of furniture
sourced primarily from China, upholstery, art & ornamentation to breathe distinct
character in it whilst maintaining a unifying ‘Tropical Modernism’ theme throughout.
There is an uninterrupted dialogue of linked spaces through the skeleton of the house
that breaks the confines of an inside-outside segregation & transcends the stereotypical
norms of space interplay. The entire framework of the built form is strung into a
harmonious interplay of dramatic sciography, color schemes, changing daylight
patterns, ventilation & volumetric disposition of spaces. Connective Pergolas, Water
Bodies & offset spaces grace the home’s spread & weave an ambience that leaves one
transported. Transparent & non-enclosed attributes of spaces indoors take precedence
in the design layout of the interior & exterior matrix.
With Alibag’s weather conditions that operate in extremes of heat & rainfall
subjectivity, a materiality that was durable & simultaneously aesthetic became
imperative in order to strengthen the project’s sense of identity & timelessness. Polymer
Plastered exteriors in yellow, river washed Kadapa stone in black utilized in varied size
ranges find applications through the expanse of the nooks. Stained Black Oak has been
utilized to create paneled doors which further add an umber tone to the interior
scheme.
“We needed a place that would be the idealistic escape from the drudgery of everyday life in the
city & Shobhan along with his team has given our family’s needs an immaculate form. It’s our
‘oasis’ of love & wellbeing!”, says the beaming client.
The Architect further adds, “Casa B has been the quintessential romance of composite layouts
of spaces bound together by a unanimous sensibility of aesthetic, function & concepts. The spaces
have been stitched together to create a homogenous fabric of sensible design that radiates
refreshment & ease. Essentially, a home away from home.”
This residence has come to embody the image of a getaway abode which tends to its
users emotional & physical facets of rejuvenation with its alchemy of ‘feel good’ niches
layered with tactile factors, that function in synchrony allowing one to spend days
indulging in the embrace of architectural finesse.