Carnatic Retreat

 REQUIREMENT BRIEF 

Located on the edges of the Nagarhole National park, the riverside plot was already a home to about a 100 coconut trees, meadows of touch-me-knots, custard apple boundaries and marigold shrubs. It was frequented by herons, stags and black panthers. Wanting to hold on to the natural wealth of the land, the idea was to accommodate humble villas suiting the quaint, damp yet breezy weather of the South Indian tropics. Limiting the numbers meant limiting requirement of facilities, ensuring minimum encroachment of the nature. It also meant the design could dwell on the luxury aspect of the facility better, along with engaging with sustainable materials and construction methods to camouflage not just the resultant habitat but also balance the infrastructure towards minimum intrusion to the forest and river surrounding.

 OUTCOME 

The built areas were retained farthest from the river; these included the common reception and restaurant areas as well as the segregated villas and duplex rooms. All rooms were oriented to face the river to the east, a set of villas were equipped with features like a luxury outdoor shower and individual pools. Natural trails led down to elements that could function without distressing the natural surroundings like private dining pergolas, camping tents and spa which are temporary constructions in bamboo and canvas.Though the area allowed for spreading of infrastructure and facilities, conscious efforts were made to leave the riparian corridor along the river untouched, which naturally added to the appeal of the forest to the compound backdrop. The complex is built in natural local random rubble granite and walls in earth, along with strong accents of the Carnatic region making appearance in the form of thatch roofing, reclaimed timber pillars and corbels. The key being sustainability, the complex is designed for net zero- energy and water. This is accomplished by means of PV Solar of equivalent capacity as the requirement (the future planning is in fact to be energy plus, since there is so much free land) and a Soil biotechnology-based sewage treatment plant. This is coupled with segregated waste management, rain water harvesting, passive design for ventilation and cooling, and Zero Budget Natural Farming.