The House Cast in Liquid Stone

By Francesco Pagliari - 27 March 2014

In the Indian state of Maharashtra, a refined and elegant holiday home seems to rise like a gemmation from the rocky outcrop on which it sits overlooking the valley below. Rugged materials - a mix of smoothed reinforced concrete and granular basalt - are a key feature of the programme, turning the building into another “natural” feature of the basalt stone landscape, a cast version of existing natural forms. In addition, the thermal inertia of the unrendered reinforced concrete makes the house perfectly adapted to the region’s extreme climate: monsoons from March to July, with the subsequent explosion of luxuriant vegetation, followed by oppressive summer heat. The materiality of the construction is further reinforced by the contrast between the concrete structure and the natural black stone floors and staircase leading to a roof terrace bordered with a dark mosaic pattern.
The building develops horizontally. The main floor is given over to a living area and night zone with en suite bedrooms. The lower floor, discretely separated from the main section by several flights of stairs, contains the guest quarters. Light and air are key features of this holiday villa designed as a combination of open and covered spaces. The different areas are marked out by different floor textures and patterning: large polished slabs for the covered areas, and rough small mosaic for open spaces. Visual and physical permeability in the communal area underpins the whole architectural concept. The conversation area is aptly placed at the centre of the main floor, its function clearly signposted by comfortable timber furnishings and flooring.
The building plan orients every environment towards the valley and hills beyond. Tall fair-face-concrete sidewalls project the eye towards the infinite, a concept dramatically reinforced by an infinity pool that seems to drop off the edge of the cliff. This is pleasingly contrasted by a sense of solidity, brought home by...