It is such a joy to see our project House with Three Pavilions find beautiful space in print and on the cover of Livingetc Magazine’s June 2022 issue. Aptly titled - ‘A Home with A Verandah’, the article draws attention to our countryside Goan house’s tangible connection to nature. It throws light on our tropical modern design approach and celebrates our efforts to create seamless indoor-outdoor spaces that allow our clients to take everyday life outdoors.

Read the published story here.

If you are considering buying a house in Goa, read our blogpost: What to Look For While Buying A House in Goa

To know more about our design process, take a look at: Designing A House in Goa

Photograph of Nivim, by Bharath Ramamrutham

The opportunity to build on a contoured site can be both a challenge and a blessing. Even as it requires unique structural solutions, a contoured plot of land offers great design advantages. The sloping site automatically facilitates unobstructed views. It allows the building envelope to feel like a private sanctuary because there is no close visual connection with other neighbouring buildings beneath or above. The rolling site terrain also allows the architecture to cascade, creating multiple distinct ways of experiencing the space and its surroundings. For our houses in Goa, we use the following principles to build on terraced sites sensitively and sustainably.

• When we build on a contoured site, we refrain from cutting or filling excessively. As a principle, the land topography is retained as much as possible.

• Every contoured site speaks a unique story. The soil, water and vegetation indicate how the site fits into the regional topography. The natural paths created indicate how water flows through the site from higher to lower contours. While designing, we like to take a site positive approach and make minimum alterations to these existing natural systems. This ensures that we are not tampering with the natural water flows within the site, hence avoiding any unexpected flooding during the abundant monsoon in Goa.⠀

• We also like to keep the site land around these water channels permeable without any cement cover. The natural paving ensures that there is a simple but high functioning rain water harvesting system where water is allowed to percolate into the ground and does not flow down and away from the site, preventing any water deficits in the future.

• One of our first steps on any site is to understand everything there is to know about the greenery. The kind of vegetation usually indicates where the water collects on site and shows the different kinds of life forms within the site. It helps in developing a cohesive ecological response strategy while designing.

• Understanding the vegetation also helps us design and build with nature. Unlike flat sites, where one would typically only see the base or trunk of a tree from ground level, a contoured site allows one to interact with the dense foliage of a tree on a higher level and the woody bark of another tree on a lower level simultaneously. We try to find these vistas to celebrate and curate through architecture.

• We look for terrain and topo sheets to place the site inside its regional context. Most of these sheets are easy to access, available online, and are often on university websites. Once we have an initial understanding of the levels, we model the site in 3D using software such as Google Earth, SketchUp, and Rhino. Most of these software also allow us to geo-locate our contoured plot to check for accuracy.

• While proposing a design, we usually look at a maximum of a 1m level difference from one space to another. This is done to avoid cutting and filling as much as possible and to move with the land terrain.⠀

• We love to use a material palette that is either sourced locally or naturally and build using local construction techniques. We take cues from the surrounding sites and buildings around us to identify the most effective and least intrusive construction methods for every piece of land we build on.

Practicing these simple steps helps us to build sustainably and design houses that are gentle on the land they stand on. To know more about the methods, tips, tricks and processes we follow while designing, visit our blog series, Designing A House In Goa.

In this IG Live, I speak to Dr Pallavi Latkar, the technical brains behind the ecological site planning at our project, The House with Three Pavilions . Pallavi is an ecological expert, she is the Founder and Director at GRASSROOTS Research & Consultancy in Mumbai. Over the Live session, Pallavi and I discuss the extensive rain water harvesting system we have created at The House with Three Pavilions. For this site with many contours and topographical variations in Goa, this monsoon ready water management has been a great way of rainwater harvesting and distribution to recharge the underground water table. Over the course of our conversation, we get into the details behind the site planning and construction, discussing the key techniques we have employed. We also speak about the benefits of conserving natural water systems and debunk myths around the maintenance of these systems.

Here are some additional takeaways from the session:

• Every site has a story to tell - the story of its soil, water, and vegetation. Listen to the story - smell, see, touch and feel its elements.

• Our sights have many hidden clues in plain sight - within the trees, plants,and shrubbery. FOr example:

  • A Mango Tree with a dense canopy tells us the site has a good water table.

  • The presence of wild Colocassia indicates the spot where water will stand and collect in the monsoons.

  • Moringa and Neem Trees are native trees that are most beloved by birds.

  • ‘Shankasur’ or Cesalphinia is a favourite haven for bulbuls.

  • Fish-tail Palms will attract Barbets, Coppersmiths, and Hornbills.

• Young architects who do not have access to an environmental consultant can start off by using free and universal tools such as:.

  • Google Earth Imagery from which contour levels of the site can be approximately extracted. 

  • Toposheets of India can be found online - it may require some searching on websites of Landscape Universities worldwide. 

  • Rainfall data and history are available online at various sites including The Meteorological Department website to ascertain the precipitation on your site.

  • The website of The Irrigation Department of India which gives the specifics about soil in every region. 

  • Software like Google SketchUp, Revit and Grasshopper which allow you to geo-locate and model the site and surroundings in 3D which will help you visualize the terrain.  

Geoffrey Bawa is an unforgettable and continuous inspiration to most architects. There is an intangible relationship with nature that is so beautifully established. To see our inspiration translate into our work - in design, in spatial character, in connection and reverence towards nature - finding new meaning in every site we build on, feels wonderful and magical.

As we look back on our projects, it feels great to see many of our spaces carrying the sensibilities and sensitivites that Bawa inspired throughout his practice. The following set of images puts our project photos alongside some expertly crafted spaces byt the tropical wizard. It is our ode to the master architect, a reflection of the small but diverse ways in which he has touched our design thinking and building values.

The Balcao Connection

The interesting architectural connection between Goa and Sri Lanka is visibly articulated in elements such as inbuilt seats. The first picture is a site picture of a porch at our project, The House With Three Pavilions. The Goan Balcaos face each other, framing the entrance to the home pavilion. The second photograph is from Bawa's Lunuganga garden, with the in built seats looking out into the surrounding greenscape.

Windows for trees.

There is always time to frame a view. Vistas of green, however small bring a sense of freshness and colour into any space. The first picture is from our project Navovado, as the building volume is punctuated by foliage and fenestration. The second photograph is from Bawa's Garden, the bark of a tree framed through the small verandah window.

Seats built in to live with nature⠀

The first picture is of an insitu seat built next to the champa tree, watching the coconut plantations beyond on site at The House With Three Pavilions. The second photograph is from Bawa's estate, with an in built seat, finished with a wooden railing back, set in the enclosed gazebo to immerse oneself into the sights and sounds of nature around.⠀

A Hidden Pool⠀

The first picture is of a terrace pool overlooking the trees and the hills at our project Nivim. The second photograph is from Geoffrey Bawa's House for Dr Bartholomeusz, with the pool quietly tucked into the indoor-outdoor courtyard.

Finding Bawa ~ The Stairway Composition⠀
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The first two pictures are from our project Navovado, looking at the stairway as it adds sculptural value and the play of different levels to one end of the living room. The second photograph is from Bawa's Bentota house, looking at his minimal, yet artistic stairway composition.⠀

Read Part I of Finding Bawa here.

Geoffrey Bawa is an unforgettable and continuous inspiration to most architects. There is an intangible relationship with nature that is so beautifully established. To see our inspiration translate into our work - in design, in spatial character, in connection and reverence towards nature - finding new meaning in every site we build on, feels wonderful and magical.

As we look back on our projects, it feels great to see many of our spaces carrying the sensibilities and sensitivites that Bawa inspired throughout his practice. The following set of images puts our project photos alongside some expertly crafted spaces by the tropical wizard. It is our ode to the master architect, a reflection of the small but diverse ways in which he has touched our design thinking and building values.

Building with nature

Watching these two pictures side by side leaves us with a sense of achievement and happiness. The first picture is from our project, The House with Three Pavilions in Goa. The second picture is from Ena De Silva's house, built by the master Geoffrey Bawa.

Verandahs celebrating the trees of the land
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The first picture is from our project Navovado, looking at the old mango tree preserved during construction on site for this vacation house in Goa. The second photograph is from Bawa's Lunuganga estate, framing the magnificent tree by the lake.⠀⠀

Making greenery part of the building elevation
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The first picture is from our project Navovado, as boundaries are blurred between the house and its landscape. The second photograph is from Bawa's Lunuganga country estate, picturing the house among the greenery perceived from the lawn.

A Place in The Shade⠀
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The first picture is from our project The House With Three Pavilions, as the semi open corridor faces the internal courtyard on one side, touching it with an in situ seat and transitioning into different rooms on the other sides, each celebrating different views. The second photograph is from Bawa's estate, as the corridor behaves like a verandah even as it connects the indoor spaces from side to side. ⠀

A Welcoming Wilderness⠀
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The first picture frames the entrance to a pavilion at The House With Three Pavilions, brought alive with the growth of native plant species. The second photograph is from Bawa's Lunuganga garden, with the entrance pathway bordered by the lush wildscape on one side. ⠀

Read Part II of Finding Bawa here.

To the jaded, the mention of green buildings implies a marketing gimmick, and to an idealist, it conjures images of buildings built with mud and bamboo with compostable toilets. Invoking a strong response either ways, we recently concluded a Q&A session on Green Buildings on Instagram. The session had over 300-people join over the course of a 30-minute session. 

The first question that we tackled was, ‘What is a Green Building’? My answer, ‘A green building is one where you’re trying to reduce the impact of the building on the environment.’ It is about making the right choices at every stage of the project, with the ultimate goal to minimise one’s footprint on the environment. To make a building green, the architect must treat the environment as a key design criteria from the first step of the design process right until the occupancy stage. 

It is our commitment to build sustainably and we green certify all our houses in Goa. Our first home, Nivim was the first green certified residence in Goa. It received a gold-level certification and our project Navovado has recently been awarded the platinum-level certification by the Indian Green Building Council. Platinum being the highest level available in the ranking system.

While a building can absolutely be green without a certificate, a green certification is a great way to stay accountable to oneself throughout the design and construction process. It provides the involved professionals with a detailed list of checks and balances with specifications and design criteria that need to be considered and incorporated at every stage of the design and construction process.

In India, TERI (home-grown) and IGBC (offshoot of USGBC) are the primary agencies that issue green certifications. Both these organisations use a credit based system for the evaluation of green building design and performance. The credits fall under the following categories: Site Planning, Water Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Indoor Air Quality, and Materials among others. Throughout the process, extensive documentation with detailed calculations are required which is then reviewed and tested by the certification body on site. While the system is elaborate, it proves effective as a way to stay true to one’s goals of sustainability. However, it is important for architects to avoid incorporating design elements or features, just for the sake of securing points and focus instead on strategies that are feasible for that specific project life cycle and use.

Demystifying Green Building

I would like to cut through the clutter on this topic. Specially as I would like to demystify the concept and express that green building design is not necessarily a specialized science, nor is it forbiddingly technical where only certain qualified professionals can build green buildings. On the contrary, it is my strong belief that a building built with the basic principles of good architecture would do very well on the green scorecard. The process of green building design starts with a deep understanding of the site, local climate, wind patterns, local materials and resources. Once a building is sited to take advantage of the sun and wind to maximize daylight and cross ventilation, is designed to be responsive to the weather patterns and is built using local materials, then that in itself is a great start towards making the building green.

In the predominantly hot and humid climate in India, one can further think of reducing the heat gain through an informed design of the building envelope. This will have a tremendous impact on the thermal comfort within a building and hence reduce the energy use in the building. Water is another key natural resource that is dwindling with increased human activity on our planet. Rainwater harvesting provides a simple (sometimes ‘no-brainer’) solution to this problem. The idea is simple, instead of allowing rainwater to drain away from your site, one can design systems to either collect it and reuse on the site itself, or feed it back to the earth to recharge the underground aquifers. In addition, a simple introduction of dual flushes can reduce water use by 50-60% and aerators to taps, which can reduce the water use by upto 70% percent. Aerators mix the water from the taps with air, and as a result the water pressure feels the same even when the amount of water flowing through the taps are reduced.

When it comes to building materials, it is wise to use local materials. In most cases, the vernacular building techniques and the local labor would be well versed with the local material. The green quotient of buildings can be further increased by choosing materials with a higher recycled content, higher recyclability, reusing salvaged materials and materials that are rapidly renewable such as bamboo.

The choices to go green are not always straightforward. Cement for example presents a big conundrum in the building industry. The production of cement produces large quantities of CO2, a greenhouse gas with a lasting impact on global warming and climate change. In fact, the production of every kilogram of Portland cement produces an equal amount (one kilogram) of CO2. This presents a huge challenge for our industry where the widely accepted structural material is cement. Wood is another material that presents a difficult choice with sustainability. On one hand, it is a naturally renewable resource and is biodegradable, and wood can be used and reused multiple times. But at the same time, we are cutting irreplaceable virgin rainforests at an alarming pace with long lasting disastrous impact.

Finally, a green building doesn’t have to cost a lot more. Majority of green building strategies are common sense and based on sound architectural principles, which do not come with an additional cost. In addition, there are simple systems that are available at extremely reasonable prices. The aerators mentioned earlier are a free addition offered by most companies that sell sanitary fittings. The difference is for the architect, client and the vendor to be aware of these systems and integrate them into the building design in a timely manner. 

We must as a community of architects pledge to make green building design as important as aesthetics in our projects. A simple change in the thought process can have a long lasting impact on the quality of life for our future generations, which is a cause worth fighting for.

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How does one build in a rural location with the objective to have minimal or zero-impact on the environment?

This question is the primary driver behind the site planning strategy for The House with Three Pavilions located in Goa, India.

The project site is located on the edge of rice paddy fields with a dense cluster of local forest trees on one side and a coconut grove in the middle. The following diagram illustrates some of the critical measures taken as part of the site planning strategy.

WHY IS AN ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE ADOPTED?

• As Goa gentrifies, rampant new construction threatens to rock the delicate balance between nature and man. This project is our attempt to showcase that the built form can tread lightly on the land with conscious design and measured planning. 

• The design focus is to leave a minimal or zero-impact on the functioning natural ecological cycles at the site that pre-date the new construction. 

• The site is geographically located along the path of the watershed from surrounding higher elevations that finally drains into the Arabian Sea. The design planning is oriented to support and improve the water movement through a comprehensive water management plan.

• The water management plan is implemented to address three primary concerns around the site - to recharge the depleted underground water table, to increase water availability for the paddy fields bordering the site, and to reduce the water load on the Municipal Draining system.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?

• During the survey, a natural depression was found at the center of the site with a perennial wetland hosting diverse flora and fauna. This existing depression was dug out (until the underground water level in the driest month) and integrated with the existing well on the site. Today, this natural wetland feature is preserved and developed into a seasonal waterbody which also forms the focal point for the landscape created using a native planting strategy.

• All the roof rain water runoff is captured and along with the site surface runoff, it is directed into the central seasonal pond for rain water harvesting. The edges of the pond were formalized with mortar-less retaining walls built in local laterite rubble. This was done to reduce the erosion of the pond edges and to retain the water as a permanent feature in the landscape

• The pond was further connected to a newly planned system of bioswales that spread the collected runoff water over a larger site surface area increasing the rate and extent of percolation on the site. This keeps the level of our underground water table high throughout the year and the soil moist, reducing the garden irrigation requirement in the dry season.

• The bioswales use no cement in their construction and can absorb water through the walls and the base. The construction of the bioswales and the pond without cement, also allows for the water to remain clean without any toxicity of the cement leaching into the landscape.

HOW DOES THIS CREATE A POSITIVE IMPACT?

• The water management was a critical part of this project and offsets the load on the rudimentary public storm water systems found in the Goan villages especially during the heavy monsoons.

• As a result of our efforts, the underground water levels have been improved hence negating the impact of the house construction on the environment. We have been able to prevent any additional flooding at the neighboring fields or any other low-lying area in the village. 

• The project also prioritises the enhancement of the site’s resources and biodiversity. In doing so, it also creates a positive impact on its surroundings by protecting the agrarian viability which is constantly threatened by new construction and increased human activity. Our success can be measured by the number of birds, reptiles, butterflies and insects that can be found on the site today. We have uncovered peacock eggs, cuckoo eggs and baby parrots on our site. It is a win to see that the animals continue to find the site a safe space even as they come in close contact with the human life around, making this truly a space for all seasons and species.

(Water Management Plan in consultation with Pallavi Latkar and team at Grassroots Research Mumbai.)

What is a green building?

A green building is one where you’re trying to reduce the impact of the construction on the environment. It is about making the right choices at every stage and  looking at every possible way, to optimise resources during and post construction and to minimise or offset one’s footprint right from the design stage to the occupancy stage. Right from positioning the building on the site, being mindful of the solar and wind orientation, looking at the existing resources on site to incorporate them into the building, preserving the underground water table - the environment is part of the design criteria from the very first step of the design process.

Here are some tips for an architect to design a green building

• The building should be designed for its local climate and weather

• The design should be site specific

• The natural features on the site must be preserved whether it is the trees, the underground water table, the contours and terrain, etc

• Plan openings for maximised daylight and cross ventilation

• Reduce the urban heat island effect 

• For landscaping, use lesser amounts of non permeable surfaces like concrete and more permeable surfaces like grass that allow water to percolate and recharge the underground water table

• Reduce concrete exposure because concrete tends to absorb a lot of heat

• Enhance thermal comfort by thinking about all parts of the envelope - the walls, the windows, the shading devices, the roof, etc - to reduce energy expenditure

• Conserve water and collect or harvest rainwater

• Use aerators for taps and dual flushes for WC

• Use solar water heaters

• Use solar panels if the site allows for it

• Compost using house and site waste and feed it back to the garden

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Every little detail helps.

Links to our previous Blog Posts on Green Building:

• GREEN CERTIFICATION

• WHY BUILD GREEN

• GREAT ONLINE RESOURCES FOR GREEN BUILDING

• GREEN FEATURES AT NIVIM

Photo from site before starting construction (the window and old wall has been preserved as part of landscaping)

First post on Nivim in the new year and we are almost at completion... This is the time for numerous lists, for close inspections and several walk throughs, all to determine any mistakes, forgotten details, and bad workmanship...

When I say completion, I mean completion of all building works. The only major work remaining is the kitchen cabinets and the closets which will follow right after we are satisfied with the building works.

This is also a time for us to begin the installation for our furniture, lighting and landscaping. We have already bought most of our furniture and it is a combination of period pieces and very contemporary designer ones. Most interior lighting is purchased from Delhi and already installed. And then there is landscaping... Who would have thought that something so simple would be such a nightmare.... We can always execute ourselves but I was hoping to hire a sub-contractor so I don't have to run around crazy from nursery to nursery sourcing the right plants and mostly because I don't feel that I am right judge for the health of the plants, species and quality of soil, forget about the right way to plant, transplant and care for the plants. Now the tough thing about building in Goa is that first you pay a premium for all your services and material. Most material is brought into the state from elsewhere so there is usually a wait time and several delays. Also, the number of service and material providers is so limited that the good ones have too many projects and they are unable to manage their time effectively. We started our quest for a landscaper and landscaping about 6 months back and by now, we have been stood up by two landscapers after multiple site visits, advance payments, etc. etc. What really gets upsetting is when the service providers don't answer their phones... I mean really dodge your calls after agreements and after advance payments have been paid. I mean how does one deal with that?

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Landscaping is so critical for a project like ours that is built around nature. We have 13 existing trees on the site that we have incorporated in our house plan so the site is already quite green but then we have created really deep planters on the peripheries to we can plant fruiting and flowering trees making the site even greener and add a layer of privacy to the property. We have also chosen to plant mostly local indigenous species so once they are mature they require minimal irrigation and maintenance. Indigenous species have adapted to the local climate and therefore are accustomed to the dry and rainy spells in different seasons.

In any case, our quest for a landscaper continues. I am giving myself another week or 10 days then I guess we will have to jump in and figure it out ourself...

Until then let us just celebrate our special 13 trees. The existing full grown trees include:

1 Mango tree

2 Jackfruit trees

2 Tamarind trees

1 Kelful tree

5 Scholar's tree

1 Drumstick tree

1 flowering local tree

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

We are elated to present to you pre-final photos of Nivim Goa from last month.

CLICK ON LINK for fullscreen photos.

Be sure to click on the 'fullscreen' icon on bottom right. 

Shot in April, these photos show the house just before the final finishing stage. We began construction on the house end of January 2011. The core principles of the house is to promote architectural excellence and environmental sustainability.

We are now about 2-3 months away from finishing. We are aiming for the 'Gold' level green homes certification from the Indian Green Building Council and will be the first home in Goa to be certified. Read more on the green initiatives at Nivim Goa.

As for architectural excellence, we have attempted to create spaces that are inspiring, use natural materials and design building openings that all together enhance the user's relationship with the environment. Read about our design concept.

The photos above give the feel for the raw architectural space and materials, and show the bare building that is not hiding behind any fancy finishes or landscaping.... Do see the pictures and we will let you be the judge of how far we have succeeded in achieving our goals.

See all the design and construction updates for Nivim Goa.

All photos courtesy Sanjeet Wahi, Photographer, Delhi.