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Ever wondered what a 150-year-old house looks like when the light hits it just right?
At 4:17 pm, the balcao comes to life. The oxide seating turns golden, and the plants by the pool lean into the warmth of the setting sun.
It is as if the house, in its own rhythm, syncs with the time of day.
Have you ever felt that your home has its own pulse? A natural rhythm, just like us?
That is when the light hits the balcao just right.
And if you listen closely, you will hear the pool ripple and the neighbor’s chicken complaining about something.
We once caught a frog chilling on the oxide seating - do you think he noticed the groove pattern?

Material trivia: The cement floor has a matte finish with a subtle tactile grain. No polish. Just patience.

Words by @arshita.mehta
Photographs by @mareena_m_

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GOA VILLA FOR SALE
Toybox is a contemporary restoration of a 150-year old Portuguese house in in Aldona village in North Goa, located adjacent to the river Moira.
Register your interest here.

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Poster sourced from Sunaparanta

On April 10th, 2025, Sunaparanta opened Shadow Script, an exhibition of works from the 5th edition of the Goa Open Arts Catalyst and Engage Artist Grants 2024-2025. The exhibition was on view from April 10th, 2025, to May 3rd, 2025. Since 2020, these grants have supported Goa’s artist community in sustaining and expanding their creative practices. This year’s showcase highlights the works of the latest grantees, developed over six months of exploration.

Presented in collaboration with Goa Open Arts, Shadow Script features works by Divyesh Undaviya, Kiran Tamboskar, Pragya Bhagat, Shilpa Mayenkar Naik, Shyam Pahapalkar, Sumit Naik and Studio Button, led by Katerina Kubareva, in collaboration with Nataliia Marynenko.

Theme / Setting
Exploring themes of time, memory, and perception, the exhibition examines what is seen, what remains hidden, and what endures. Shadows — both real and symbolic, become a language of storytelling, revealing histories, shifting landscapes, and evolving identities.
Shadow Script lets you step into a world where art becomes a poetic meditation on the ways we shape and inherit meaning.

Image of artists and team, sourced from Sunapranta

Shyam Pahapalkar
Shyam Pahapalkar is an environmental artist whose practice explores the intersection of nature, materiality, and environmental change. With a background in art and mathematics, his site-specific installations and sculptural interventions reflect a precise yet intuitive engagement with landscape, memory, and time, responding to Goa's evolving environmental and cultural landscape. He uses natural materials and found objects to examine the fragile relationship between human influence and nature, tracing historical and ecological transformations.

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Pahapalkar's works map subtle shifts in nature and memory, revealing how decaying structures and discarded remnants speak to time, erosion, and human touch, often referencing Goa's heritage and the tensions between preservation and consumption. His sculptural installations create meditative spaces where light, shadow, and form converge, inviting reflection on the impermanence of landscapes and the impact of human intervention. As a Catalyst Grant recipient, Pahapalkar has expanded his work, experimenting with new materials and processes to engage more deeply with Goa's changing landscapes and layered histories.

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Pragya Bhagat
Pragya Bhagat is a poet, essayist, performer, and storyteller whose work feels like a living poem, intimate and lyrical. She weaves narratives that explore displacement, identity, and vulnerability, blending spoken word, text, and performance into immersive experiences.

Rooted in her travels across India and inspired by the mystical practices of women, Bhagat's work invites us into a world where memory, myth, and resistance coexist. Her art, including works like Magical Women, delves into these traditions, examining the complex realities of these women and reflecting on gender, power, and the violence of witch hunting. Bhagat's works use poetry, song, and sculpture to evoke the mystery and resilience of these practices, drawing from her experiences across various Indian regions. Through her diverse practices, which include founding the Poetry Circle in Goa, she creates spaces for collective storytelling and dialogue.

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Divyesh Undaviya
Divyesh Undaviya's work explores the feeling of being in-between, shaped by his experience of moving through many homes. His drawings, sculptures, and installations, often using natural materials like ash and charcoal, carry traces of places left behind and a longing for roots. Undaviya's practice, now based in Goa, creates quiet, immersive spaces that reflect on memory, care, and transformation. His art examines the transitions between places - physically, emotionally, and metaphorically - and how landscapes hold memories and emotions. Inspired by the relationship between self and landscape, his works invite contemplation, self-awareness, and reflection. As a Catalyst Grant recipient, Undaviya has deepened the emotional and spatial impact of his work, shaping immersive gallery experiences.

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Studio Button in collaboration with Nataliia Marynenko
Studio Button, an animation studio based in Goa, uses art as a therapeutic tool, particularly for communities recovering from trauma. Led by Katarina Kubareva and Nataliia Marynenko, the studio provides a creative platform for expression and healing. Their 10-month project with the children of Isha Kripa Sadan, a home for girls in distress, involved weekly animation sessions. These sessions empowered the girls to transform their emotions and experiences of trauma and displacement into visual storytelling. The resulting film, shaped by the children's voices, demonstrates the power of art in fostering resilience and new narratives. Studio Button's work highlights how art can offer a space for play, expression, and transformation, enabling healing and growth.

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Sumit Naik
Sumit Naik's practice merges hyperreal charcoal drawings with sculptural paper forms, exploring narratives of loss, remembrance, and transformation. Deeply influenced by architecture and emotion, his works intertwine figurative drawing with the structural possibilities of paper. Naik's intricate drawings and sculptural interventions express themes of grief and acceptance, reflecting how loss shapes our internal landscapes. Paper, used both as surface and structure, becomes a metaphor for impermanence, holding traces of the past while allowing for renewal. His works capture the intimate and universal experience of loss, from quiet echoes to gestures of release, reflecting the interplay of memory, time, and space. Through this interplay of fragility and form, Naik's art speaks to the tension between holding on and letting go.

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Shilpa Mayenkar Naik
Shilpa Mayenkar Naik's work finds poetry in the everyday, where domestic life, memory, and nature converge. Her practice transforms the familiar into the meditative, reflecting on how objects carry ritual, presence, and personal histories. Naik draws inspiration from her surroundings, engaging with mundane objects, flora, and fauna to explore deeper narratives.

Her installations, like those featuring suspended ceramic Ovala flower garlands, evoke the fleeting beauty of Goan traditions. These works play with perception, blurring the line between permanence and ephemerality through light, movement, and shadow. By capturing the tension between ephemerality and permanence, Naik's art invites stillness, reflection, and an awareness of subtle transformations.

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In conclusion, the exhibition proved to be a thought-provoking exploration of shared themes by diverse artistic voices. It was compelling to witness each artist's unique interpretation, demonstrating a deep engagement that extended beyond the mere creation of the work. The installations fostered a heightened level of viewer engagement. The thoughtful management of space within Sunaparanta, along with the deliberate layout of the installations, played a crucial role in shaping the overall experience. Furthermore, the strategic use of lighting was pivotal, enhancing the artworks' impact and, in some cases, serving as a vital element in their completion.

Text and Images by V V Kusum Priya

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Older homes have a way of keeping to themselves. Like they’ve seen enough of the world and would rather stay curled up. The windows at Toybox were no different — shy little squares, peeking out but never quite stepping forward.

So, we had a quiet conversation with the house. Asked it to open up a little.

We didn’t barge in. We coaxed it. Gently.

Now, there are large sliding-folding teak doors that open wide to the verandah. Custom-built to fit the nearly 24-inch-thick walls - because yes, these walls were built before insulation had a name, and somehow still do a better job.

We carved out light wells and surprise skylights. We added a sculptural window in the kitchen that looks like it might float away. Every new opening is still rooted in the original soul of the house - just a little braver now.

Words by @arshita.mehta
Photographs by @mareena_m_

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GOA VILLA FOR SALE
Toybox is a contemporary restoration of a 150-year-old Portuguese house in in Aldona village in North Goa, located adjacent to the river Moira.
Register your interest here.

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On 5th July, I had the opportunity to speak at a wonderful evening event at Ahmedabad, hosted by FOAID India and Design Perspectives India. The event brought together architects and industry leaders for a productive conference. One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity to exchange thoughts with the immensely talented Vin Varavarn from Vin Varavarn Architects in Thailand.

During my talk, I shared the vision of Grounded Goa, our architectural firm that focuses on sustainable design. I explained our design process and gave the audience a look at some of our key projects, especially our Villas in Goa.

At Grounded, we combine rustic and contemporary styles to create buildings that reconnect people with nature and the simple joys of life. Our goal is to bring fresh air, natural light, and a sense of well-being into every home we design. Goa Villas by Grounded is a special part of our firm that builds unique and sustainable houses in Goa. We take care of everything from design to construction, ensuring that each house reflects our commitment to both beauty and sustainability.

Listening to other speakers and engaging with the amazing audience was truly enriching. A big thank you to Hiren Patel, Dipen Gada, and Grid Architects for attending the event, and a special thanks to Shraddha for the invitation. The evening was beautiful, and I walked away having learned so much.

On one of our Villas in Goa sites for Grounded Villas, we faced the need to cut down a few teak trees onsite. Instead of letting this valuable wood go to waste, we saw an opportunity and decided to reuse it creatively.

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Working with a local craftsman, Nereus Drego in Goa, we designed the teak into custom-made furniture pieces. The furniture pieces are a long country table for the eat-in kitchen for Toybox, along with two uniquely designed center tables.

These furniture pieces not only stand out for their beautiful design but also hold sentimental value. It's crafted from the very trees that once were a part of the site, creating a lasting connection. It's our little effort to savor the precious resources of the environment and the trees in Goa.

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Using natural materials in our interiors aligns with our philosophy of ecological design by blending indoor spaces with nature. One of the center tables is interactive and designed for a family that opens up into small storage for display. The long table in Toybox's kitchen serves as a focal point, as the double-height kitchen space is the heart of the house. Toybox is about to launch soon! Subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about Toybox and our sustainable design practices.

Our upcoming project, The Crescent House resides in the Nandi Hills of Bangalore. It has a small site with immediate neighbors and beautiful views in every direction. It was a design challenge to incorporate all the 180° pan views of Nandi Hills from the villa. We tackled this with an innovative experiment.

The four of us designers of Build Grounded split up on-site and individually came up with four design solutions. After brainstorming on-site for around an hour, we had a discussion. Considering different approaches, we came up with a strategy then and there. A way through it was the amalgamation of all four directions, which later on developed into the actual design of the house.

As the name suggests Crescent House, the main facade of the house is in a crescent shape. The facade has different openings showing different views in different sizes all across the stretch of the Nandi Hills. Soon to be complete Crescent House is under construction but you can still make out the facade taking shape enjoying the views all around.

Goa is known for its vibrant tourism with its stunning Goan villas, traditional wadas, and modern Goan houses lining the scenic streets. These picturesque homes are nestled among lush plantations and swaying trees in Goa. But have you ever paid attention to the intriguing details on the roofs of these old houses?

Take a closer look, and you’ll notice terracotta figures perched on the entrance gateways and atop the roofs. These old Portuguese houses in the Goa residential area date back 150 to 400 years. The tradition of placing these figures on the rooftops has been there from the beginning, though living in Goa many homeowners may not know their history or meaning. These figures are of soldiers, cockerels, rabbits, pigs, lions, and even seated human figures.

Soldados (Portuguese for soldiers) Saluting at the entrance of a house in Goa

They symbolize the identity of the homeowners, offering a glimpse into who resides beneath the roof without directly knowing them. For instance, lion motifs, mostly seen on the entrance gateways represent strength and signify a connection to the Kadamba Dynasty. The lion was the royal emblem of the Kadamba Dynasty which ruled Goa from the 10th to 14th centuries. Roosters, on the other hand, are linked to the rooster of Barcelos, a character symbolizing integrity and truth from a beloved Portuguese folktale, often seen on the roofs of Goan Catholic houses. Landlords' houses often featured animal motifs like lions, with the animal pointing in the direction of the property.

Rooftop Human, Source: Reddit

Lion on Gateways, Source: Soultravelling

Rooftop sentinel, Source: Gomantak Times

Architecturally, these figures contribute to the aesthetics of the rooftop by sitting on the meeting point of multiple roofs, adding to the visual appeal. The figurines on the gateways give a sense of richness to the visitors, like the massive fort gates. Today, these miniature ornaments are not just decorative; they are an integral part of Goa’s culture, reflecting the community’s rich past. They also connect us to the local artists of Goa who craft these terracotta artifacts, including the charming miniatures.

Curiosity often unveils hidden treasures. So, next time you wander through the streets of Goa, pause to admire these rooftop details. Who knows what stories you might uncover?

The upcoming project of sister villas, The Terracotta House and the Indigo House are taking shape on-site. Set in the Pomburpa Village in Goa, the houses are designed to connect with the land with an ecological design, enjoyed barefoot with the calm interactions of nature. To experience the outcome's look and feel, here’s our material palette.

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The selection and finalization of materials is an important and lengthy design process. Colors and textures define the space. The feel and the vibe we experience are a product of it. Terracotta house is earthy and serene with warm tones, harmonizing the interiors and exterior. Indigo House is calm with quiet views of water, and tones of blue merging with the view.

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Images sourced from Anupama Kundoo

Wall House in Auroville is an experimental house designed by sustainability champion Anupama Kundoo. The architecture employs a play in proportions to create comfortable yet dramatic spatial envelopes. The house is built entirely with locally sourced materials in new, innovative ways to create soothing, earthy spaces that respond to the warm, humid climate.

Wall House is predominantly constructed with the vernacular ‘Achukkal’ brick, once ubiquitous to the building landscape in Tamil Nadu. Known for their unique flat, thin profiles and their distinctive red colour, Achukkal bricks are typically made out of left-over silt that is collected from farmlands around. They are then shaped by hand and fired in clay ovens for strength and stability. The bricks are deemed to be extremely sustainable, given their long life, low cost of production, and the sparing amounts of energy use for manufacturing.

The earthy palette and warm finishes move beyond the brick walls and are found throughout the house. The august clay pot vault above the double-height living space and the innovative filler slab roof above the dining area are particularly worthy of mention.

Each facade of Wall House sports unique fenestrations that bring in fresh air and ample daylight. On one side, a series of louvered windows built out of local mango wood and completed with unpolished granite stone come into sight. On the other side, a series of pivoting ferrocement screens open the house to the verdant landscape around when open, and bring beautiful light and shadow patterns indoors when closed.

We love designs that at once marry form and function and do so with panache. As we design our houses in Goa, we are constantly on the lookout for products that elevate a spatial experience through colour, texture, and shape - all without compromising on functional capabilities. The Rio lamp by designer Harshita Jhamtani delivers all this and more.

The Rio shines in different natural stone finishes ranging from White Travertine, Bheslana stone, Green Forest Marble, and Sandstone, among others. In each case, the designer says, “All the lamps are carved out of a single block and have a fluting detail complimenting the properties of each stone.” The diverse options available ensure that there’s a Rio that works for every design style and every kind of space.

Furthermore, the Rio is built to last. In interpreting sustainability, Harshita Jhamtani qualifies, “As a studio, we believe that the most sustainable practice for a designer to adapt, is to create products that their patrons can buy once and cherish for a longtime. We bring this very dream to life by creating long-lasting unique pieces that shall take a small step towards accelerating the low carbon economy.”

Images courtesy Harshita Jhamtani designs

The Rio lamp is minimal, yet artful and robust with its material sensibilities. It is a beautiful way of bringing the elements of the outdoors, indoors. It is timeless in its rustic simplicity.