studio mumbai architects: palmyra house

palmyra house by studio mumbai all photos by helen binet

located outside of mumbai on the arabian sea, palmyra house by studio mumbai was built as a refuge from the bustle of the busy city. the 3000 square foot house consists of two wooden louvered structures separated by a courtyard and pool, set inside of a functioning coconut plantation. anchored to stone platforms, the structures overlook a network of wells and aqueducts that weave the site into an inhabitable whole. living room, study and master bedroom are contained in the north volume, while the south volume contains the kitchen, dining, and guest bedrooms. set in the plaza between the buildings, the pool provides a channel for swimming towards endless vistas of palm trees to the east and the sea to the west.

structural framing for the house was built of ain wood, a local hardwood, and was constructed using traditional interlocking joinery. the extensive louvres were handcrafted from the outer part of the palmyra trunk (a local palm species). exteriors are detailed with hand-worked copper flashing and standing seam aluminum roofs; interior surfaces are finished with teakwood and india patent stone, a refined pigmented plaster. locally quarried black basalt was used to construct the aqueduct walls and pool courtyard.

the pool courtyard

the pool courtyard

night view

floor plan