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 sq ft. 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