Plantation Retreat, Alibaug |
Project Area : 3 acres
“The Ray” is a weekend home nestled in the hills of Alibaug that opens out to an expansive view of the Arabian sea. Whilst designing the landscape, we have tried to be as sensitive as possible to the existing environment, ensuring that we weren’t stripping the hills of their natural glory and integrity.
Native planting has been prioritised throughout to create a haven for local biodiversity.
Wild, flowering grasses- a most underrated planting typology- are extensively used with a calculated randomness to augment the free flowing, uninhibited quality of the softscape.
Through spring and summer, the crown of a noble Gulmohar is lit up by fiery scarlet- orange flowers, shading the top level of the home. Bougainvillea, a tropical favourite, lends bursts of colour at carefully chosen points in the landscape. The intense aroma of Raat Ki Rani, the nocturnal jasmine, creates an enchanting olfactory experience during night time strolls through the property.
Climbers slowly blanketing the limestone facades meld the landscape with the architecture of the house, as one of the many testaments to the happy marriage of nature and built form on the site.
In our efforts to conserve water and to foster soil health on the property, minimal area has been allotted to lawn space. The rest comprises of native trees and dense shrubbery which create a cool microclimate. Our planting palette, exemplifying principles of xeriscaping in a tropical context, has been carefully curated to ensure minimal water consumption and maintenance.
A glorious mature frangipani is planted as a specimen tree in the courtyard by the pool. Beside it, a natural outcrop of rock has been preserved. Gravel made from crushed waste sandstone is poured around it, allowing rainwater to percolate and prevent rainwater from being trapped in the heart of the home. This outcrop sits like a little piece of land-art, paying homage to the natural beauty of the jagged terrain surrounding the home.
Interstitial landscape elements across the many slopes- including a series of step down plinths and platforms – blend in seamlessly with the rich foliage. Boulders found onsite have been strategically placed across the property in a seemingly careless fashion, amplifying the effortless, devil-may-care mood of the space.
Outside the guest bathroom, the natural topography
has been respected and the gorge has been retained, creating a most charming courtyard with a slope colonised by planting. Not only has this prevented extensive soil fill, but it also invites an abundance of natural light into the bathroom.
Ultimately, the landscape’s carefree aesthetic blends ideals of modern tropical living with an innate respect for ecology and symbiosis to create an idyllic retreat to spend time immersed in nature.
Image Credits : Gajendra Mandrekar
