Building a large house on a sea facing hillside in Mumbai is both exciting and daunting. On one hand the prospect of a panoramic ocean view is thrilling. On the other hand it undoubtedly adds to the growing clutter of self important villas in these, what not so long ago were uninhabited, natural, landscapes.
Rather than fighting its presence however, the The Ray villa in Alibag emphasises on the profile of the built from. It is not much unlike the Portuguese chapels scattered around the rolling hills of nearby coastal Goa. These chapels in their pure white brilliance do not shy away from their existence with their characteristic axial orientation and dominant silhouette. Similarly, this retreat attempts to lend a comfortable scale to it’s surrounding landscape.
Two staggered linear pavilion-like structures, directed towards the view, define the character of the house. The pavilions are made of white “Dhrangadhra” limestone walls. White painted timber shutters shade the deep recessed steel framed windows. They are strong manifestations that act as long spatial telescopes, bringing the distant sea views seemingly closer by.
