Barefoot ease in Vadodara

At a glance you’d think you’re in Ubud but this is a Bali-hued clubhouse designed by The Crossboundaries

13 Jun 2025

Mornings begin quietly here, the sun moves slowly over the garden, catching the edges of the terrazzo paths. You might stretch out by the sorbet blue pool or walk through the stone-line walkways to the gym past the old trees. In Vadodara, The Banyan Clubhouse designed by The Crossboundaries unfolds as a languorous pause. Tucked between bayan roots and birdsong, the clubhouse spreads across three low-slung blocks and is softened by trees older than memory.

Inside, it’s all soft timber ceilings, filtered light and occasional breeze stirring through arched windows and terracotta underfoot like a slice of a Balinese vacation in the city. “It all started with a majestic 100 year old banyan tree on the site with multiple other trees that were years old,” recollects Harsh Boghani, Principal Architect at The Crossboundaries, explaining that the trees divide the clubhouse into three separate blocks.

Arched windows frame the garden views in the indoor gaming lounge, while warm wood ceilings and terracotta floor keep it grounded in nature. A pool table, foosball and card corner add just the right pulse of leisure; Photography by 26 : 13

Branching from the Banyan tree

The layout begins to shape like a walk around the roots, under the caponies. This sensitivity to the site sets the tone for the entire space sprawling over 54,000 sq ft. Pathways curve gently around tree trunks and shaded patches of green, each of the three blocks set apart, tucked within greenery, allowing space for the older trees to breathe and frame the views naturally.

There’s a connection to the outdoors, the terracotta, timber and terrazzo carry through from exterior to interiors, while arched openings and shaded verandahs blur the boundary between what was built anew and what naturally grew on the grounds. From the landscaping shaped by the banyan as a blueprint, to the design that stitches nature together with the built space, there’s a sense of being cradled by nature.

Anchored by the courtyard, the lounge is layered in wood and rattan with soft light to bring a tropical-modern calm indoors, it is an open yet cocooned space; Photography by 26 : 13

Framed by the banyan branches, the pool mirrors the double-height arches, terracotta roof of the lounge and the lush foliage that wraps around it; Photography by 26 : 13

Vadodara on vacation

From the moment you enter, the clubhouse slows your pace with the tranquility of a boutique Balinese retreat. It’s less clubhouse, more like a getaway that happens to be next door, “The inspiration was an eclectic mix of Balinese design style with contemporary approach,” says Harsh who collaborated with landscape architect Subhagya Atale Raval from Lanarch studio. That sensibility filters through everything, from the sloping roofs, terracotta, arched gateways to the muted, earthen palette inside. Off-white walls reflect soft natural light, wooden ceilings add a natural warmth and breathability, it’s all quietly luxurious, spaces you can wander around barefoot as if easing into a vacation.

Workout with a view

“The Idea was to enhance the existing trees and add to it to make this space a tropical paradise for the residents to pause after the workouts in the gym or to hear the sound of wind and trees while taking a stroll after a game of squash,” adds Harsh. You don’t expect a gym to come with a view, but here it does: arched windows framing tall trees, like a resort somewhere far away from Vadodara. The pool is shaded by foliage rather than umbrellas, the pathways leading to it wind through garden pockets as if leading to spa villas. It’s a clubhouse, technically but with this transportative quality whisking you away to a retreat.