Did we find a home inside this Goa club?

It starts 115 years ago

But what was the beginning of it all? For Isprava, Goa indeed felt like the right destination to debut a member’s club. It began with the discovery of a 115-year old de Souza family house in Moira, an Indo-Portuguese structure that stands like a living archive of time. Covering a 10,000 sq ft expanse, the club is a maze of visuals — old, new and the in-betweens, with the original grand wooden door guarding the first entrance. At first, Isprava’s team along with in-house design head Sheena Rawla, met with patina on the walls, aged wooden flooring, the family altar, high ceilings and walls that bore its time-worn bones. The Shah duo tells us: continuity, thus preserving heritage, is at the core of the club. “We weren’t looking to build a traditional member’s club; we were creating an intimate sanctuary for kindred spirits — artists, entrepreneurs, thinkers and dreamers — to gather, reflect and celebrate life.” 

An inside look

Duality best describes Solene. The club submerged in historical details hosts a future-forward intent. A step in from the porch and one seems to travel back to the hundred-years old Goa. Pass by the old-worldly reception to enter the Members’ Lounge, which once was the salete of the de Souza family. Notice the intricate woodwork and high ceilings that dimly light up with art deco chandeliers. Bar 507 peeks from the other side stacked with high-end spirits and an intimate lighting that nudges towards evening cocktails and unwinding hours. “We sourced unique, thought-provoking pieces from local artists and galleries, and commissioned custom-installations and murals that add whimsy and personality to the club,” the duo tells us.

You’re led from outside to inside and yet again, outside, courtesy the Orangerie wrapped in a glasshouse and greenery that is designed to extend from the lounge area. I also see state-of-the-art fitness equipment peering back at me from inside the Wellness Centre that seems to share the glasshouse facade. Clearly, greens and views are afforded everywhere here, even while burning calories. “Do you know Solene also has a cold plunge tub?” I’m asked while being guided through the club. In the sea of endless pools Goa is usually infamous for, a cold plunge alongside a sauna, I aver is a fascinating addition. Of course then, the view of a sprawling open-sky pickle ball court doesn’t surprise me, which often turns into the ground for yoga and other group sessions. 

Past-present discoveries 

Clever remodelling of older spaces for newer functions makes the club a joy to explore. Further out of the orangerie, I’m told, a cowshed has transformed into an open-air dining, called Clementina’s Garden. Once an old bike garage, a nook near the court is remodelled as Toddlers’ Outhouse. An old grotto from the original home’s layout hosts Filomina’s Garden, and a pop-up space called Julia’s Garden welcomes local farmers and artisans for the members to engage with. 

Goa’s way of routine has played a critical role in how Solene responds to its surroundings. “The old Indo-Portuguese homes scattered across the landscape with deep verandahs, textural layers and imperfect charm inspired much of the club’s design vocabulary,” muse Nibhrant and Dhimaan. “The idea was to elevate what already existed, the grooves of time in the old tiles, the mellow patina on wooden beams, the cross-ventilated layout that allowed light.” As it turns out, the creators at Isprava chose to listen to the existing house instead of giving it a new language, extending an intimate fragment of the past to the guests; one that feels like a neighbourhood home waiting for you to keep revisiting time and again. 

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