The upside of downhill

In Nashik, Green Spaces uses the hillside to its advantage to create a home

10 Oct 2025

Perched on the steep slopes of Nashik’s Grape County Diversity Park, this home by Green Spaces unfolds gently with the land, rather than against it. The contours of the terrain shape the home’s form. While flattening the hillside in concept wasn’t a solution, the team positioned the house partly on firm ground and partly nestled onto the slope. Imagined in collaboration with Dhananjay Shinde, Payal Prabhudesai, the result is a home that feels rooted in its surroundings — earthy materials, minimalist lines and open, light-filled interiors that create a quiet dialogue with the valley, the forest and the lake beyond.

The best part of the balcony is its direct overlooking of nature, making it an ideal spot in the morning to enjoy sunlight, the serene scenery and the sounds of birds chirping

- Tejas Chavan, director Green Spaces

A dining room with a white wall juxtaposed against exposed brick, stone flooring, and a teak dining table with matching chairs, blending texture and warmth; Photography by Hemant Patil

On the hillside

Rising gently from a slope of nearly 70 degrees, the house flows with the contours of the land. The team carved out a small, level platform at the top, letting half of the home sit on solid ground and the other half nestled into the hillside.

This dialogue between structure and site shapes the experience of moving through the house: corridors and rooms follow the natural contours. This draws the eye outward to the valley, forests, and lakes beyond. It is a home that feels rooted, both literally and in the choice of materials: brick, stone, teak all speaking the quiet language of the earth.

A bedroom seating nook framed by earthy interiors and bathed in natural light; Photography by Hemant Patil

The living room

The living room sets the tone for the home. Exposed brick walls, stone floors and wooden ceiling establish a tactile, grounded backdrop. The palette is pared-back, allowing the texture of materials to do the work: warm brick lends a natural touch, salvaged teak lends enduring strength and stone floors keep interiors cool under Nashik’s harsh sun. Large glass doors slide open to the balcony, extending the living space outward and flooding the room with light. The Colonial-inspired nuances, teak wood furniture and soaring ceiling evoke a sense of elegance reminiscent of the old manors you’d find at hill stations. Every element feels intentional and in dialogue with the landscape.

The infinity pool melts into the view, catching the pink-and-orange glow of the sunset over Nashik’s verdant hills; Photography by Hemant Patil

Balcony and beyond

Perched above the hillside, the balcony offers uninterrupted views of vistas of mountains, the forest and the nearby lake. “The best part of the balcony is its direct overlooking of nature, making it an ideal spot in the morning to enjoy sunlight, the serene scenery and the sounds of birds chirping,” shares Tejas Chavan director of Green Spaces. The infinity pool nearby mirrors the sky, dissolving the boundary between architecture and nature. Beyond, open areas allow pets to roam freely, while the root orchard cultivates a gentle rhythm to daily life. These outdoor spaces invite quiet reflection, movement and a direct connection to the hillside that shapes every experience within.