Window to the Western Ghats

Apoorva and Kunal Shroff’s concrete and glass villa stands at the apex of a foothill

03 Jan 2022

Though the angular structure is partially visible along the driveway, nothing prepares us for the dramatic impact of the home—the voluminous expanse, the double height ceilings, huge swathes of glass opening directly into lawns that appear to extend to the cliff edge, and the ascending mist wafting gently through the interiors.

The double height ceiling enhances the voluminous feel while the wall behind is made with stone obtained during construction. The niche in the wall is made for a fireplace. An old family trunk serves as a centre table above a carpet from Jaipur Rugs; Photographs by Fabien Charuau

Metal staircase flanked by parallel concrete walls leads to the level below. The long picture window looks out at Duke’s Nose in the Deccan Plateau while the pendant light is Shikhara by Arjun Rathi; Photographs by Fabien Charuau

Hugging the natural contours of the hillside, the entrance is situated at the highest point, with the major part of the villa accommodated on different terraces at lower levels. Aptly named Airavat or home in the clouds, the project was a ‘dream come true’ for Apoorva Shroff, one of the partners of the Mumbai based architectural practice reD. Her husband Kunal’s only brief was that the villa be welcoming and large enough to accommodate their extensive families and friends.

A part of the indoors lets abundance of daylight in; Photographs by Fabien Charuau

Close up of the far end of the dining area with a circular window in view; Photographs by Fabien Charuau

The home was conceptualised as a three storeyed, angular seven bedroom structure that capitalised on the vast mountainside views of the Deccan Plateau.

Discover more about Airavat villa in Khandala featured on the cover of the December 2021 – January 2022 issue of ELLE DECOR India here…

Rustic stones from Nice and Natural Stones make up the flooring in this picturesque den, alongside Leolux sofa, Defurn flower vase and a folk rendition of 10 avatars of Vishnu framed on the wall; Photographs by Fabien Charuau

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