Homes

This 8,000 sq ft luxurious apartment in Pune comes with a sunken jacuzzi and private infinity pool

AUG 16, 2018 | By Pravir Sethi
(L-R) Left: The double height living room accentuated with a claw chandelier that extends as a partition; Right: Looking up at the ceiling in the double height living area, one finds that the metal ribs of the divider continue upwards and fan out, creating a grand light fixture;One of the master suites displays interconnection of spaces and has the Dray bed by Red Blue Yellow;A 20 ft wide frameless glazing at the entrance leads to the lobby featuring a light installation with 275 handblown glass bulbs, brass inserts and dynamic fibre optic lights;Each flat comes with a private infinity pool boasting a Brazilian walnut deck and privacy screen in fritted glass.
On a verdant half-acre plot by the river, on the sought-after Boat Club Road in Pune, studio HINGE was commissioned by Merint Developers to realise their vision of uber luxe apartments, master planned by international firm Atkins.
Initially appointed as interior designers via an invited international competition, our scope was eventually expanded to architecture, facade and landscape, which essentially was determining aesthetic across the property.
The 8,000 sq ft apartments are replete with private pools, double heights and generous outdoor spaces. Placing fundamentals of space, light, proportion and utility over frills, we used design to re-interpret luxury. Service access is segregated throughout via distinct road entrances, vertical movement and entrance lobbies at every level (single apartment per floor) and carefully planned circulation routes all the way up to the clubhouse area at the terrace level.
The 12 ft deep recessed decks with ‘disappearing windows’ become one with double height living rooms, cleverly screened from the dining space by a bespoke claw-shaped wood and brass chandelier that sweeps up from the floor and across the ceiling. A private deck, bedroom, wardrobe and bathroom open up into each other through sliding doors and switchable ‘magic’ glass to comprise the 900 sq ft master suite (two per flat) surrounded by dense foliage.