This retreat is less about escape and more about return: to roots, rituals and the spaces that raised us. There’s a certain kind of memory that clings like sunlight through old curtains — like the nostalgia of childhood visits to grandparents’ homes. Not the objects, but the emotions. A 12,000 sq ft Chennai home, Buckingham Villa is designed to hold memory as much as light.
To turn emotion into environment, architects Sruthi Gangadharan and Srinath Suresh, co-founders of Quintae Architects, looked to Chettinad’s architectural traditions, celebrating its intricately carved wooden details, grand columns and tile work. This results in a language of contrasts: minimalist layouts softened by carved details, sleek surfaces interrupted by reclaimed doors and custom furniture that acts as a nod to the past.