Postcards from paradise

From pineapples to palm shadows: Inside Phenotype Architecture Studio’s sun-soaked slice of Goa

10 Apr 2025

It’s a whimsical land where pineapples glisten underfoot, lotuses bloom beneath your shower and birds of paradise peek through the corners like curious houseguests. Brought into existence by Phenotype Architecture Studio and set against the easygoing rhythm of Assagao, Goa while taking a cue from the cult-favourite HBO series White Lotus, its cinematic spirit meets the slow rhythm of coastal India as each room in the luxurious 4,200 sq ft retreat is steeped in its own narrative. This time where the stories weren’t borrowed, they were rooted in the sweet, sun-drenched soul of the Portuguese architectural elements of Goa itself.

For Anica Kochhar, Principal Architect, this holiday home is grounded in little icons of Goan life that we find ourselves falling in love with time and again. In the Pineapple Room, for instance, Jaisalmer and Udaipur stone inlays turn the cheerful fruit into a motif of sunshine and hospitality. The Lotus Room takes inspiration from quiet ponds after monsoon showers, its textures soft, its palette serene. The Birds of Paradise Room bursts with colour and playful contrasts much like the flora it celebrates, while coconut palms find expression in subtle relief work and shadow play.

"One of our inspirations was the White Lotus series where each room in a wellness retreat has a theme of a tropical life. Here, we adapted the rooms to things we enjoy In Goa, like pineapples, lotuses, birds of paradise and coconut trees." — Anica Kochhar

Tentacles and tiles

Step into the entrance lobby and you’re immediately greeted by a curious little creature — an octopus sprawled playfully across the floor rendered in gleaming teal mosaic tiles with mischievous orange eyes. It’s a whimsical, almost theatrical welcome and a fitting prelude to the sense of fantasy that unfolds in this expansive layout that includes four bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a powder room, a private pool with a deck as well as a bar and changing rooms.

From flora to fixtures

The spirit of joy and storytelling ripples through the entire home. Each space is anchored by a distinct theme — from the Lotus Room, serene and contemplative like a monsoon pond at dusk, to the golden-hued Pineapple Room, where stone inlays bloom across micro-concrete floors like a secret waiting to be discovered. Even the bathrooms pick up the thread, echoing their room’s motif in thoughtful, often cheeky detail.

Upon entering the living room you’re taken into a soaring, double-height space with a dramatic bridge crossing overhead like a design exclamation mark. Sunlight pours in through expansive windows and doors that open out onto the pool deck drenching the space in warmth and movement. Throughout the day sunbeams slant and shift, bouncing off sculpted relief art panels and lime-washed walls casting an ever-changing play of shadow and light.

A sunlit soirée in the heart of the home

The living room rises like the crescendo of the home — double-height volume ceilings flooded with sunlight and layered with architectural drama. It’s where the design’s whimsical spirit meets a moment of grandeur. “The living room was my favourite space in the villa to design, as it has a wonderful airy double height volume with a dramatic bridge going through,” shares Anica. The bridge itself feels almost theatrical — a bold stroke slicing through the space, inviting light, shadow and curiosity to dance across the room throughout the day.

But as with any coastal build, paradise comes with its own set of challenges. “The most challenging part of the project execution has been the inlays in the micro concrete due to the different materials and humid conditions in Goa,” Anica explains. And yet, it’s precisely these intricate details — the unexpected mosaic motifs, the brass flourishes — that root the home in its tactile, handcrafted soul.

A Goa daydream brought to life

At some point during the process, it stopped feeling like a house was simply being designed and started feeling like a little self-made world. One where pineapples show up on the floor, octopuses guard the foyer and sunlight has a starring role. This wasn’t about ticking boxes or following trends. It was about intuition, about play, about letting Goa seep into the bones of the space in the most unexpected joy-filled ways. If anything, this home is a reminder that design doesn’t always have to behave. It can be wild, witty and a little sun-kissed around the edges.