Susegad finds a new home in Goa

SAV Architecture borrows from Osho’s teachings to design a home in North Goa

09 Jan 2026

On Parra Road in Mapusa, where North Goa’s coconut-lined canopy famously slows both traffic and temper, stands a home that sits in favour of stillness. House of Tao is a gentle withdrawal from the urban psyche, a home that urges to unlearn the hustle. Composed of arches and softly held vaults, this 5,000 sq ft home is designed by Amita Kulkarni and Vikrant Tike of SAV Architecture. The home mirrors the spiritual grounding of its owners, disciples of Osho, whose teachings often urged one to “live deliberately, not habitually.” That philosophy finds its expression here, in spaces that encourage a pause.

Conceived as a boutique villa, the design draws from monasteries and the ethos of slow living, where time is experienced and not measured. In a subtle nod to Osho’s insistence on bodily awareness, the interiors are grounded in hues that echo the human skin with browns, beiges and earthen neutrals, imbuing the space with a tactile, deeply restful atmosphere that feels susegad. Traditional brick vault construction anchors the home, reviving age-old masonry techniques while consciously resisting a concrete-dominated architectural vocabulary.

The living space opens onto the pool decks into an in-situ concrete jacuzzi; Photography by Elmer S D’Souza and Abhijit Parsekar, The Photoarchitects

Built out of earth

Water is guided in as a stepped channel, running along the edge of the home before settling into a reflective pool that opens up to views of the fields beyond. Though largely dressed in beiges, the house is wrapped with planters placed in near-perfect symmetry to soften the design. A sense of calm sets in almost immediately upon entering through the large, metal-framed gates. At the centre lies an open courtyard, envisioned as a piazza, with a green marble terrazzo floor patterned like fish scales. It also features an elliptical sit-out, regarded as an interpretation of the traditional balcão, Goa’s much-loved porch. As sunlight filters through arched openings and shadows move across the patterned floor, simply being in the space feels grounding, an unspoken reminder of how restorative thoughtful design can be.

A small staircase leads playfully to a tiny balcony; Photography by Elmer S D’Souza and Abhijit Parsekar, The Photoarchitects

The bedrooms have a cool, monastic, cave-like aesthetic; Photography by Elmer S D’Souza and Abhijit Parsekar, The Photoarchitects

Eat, stay, vacay

Brick vaults, wooden arches and generous glazing shape the living area, which opens out to the pool decks and uninterrupted blue skies beyond. Days here move at an unhurried pace. A small staircase leads to a tiny balcony, ideal for a morning chai overlooking paddy fields that stretch out in silence. A stained-glass window inspired by the Osho symbol of two flying birds becomes the space’s focal point and the only moment of colour in an otherwise phlegmatic palette. Outside, an in-situ concrete jacuzzi offers the simple pleasure of soaking under the stars. Designed with social cohesion in mind, the home features a twenty-seater dining table that faces the courtyard and connects to the bedrooms and living spaces. The bedrooms are designed as spaces to turn inward. Finished in soft monochromes, they evoke a gentle, cocooned feeling, with textures of cane, wood and linen bringing warmth and tactility.

Surrounded by fields that have stood there for generations, the home draws deeply from Parra’s stillness. Built from earth, framed by trees and open skies, every detail creates a space that feels grounded in both place and pace.