A walk to remember

Ikshhana Design Studio crafts a Gujarat home shaped by the land it stands on

16 Jun 2025

Few homes can boast of being in close proximity to both a forest and a river. True to its unique context, a meandering walk to the final site ended up inspiring Devansshi H Shrof, principal architect at Ikshhana Design Studio, to model the structure after the land. And how could it not?

Reachable on foot, this 3,015 sq ft red-bricked home in Navsari, Gujarat, meditates amidst groves of mango trees with a river lapping in its backyard. As raw as the land itself, the exposed plaster facade is true to the studio’s intent to create “something that feels like it has always belonged to the land it sits on,” avers Devansshi. The emanating structure dips into its surroundings to paint itself over with texture, character and generous dollops of green.

“This project didn’t start with drawings or plans, it started with a feeling.” — Devansshi H Shrof

Furniture by Techtona Grandis and Aaram by Decora; Photography by Manan Surti

When nature plays co-architect

Carving a site from the densely forested area was a challenge. To cut or not to cut? Rather than clearing the trees, the studio opted to build on a patch of land with minimal vegetation close to the river. As Devansshi affirms, “The river and the mango trees became our anchors. Every choice, from placing the house where the trees were fewest, to designing around the ones that stood strong, was rooted in the mindset to honour the landscape. ” True to her words, one tree sits in the verandah, while the other looms over the bathrooms. The original residents coexist with the new ones in the space.

Leading by the land

With the landscape as her muse, the interiors reflect the same openness as its lush exteriors. This sentiment is best echoed in the living room, a space that “became our anchor, not just functionally but emotionally,” enthuses Devansshi, She further explains, “It connects every part of the house and opens up to both the river and farmland. It’s a space that breathes.” Further within, a courtyard sits between two bedrooms, resting underneath a skylight. Open the sliding doors, and you have a shared space where one can entertain, lounge or simply partake in a cup of chai.

Two otlas, or raised platforms at the front of the house and back, further smudge the lines between the exterior and the interior. This intent defines both public and private spaces within the home, even the most private ones! Case in point, each bathroom is accompanied by a small outdoor garden illuminated by a skylight above. As Devanshhi quips, “It adds a touch of nature and openness where you’d least expect it.”

The brick elevation features bricks from Radha Krishna Bricks Industry; Photography by Manan Surti

Imperfection over perfection

Rather than attempting to prune or tame the wilderness outside, Devansshi chose raw materials that echo the same energy. A textured plaster wraps the home’s facade, paired with exposed red brick cladding. Her tools of choice for bringing this rawness indoors? “Exposed textures, untreated stones, patchworks in the floor that feel handmade, not manufactured.” The flooring, in tandem, is crafted from rough, polished Kadappa stone fitted with patchworks of Mandana and white marble.

With natural wood and soft neutrals dotting the interiors, the home shifts the spotlight from the artificial towards the natural, embracing the landscape as its lodestar. As Devansshi concludes, “It was never about just building something. It was about letting the land lead the way.”