The power of intention

Studio Massing builds a verdant hillside home in Sawantwadi, Maharashtra

24 Nov 2025

Sawantwadi is a town in flux. Geographically, it perches on the edge of the Maharashtra coast, between low-lying plains and the Western Ghats. Culturally, it straddles its past as a non-salute Maratha princely state, and a tier 3 city on the brink of urbanism. Here, the distance between the past and the present doesn’t feel tenuous. It feels nostalgic.

Studio Massing plucks cues from this very landscape to build a 5,000 sq ft home. For its roof, it looks no further than the terracotta-tiled roofs that crown its neighbours. Brick for its walls, save for the occasional glimpse of grey concrete that abounds in its neighbouring cities. Hues that mirror the lush topography, the gravel, the very earth that Sawantwadi calls its own. The home melds the best of the past with amenities from the present, standing tall as a beacon of the future.

A home shaped by site and intent

The residence responds to a clear brief: a home shaped by its terrain, linked to local building traditions and open to the landscape. In response, the design follows the contours of the site and keeps the existing mango trees intact.
Running east to west, the layout has been conceptualised as an airy, sunlit haven with abundant airflow — made possible by strategic design interventions. Case in point, terracotta jaalis and vertical louvres line the eastern facade, letting the breeze in while keeping prying eyes out. Every move follows a simple idea. Respect the land. Work with climate. Create a place that feels rooted in its setting without losing touch with present-day living. Here, Tulsi courtyards co-exist with double-height living rooms: a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation.

Built for the breeze

Native flora welcomes you into the foyer, where palm trees and thickets of mango sway with the breeze. A flood of light welcomes you into the living space, a room abundant in scale and volume with uninterrupted views of the surrounding greenery. This central volume forms the core of daily life, linking the social areas to the sprawling outdoors. The Tulsi courtyard sits within this layout as a functional cooling device and a nod to familiar domestic rituals. Vertical louvres and terracotta jalis line the eastern face, shaping privacy and airflow while filtering light into the passageways. On the upper floor, the media room opens across the treetops, and the bedrooms extend out to shaded balconies that temper sun and rain while keeping the connection with the landscape intact. Outside, the pool and gazebo complete the plan, forming a set of quiet leisure zones that sit lightly within the contours.

Materials stay true to the region with brick and terracotta tiles anchoring the structure. The palette keeps visual noise low and highlights the transitions between built form and open ground. Honouring the local climate and craft, it poses as the ideal middle ground for those keen on retaining vernacular traditions whilst evolving with the times and modern-day needs — the true definition of timelessness.