The House in a Beach Garden used to be segregated from its seafront by a tall boundary wall. It separated the property both physically and visually from the much coveted coastline of the Mumbai bay. A missed opportunity. Therefore the first and most important intervention was to lift the garden up 5 feet above the existing level, such that the house, the garden and the top of the boundary wall, were all aligned in one level. The framework of the house was unfortunately in such a bad shape that it had to be demolished. However, we based the outline of the new house on the existing structure, such that we could reuse the foundation. Additionally, all demolition material was re-used to raise the garden, such that no material had to go to a landfill. The Garden - On arrival one walks up a gentle set of stairs along a carefully crafted low basalt masonry wall to reach the top level of the garden. The masonry planter bed flourishes with ecologically grown vegetables. With the house on one side and the pool in front on the other side, one catches a glimpse of the shimmering sea beyond. By placing the 20-meter-long swimming pool in the direction of the sea and just above the boundary wall, it enjoys a seamless visual transition from the reflective pool surface to the ocean. A row of palm trees carefully flanks the pool on the left side, creating a shady, breezy spot.
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