A serene weekend getaway featuring 44 cottages along the banks of Shanti Lake, Back to Heaven by UNEVEN is woven beautifully into Vadodara’s rustic, rural landscape. With several incredible sustainable attributes, the project aims to provide contemporary luxuries while simultaneously transporting visitors to the simpler times of a bygone era.

“The layout of the entire site was planned in a simple and linear fashion. Compact, traditional interior design with a combination of rustic finishes and authentic embellishment conjure a very beautiful and refreshing experience. Special care has been taken in terms of retaining ‘scale’ after thorough research of such traditional homes in rural India,” said the architects.

Approaching the site with a clear aim to highlight the beauty of the lake and its surroundings, the Studio ensured that the existing vegetation and ecosystems remained intact. Utilising grass pavers rather than a hard surface not only helps discourage the use of vehicles on the property, but also helps aid the transfer water back to the soil. Bulrushes and grass that merge into the lake are interspersed with boulders which make for an interesting take on seating spaces, while villa compounds are divided by hedges made of Champa, Bird of Paradise and Lagerstroemia.

Apart from this, the architects also planted fruit trees to encourage the presence of birds, flowers for aesthetic value as well as fragrance and even some more large trees that provide shade for relaxation. The keen attention to environment conservation becomes an aid for the landscaping and design elements in this project. Back to Heaven truly seems to reflect the experience that the name incites.