Fact File
Location: Siolim, Goa
Size: 550 sq m
Principal Architect / Designer: Amita Kulkarni / Vikrant Tike
Photography by: Fabien Charuau
Moon House by SAV Architecture + Design draws inspiration from the sinuous form and raw texture of the moon—an architectural style that the studio envisions as an attempt to coalesce the tropical modernism of Bawa with the fluidity and dynamism of Hadid. Formed around a louvered courtyard of existing trees, the Moon House is defined by its subtle curved entrance and its black, grey-textured façade of local black slate stone. The fluid-in-place concrete steps contrast with the warmth of the large teak pivoting door and the shadows cast by the adjacent moon calendar screen. Shaped around a fluid crescent pool that forms the central feature of the house, the layout of the residence is inward-looking since it was built on a tight plot with scarce views (unusual for a holiday home of this size).
The house is designed to be divided along the pool; with the living, kitchen and guest spaces on one side that are connected through semi-open walkways and terraces to the bedroom spaces, evoking a constant inside-outside and perforated mood while moving throughout the house. The double height living space overlooks the pool and has a bespoke lunar crater-like artistic wall that was customised and crafted on-site. The double height doors of the living room slide and fold to open onto the deck. The concrete floors give a raw and expansive feel, while the louvered double courtyards permeate the surrounding lush tropical green into the interior. The kitchen is an open plan one, with its Goan-Portuguese cement pattern tiled flooring, local granite counters and black wooden chairs.
The house is designed with simple, monolithic, and locally available materials, with exposed concrete sloping roofs, concrete and local Kota stone floors, inner courtyards around tall existing trees, and several perforated screens and louvres that keep the house cool and ventilated in the hot tropical weather of Goa. All large glazings face north and are double-glazed and tinted to let in as little heat and radiation as possible. The large overhangs and sloping roofscape form an adequate barrier from the tropical rains while also elevating the moods of the interior spaces. One of the most interesting spaces is the semi-outdoor louvred walkway between the living and bedroom spaces that overlook the crescent pool, creating a dramatic play of sun and shadows where one can enjoy the slow passing of time, traditionally called “susegad” in Goan culture.
All the bedrooms overlook the internal courtyards and have attached bath spaces that are naturally lit, expansive and made with simple concrete and natural stone tiles. The master bedroom is connected to the rest of the house through a small louvered bridge across the pool and has a large monolith bath space with a sunken shower space that looks onto the trees. The bedroom also has fluid stairs that open onto a private master terrace—we wanted it to be like a ‘moon observatory’, with louvers that shade during the day and create an animated feel to enjoy the moonlight on a typical Goan starry night. The fluid lines of the house seamlessly merge with the fluid patterns of the outdoor landscape, where the new plants and existing trees merge, where the built mass and louvres flow together to create a house that is seamless, perforated and sinuous all at once.
Image caption, harmoniously combine two usually distinct indulgences
The link between the two main areas, the one closest to the entryway with the bar counter and lounge and the one at the rear reserved for aesthetic treatments, is a decorative feature with a great scenic impact: a series of deep blue glass portals guides the gaze towards the beauty area, giving the space perspective depth and a theatrical feel. This liminal space also houses the boutique and the facial bar, functions that will cater for a passing public and have faster times than the more complex treatments, as well as delineating the perimeter of the two lounges. “The management of flows and technical spaces,” the architects tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.” cts tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.”The link between the two main areas, the one closest to the entryway with the bar counter and lounge and the one at the rear reserved for aesthetic treatments, is a decorative feature with a great scenic impact: a series of deep blue glass portals guides the gaze towards the beauty area, giving the space perspective depth and a theatrical feel. This liminal space also houses the boutique and the facial bar, functions that will cater for a passing public and have faster times than the more complex treatments, as well as delineating the perimeter of the two lounges. “The management of flows and technical spaces,” the architects tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.” cts tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.”
The link between the two main areas, the one closest to the entryway with the bar counter and lounge and the one at the rear reserved for aesthetic treatments, is a decorative feature with a great scenic impact: a series of deep blue glass portals guides the gaze towards the beauty area, giving the space perspective depth and a theatrical feel. This liminal space also houses the boutique and the facial bar, functions that will cater for a passing public and have faster times than the more complex treatments, as well as delineating the perimeter of the two lounges. “The management of flows and technical spaces,” the architects tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.” cts tell us, “was especially complex. The brief for both Ballard & Fant’s identities were quite specific and binding, so the phases of the choice of space and the layouts of the areas were the most challenging points in the whole project.”
Image caption, harmoniously combine two usually distinct indulgences
The choice of materials and finishes was in keeping with this chromatic landscape. “Through the moodboard we visualized the allure of the space,” explains Pennesi. “An interplay of alternations between more or less tactile surface textures, contrasting colors and opaque and translucent finishes that create intriguing peep-through effects.”
This led to the choice of stoneware tiles by Ceramica Sant’Agostino, which deck the floors and bar counter with their dense and uniform speckled pattern and bind together the different areas into which the space is divided, wth laminates from Arpa Industriale and Kaindl, used respectively for the support surfaces and the structures of the bespoke furnishings.
“We chose these materials for both aesthetic and functional reasons. Aesthetic because this type of semi-finished product has color ranges that enabled us to make choices consistent with the palette we created; and practical because they are wearproof materials and ensure easy sanitization. In particular, Fenix, a special laminate we used to coat the counter top, with a surface that has a non-porous outer layer, makes the material easy to clean and suitable for contact with food as well as fingerprint-proof and pleasant to the touch.”
Even the lighting was curated in detail, helping create a pleasant and richly detailed environment. Bellhop cordless table lamps designed by Barber & Osgerby for Flos, illuminate the tables with their discreet light. Suspended above the bar counter is a spectacular suspension composition created with a series of “leaves” in Diphy polycarbonate. Designed by Mirco Crosatto for Stilnovo, it was inspired by a fascinating Japanese plant, whose flowers turn as transparent as crystal in contact with water.
