Studio Mumbai Architects

Palmyra House

Palmyra House
© Helene Binet

PALMYRA HOUSE 

Studio Mumbai

ARCHITECTS
Studio Mumbai

CATEGORY
Houses

YEAR
2007

LOCATION
Nandgaon, India

PHOTOGRAPH
Helene Binet

Text description provided by architect.

Located outside of Mumbai on the Arabian Sea, Palmyra House was built as a refuge from the bustle of the busy city.

Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet

The 3000 sq ft. house consists of two wooden louvered structures set inside of a functioning coconut plantation.

Anchored to stone platforms, the structures overlook a network of wells and aqueducts that weave the site into an inhabitable whole.

Living room, study and master bedroom are contained in the north volume, while the south volume contains the kitchen, dining, and guest bedrooms.

Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet

Set in the plaza between the buildings, the pool provides a channel for swimming, with expansive views of the sea to the west and views into a dense foliage of palms to the east.

Structural framing for the house was built of ain wood, a local hardwood, and was constructed using traditional interlocking joinery.

Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet

The extensive louvres were handcrafted from the outer part of the palmyra trunk (a local palm species).

Exteriors are detailed with hand-worked copper flashing and standing seam aluminum roofs; interior surfaces are finished with teakwood and India Patent Stone, a refined pigmented plaster.

Locally quarried black basalt was used to construct the stone plinths, aqueduct walls and pool plaza.

Palmyra House
© Helene Binet


Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet


Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet
Palmyra House
© Helene Binet


Palmyra House
Site Section
Palmyra House
Section


Palmyra House
Sketch 01
Palmyra House
Sketch 02


Palmyra House
Exploded Axo
Palmyra House
Site Plan
Palmyra House
Ground Floor Plan
Palmyra House
First Floor Plan

Studio Mumbai Architects
T +91 22 23000754
Studio Mumbai Architects
561, 563, NM Joshi Marg, Byculla West, Jacob Circle, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400011, India