Dezeen Magazine

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

This coastal holiday house and swimming pool by Mumbai practice WE Design Studio is positioned over a stone retaining wall in the hilly landscape of Alibaug, India (+ slideshow).

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

Accommodating a family of four, the single-storey residence has a rectilinear plan orientated to face a view of the Arabian Sea to the west.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

A glazed wall stretches across the sea-facing facade, offering a panoramic view from the living room and two bedrooms positioned alongside. The panels slide open to lead out to the swimming pool and surrounding terrace.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

WE Design Studio constructed the walls of the house from brick and they are coated in lime plaster to give a uniform colour.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

"The brief was to build a compact house for a family of four, which is easy to manage and maintain," architects Nupur Shah and Saahil Parikh told Dezeen. "We were given a very moderate budget to work with and the construction and material choices have been largely influenced by it."

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

The pale-coloured exterior contrasts with the dark grey tones of the basalt stone retaining walls that surround the building. These walls lift the house up from the steeply sloping hillside in front, but also support an access road at the rear.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

Flooring inside the house displays the same texture as the surface of the terrace outside, finished in a locally sourced limestone called Shahabad.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

Other houses featured on Dezeen from India include a residence with a scooping concrete roof and a house with a rooftop swimming pool on stilts. See more architecture in India.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

Photography is by Ira Gosalia.

Here are a few words from WE Design Studio:


House in Alibaug, India

This 3500 square foot single family house is located on a two acre hill in Kashid, Alibaug. The house comprises two intersecting monolithic volumes that are oriented to maximize a spectacular panoramic view of the Arabian Sea.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

Two stone retaining walls made of locally available basalt wrap around the front and rear of the house. The articulation of spaces is governed by the different ways in which these volumes interact with the stone walls.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio

The pool and deck seamlessly integrate interior with the surrounding landscape, establishing a strong sense of continuity. The house is a result of a continuous negotiation between topography, programmatic requirements and economy.

House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio
Site plan
House in Alibaug by WE Design Studio
Floor plan