Nandgaon is fast becoming a viable destination for getaway houses for Mumbai’s elite. Sprawling, white beaches, a stone’s throw away from their city playground and of course, the perfect kind of quiet--peaceful but not too peaceful. This particular house we picked for showcase today (Palmyra House) happens to be located in Nandgaon, just outside Mumbai on the Arabian sea and had none other than renowned architect Bijoy Jain as the principal mind behind fleshing out its structure. They worked on the project in 2007 and the spectacular results can be seen below.

With 3000 sq. feet to play with the ‘refuge’ house boasts some exquisite detailing. Think two wooden louvered structures set inside a functioning coconut plantation which also overlook a network of wells and aqueducts, a channel-like pool in between the south and north volumes of the home, expansive views of the sea to the west and dense foliage to the east, local hardwood for the structural framing, hand-worked copper flashing and seam aluminium roofs and even quarried black basalt for the construction of the stone plinths, aqueduct walls and the pool plaza. Now that’s what we call a vacation home fit for city kings. Besides, anyone who knows us well knows we’re suckers for minimalist design techniques and these guys at Studio Mumbai seem to have mastered that technique.

Image Credits: Helene Binet