"We want a modern oasis to retire to with our little boys on the weekends" was a brief given to us by our clients who are busy medical professionals with a very hectic life in the city. The couple wished to cherish and recreate their favourite moments from their many travels and immortalize them within their new home.

Set on a grassy expanse overlooking the backwaters of Lake Beze, Pavilion House is an escape from the city. Inspired by the prairie style low-lying homes, the house is composed predominantly of steel and is grounded with a strategic use of glass to establish a visceral connection to the landscape.

The views from and of the house were a prominent driving force for the formal design decisions. "What began as an idea that we thought would benefit the neighbours to the east and north developed into something that had a sense of grounding on the main volume and also forced a better relationship between the landscape and architecture." We all look back on this decision with a certain fondness and credit it for the qualitative returns it has paid for the project.

Pavilion House is not complex in its layout, it is essentially divided into a living/entertainment space and a more private section to house the sleeping quarters. The interior layout is also reflected in its formal resolution with 2 different construction and roofing styles to create distinct volumes. A flat, accessible roof over 12' tall living spaces was a volumetric necessity that extends from the open kitchen to the living room onto the 270-degree pool deck and eventually leads to the terrace above. In contrast, a lean-to roof in the bedrooms lends a more intimate and cozy volume for the family to retire to after spending the day with friends.

The design is a response to the need for having large gatherings as well as quiet, intimate moments. However, what elevates the building is the cohesion between the architectural design and spaces by TAC, along with the choice of interior materiality by Salonee Ashtekar of Krei Studios. A refined curation of furniture and finishes adorns the interior spaces to bring out the client's understated and monochromatic taste with strategic material and colour offsets to inject vibrancy, youth, and warmth.

To embrace the indoor-outdoor living, almost every space connects to the outdoors and landscape both physically and visually. A parabolic roofline on the home's western facade is not only a practical extension of the living room deck offering respite from the afternoon sunshine but is visually striking as well. "We wanted the long, continuous plane of the outdoor roof to create a dramatic line extending the interior along the exterior. There is a very dramatic effect created when you view the outdoor space from west to south or vice versa." Central to this deck is a shimmering, black, mirror-like pool that serves to reflect the trees and the architecture. It was a shared vision between TAC, interior designer Salonee Ashtekar, and the clients. Designed as an overground pool, we chose to reflect the black monolithic-jewel-like quality inside and out.

Experientially, Pavilion House is a study in muted harmony. The stark white cladding and brushed metal of the exterior give way to a striking black-and-grey palette indoors. In the living areas, warm neutrals return with great impact, enhancing the sense of openness and inviting comfort.

The landscape design is a take on desert landscape with the choice of flora that would thrive in the hot dry summers of Nasik. It is intended to blend with the wild grassy surroundings while still retaining habitability and playfulness requested by our clients. We tend to celebrate the imperfect and untamed pairings that have emerged on our site with the landscape and the building.