SCULPTED IN MOTION

Ali Baldiwala crafts a holiday home in Lonavala, balancing brutalism's boldness with fluidity and rhythm

- VARUNI MOHAN

In the quiet hills of Lonavala, a bold, sculptural 5,000 sq ft retreat stands in striking contrast to its lush surroundings. For a family in the marine offshore industry, this four-bedroom holiday home was meant to be a place of ease and escape-somewhere to unwind, host friends, and step away from the rush of city life. It had to feel distinct from their other homes, with an edge that made it both practical and indulgent.

When they approached Ali Baldiwala of Baldiwala Edge, they were already familiar with his work, having commissioned him for two homes in Mumbai. This time, they wanted something unexpected.

Ali turned to brutalism, drawn to its boldness and expressive forms. But the house needed more than structure-it needed movement. A trip to Spain had introduced Ali to flamenco, a dance that requires precision and spontaneity, restraint and release.

That contrast-between raw materiality and rhythmic fluidity-became the foundation of the design. "Brutalism is often seen as severe, but I wanted to bring in warmth, a sense of emotion," Ali explains. "Flamenco felt like the perfect metaphor its tension, energy, and grace all worked to create something powerful but deeply personal."