STILL LIFE

The lounge space opens to a bar and pool patio designed for entertainment, with the bar area anchored around an original tree from the land. Deep overhangs and shaded courtyards provide passive cooling, while verandah-like passages create gentle continuity between spaces. The alfresco bar is outfitted with pendant lighting and bar stools from Gulmohar Lane. Designer fans from The White Teak Company add overhead comfort to the open-air counter

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Tucked away in Verla Canca, North Goa, this 10,000 sq ft home designed by Dinika Thomas and Adhiraj Bhattacharya of DADO Architecture makes space for nature, for silence, and for a way of living that follows the rhythms of light and breeze, rather than the clock. The homeowner Anuj Rakyan is a business entrepreneur with years of experience across industries, and he approached DADO through a mutual connection. “Right from the beginning, Anuj was clear,” says Dinika. “This had to be a home of ease and elegance, rooted in the landscape but not defined by it.” He wanted a home that reflected his Virgoan sensibility that's structured, balanced, and minimal – with enough openness to feel connected to the outdoors. And most of all, Anuj sought solitude, without detachment.

DADO's design response was sensitive and powerful. The starting point wasn't a floor plan but a forest. Every tree that could be saved was woven into the architecture. A majestic ironwood tree was originally in the footprint of the house, and was carefully transplanted into the central courtyard. “It became our North Star,” says Adhiraj. “The design literally grew around it.”