Why did you start Svasa Homes? What makes it special in the landscape of Indian real estate?
The story of Svasa began in 2012 with a forgotten ancestral land in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru where we once had our legacy family business (Stumpp Schuele & Somappa Springs) factory. One day, my friend and architect Namith Varma came with me to the site just to revisit old memories and as we stood looking at the beautiful 15 acres of greenery right next to the Ramakrishna Ashram, we had this “Aha!” moment. I felt a surge of gratitude for this gift that we had inherited from my grandfather, Padmashri Machani Somappa and I was inspired to build something that lived up to his legacy.
Our concept for Svasa Homes began with the two words ‘inspired living’. Machani Somappa lived a highly inspired life. It was not just exemplary but also represented the act of giving to the community. The essence of this philosophy (giving and taking) is captured beautifully in the process of breathing - you must exhale to inhale. And that’s how Svasa (meaning breath in Sanskrit) found its name. Svasa is the very essence of life. Svasa is a way of life instead of a place to reside in.
What is your design philosophy?
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