WE FOUND A GREENER SIDE

Have we outgrown the ornament? In a bucolic enclave in the bustling city, Nivasa designs a monochromatic home in New Delhi that flourishes with nature

- NAMRATA DEWANJEE

There it is again, the age-old contention, nature versus the city. A neverending jostle between a sylvan sanctity and an upbeat urbanity. Quiet against cacophonous, chaos against order, city lights against fireflies- such comparisons could confound the best arbitrators in the world but the question is rendered anything but moot.

As if straight out of cottage-core fantasies, this home in New Delhi liberates itself from this worn-out dichotomy. And it does so without ever leaving any cosmopolitan comfort too far behind. Just off the strident MG Road stands an idyllic residence on Pragati Marg designed by Nivasa.

You might be inclined to describe this villa as rustic. Although, owing to the term’s unabashed overuse, some clarification might be in order. Founder Rohit Kapoor explains, “The term rustic, traditionally meaning rough and unfinished, aligns perfectly with our design philosophy for this project. However, in the context of this villa, rustic signifies a deep connection to nature and an earthy aesthetic.”

Their process of creating this 8,500 sq ft architectural sculpture began with understanding the semantics of the site — the terrain, the trees and the light.

“Our intention was to eschew highly polished and artificial surfaces, opting instead for a natural, unprocessed feel throughout the villa,” he avers, continuing, “In this villa, rustic is redefined to celebrate imperfection and authenticity.”