Famous for its captivating vistas, Pavana is as much a getaway as it is a pristine landscape – landlocked by the Sahyadris, crowned and guarded by three forts.

The family of four sought to discover a weekend retreat as well as a reprieve from the bustling life of the city, and hence ventured out in search of a tract of land that would not only capture the essence of the place but could also inspire, delight and satiate their creative endeavors.

Snaking its way up a steep slope riddled with hairpin bends that overlook the range, the site rests as a proud marker – evocative and majestic, overlooking the shimmering lake in the distance. The house on top of the hill, reminiscent of the forts in the horizon, revels in its ability to become one with the land and is a pure reflection of the realm that surrounds it.

Rising high and at the level of the Sahyadris, the story begins where the Five Elements meet – The Earth and The Sky, with Air, Water and Fire in-between – molded from the earth and open to the vast surround allowing the outside to step in.

The footprint ensures that the site has been altered to a bare minimum. The very form of the design tries to embrace the landscape, creating multiple vantage points from within – making it easy to forget where the house ends, and the outside begins. The house continues to respond, adapt and live in harmony with the elements. Spaces were imagined to develop and narrate their own story over time – as the seasons change – in sync with the natural environment.

Conceived as a home for friends as much as it was a home for family, the 5 Element House is a place for celebrating life itself.