London, Mumbai and Goa-based architecture studio SAV Architecture + Design has completed the Sun House located in the tropical and sea side state of Goa, in West India.

The 500-square-metre house is inspired from the fiery nature of sun, the architects have created the house with local red laterite stone exterior walls, large sun screens as well its double height brick inner entrance and living spaces.

The sun house has louvered verandah / porch creating an inviting and perforated entrance to the house. Local laterite walls with on the entrance and southern facades facade allow for cooler temperatures within the house while lending a fiery identity to the house.

The form of the house is derived from landscape, with emphasis on bold sweeping strokes, fluid lines and large overhangs that reflect within the interior spaces. Working within a tightly constrained site which is not usual for holiday homes and with little views the architects focused on creating an inward looking house, that draws the elements of nature towards itself.

The floating teak wood open riser staircase with brass rods as the balustrade along with concrete floors and uniquely crafted tall lights create layers of texture and an elegant materiality that flows through the entire house.

The exposed brick wall forms the central spine of the house changing its course as it moves to the double height living space creating a dynamic and sweeping effect. 

The curved living space is a sunken one designed to be in line with the level of the pool outside creating a poetic visual bridge with ‘water’ with its amphitheatre like seating. The double height doors of the living slide and fold to open the interiors wherein one feels that the living spaces is part of the pool.

The lobby space was designed to be cool meditative one. The chairs were designed as sculptural objects elevating the minimal and elemental mood. The sun screen pattern was inspired from the Goan Portuguese tile pattern that we had chosen for the kitchen floors.

The architects used a simple, minimal and locally available material palette that allowed them to stay true to the architectural experiences while focusing on the craftsmanship and details as well as nature and the connection to the outdoors. Exposed concrete roof and floors lend a seamlessness to the interiors while also keeping the house cool in the tropical weather of Goa. 

Designed artistically, the house still responds to its tropical climate with large overhangs and shaded courtyard green spaces. The overhands and sloping roofscapes reflects within the internal spaces and through its varying slopes and angles generating unique spatial moments across the entire house.

The exposed brick wall forms the central spine of the house changing its course as it moves to the double height living space creating a dynamic and sweeping effect. The curved living space is a sunken one designed to be in line with the level of the pool outside creating a poetic visual bridge with ‘water’ with its amphitheatre like seating. The double height doors of the living slide and fold to open the interiors wherein one feels that the living spaces is part of the pool.

The entrance of the house is designed with a brick lined wall over a linear water body with large sun screens on the south wall that create both a reflective and performative mood as soon as on enters the house. The floating teak open riser stairs with its brass rods create layers of texture and materiality that flow through the entire house.

When lines become movement ; and movement makes space. We wanted the double height sunken living space of the Sun House to create a force of feeling like the Sun itself. Through minimal furniture and lights, we focused on the fluid lines shaped by the house to bridge the architecture and interior as one seamless space.

With its Goan-Portuguese inspired traditional cement tiled flooring, local granite counters, with a high spec modern kitchen ,and bright fresh furniture the open plan dining and kitchen is designed to be a fun, fresh and light space that beautifully blends a local and international feel. Shaped around an internal courtyard on both sides, the kitchen and dining areas receive a lot of light, natural ventilation and a constant connection to the outdoors.

On the first level the stairs end with an open plan mezzanine space that looks onto the double height sunken living. The unique lights were designed by the architects specific to this space and were inspired from the architectural lines of the house.

The double height living with its fiery brick wall, geometrical lines and dynamic shape is designed to create powerful emotions, through the narrative spirit of spaces, where architecture is imagined and space is more than the sum of its finite measurements.

All the bedrooms open up through fluid sweeping white corridors that provide an element of surprise when one enters them. Each bedroom has its unique connection to the outdoors, while the main master room has a large private terrace that looks onto a louvered courtyard on side and the pool onto another. Fitted timber joinery as well as hints of bold colour in textiles and art provide a contrasting warmth to the minimal and meditative architectural palletes.

The tropical architecture of the Sun house is shaped through the bold sweeping laterite walls and bronze sun screens that set the fiery tones and the spirit of the Sun that is reflected throughout the house.

"One of the most important spaces in the house are all the bath spaces, and all five of them are designed to create a strong connection to the fiery nature of materials, top lit skylights as well as to the fluid spatial lines of the house," said SAV Architecture + Design. 

"The bar and poker room spaces around the pool side offer a mix of chic interiors with crafted furniture with a strong connection to the tropical plants outside, both near the pool as well as the inner courtyards they look onto."

"The landscape around the pool although not large, takes its cues from the dramatic lines of the house, creating spaces that flow in and out seamlessly lending a dynamic and picturesque quality to the space," the firm added.

The Sun House is divided into sweeping curved bays that forms the different spaces within the house. Each of the bay ends with a large overhang and varying sloping roofs that allows for semi shaded spaces that cool the interiors in a tropical climate and craete distinct private outside spaces for the bedrooms.

With its Goan-Portuguese inspired traditional cement tiled flooring and bright orange sun chairs ,we wanted the open plan dining to be a fun, fresh and light space that beautifully blends a local and international feel. Shaped around internal courtyards on both sides, the dining area receives a lot of light, natural ventilation and a constant connection to the outdoors.

The terrace seating area is a a tropical and minimal outdoor extension to the master bedroom. We wanted it to have a clean bold look with large plants that complemented the handcrafted teak sofa sets.

The Sun House has a central curved courtyard with topical ferns that rise up towards the sky giving cool shaded light and natural ventilation to the adjoining internal spaces.

Each of the bath spaces in the Sun House is as dramatic and experiential as the rest of the house. This one ends in a sharp cornered wet shower space with an angular skylight and is clad with red stone tiles to create a strong evocative mood reflecting the blazing intensity of bathing closer to the ‘Sun’.

Roof floor plan

First floor plan

Ground floor plan

Section

Elevation

Project facts

Architects, Landscape and Interior Designers: By SAV Architecture + Design

Project Name: SUN HOUSE

Architect or Architecture Firm: SAV Architecture + Design

Completion Year: March 2019

Built Area (m2 or sqft): 500 sqm

Project Location: Siolim, Goa, India

Design team: Amita Kulkarni, Anna Musychak, Mario Olmos, Dhrumil Mehta, Vikrant Tike

Developers: Kriss RE

Clients: Private

Civil Contractor: Unitech Concrete Technologies 

Furniture contractor: SAV Architecture + Design

All images © Fabien Charuau

All drawings © SAV Architecture + Design

> via SAV Architecture + Design