The design responds closely to its Rajasthani context. The design team drew climate-responsive strategies from Spanish Colonial and Rajasthani architecture to shape the built mass. They carefully considered orientation, sun paths, and prevailing winds while designing the exterior envelope. Thick walls and shaded openings help temper the harsh desert sun. Articulated surfaces further reduce heat gain while adding depth to the façade. Multiple skylights bring natural light deep into the interiors. Inspired by the courtyard principle, these skylights also drive passive ventilation through the stack effect, helping the house stay cooler during Rajasthan’s summers.
The interiors continue the same language through recurring forms, materials and proportions, while allowing each room to reflect its user. Neo-Classical, Bohemian and Neo-Rajasthani influences coexist within a shared vocabulary. Sai Nilayam is therefore both timeless and grounded: a contemporary home that honours local context, craft and cultural identity.
At the heart of the home is a contemporary interpretation of the courtyard. It receives light and a direct view of the sky while visually connecting to the adjacent Green Zone. Unlike a traditional open courtyard, this is an air-conditioned family space beside the dining area and open kitchen, making it the natural social core of the house.
The family has collected souvenirs during decades of living and travelling abroad. The drawing room was designed to display these objects as a curated collection rather than isolated memorabilia. The space carries a sense of opulence while remaining rooted in a contemporary interpretation of Rajasthani and Spanish Colonial aesthetics.
Inspired by Rajasthan’s traditional baoris and stepwells, the puja room uses ascending pedestals to give equal prominence to multiple deities while leaving room for future additions. The stepped composition creates a sacred character, while the false ceilingadopts a shikhar-like form to complete the temple-inspired geometry.
The informal lounge between the ground and first floors doubles as a library for a family that loves books. An entire wall becomes built-in shelving, storage, display and a sitting niche. Finished in burgundy, it forms a strong focal point for the first-floor living zone, while a replica of Hans Wegner’s Shell Chair adds a modernist note.
After spending two decades in East Africa and travelling extensively, the parents wanted a bedroom that balanced classical grandeur with calmness. Their preferred colour, turquoise, became the defining accent. White classical elements such as pedestals,columns and entablatures are embedded into the walls to form the bed-back and TV console. A study, recliner and compact jharokha complete the room.
Designed for the younger son, who lives and works in Europe, this room combines bohemian forms and materials with a bold black-and-white palette. A sloping roof with a fixed skylight and French balcony extends the visual horizon and ensures that the rear- facing room remains filled with daylight and changing views of the sky.
The grandmother’s bedroom combines Spanish Colonial references with traditional detailing. The bed-back resembles a classical facade, while dado work and solid wooden cornices strengthen the historic character. Its most intimate element is a large jharokha-inspired niche designed for reading, writing and resting while overlooking the in-house garden.
Sai Nilayam occupies a deeply personal place in Mason Gharana Design Studio’s journey. Acting simultaneously as clients, designers and construction managers created an unusually intimate relationship with the project. That closeness transformed the house into more than an architectural commission: it became a personal work of art shaped by memory, family, craft and place.
Fact File
Designed by: Mason Gharana Design Studio LLP
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Sai Nilayam
Location: Kota, Rajasthan
Project Size: 40’x75′
Plot Area: 40’x75′
Built-up Area: 5200 sq ft
Principal Designers: Ar. Siddhi Vinayak Agrawal, Ar. Deepak Kumar & Ar. Shefali Agarwal
Photograph Courtesy: studio bluora
Vendors – Civil – Shree Arihant Ind. | Kota Build Mat | Stone Shippers Ltd. | Shubh MarblesPlumbing – Rajkamal Ind. Electrical – Ambika Electricals | Frig Care CenterTiles – Rama Agencies | Aashiyana Windows – Green Palm
Firm’s Instagram Link: Mason Gharana Design Studio LLP
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