White Manor was envisioned as more than a farmhouse; it was designed as a psychological retreat. Located in the quieter green belt of Alipur, Delhi, the residence responds to a deeply personal brief centred on calmness and emotional ease. The client, a self-made entrepreneur with a demanding lifestyle, wanted a complete escape from the pace of urban life. Rather than seeking spectacle, the brief focused on creating a sense of stillness. The home was designed to soften the mind from the moment one enters its gates.
The architectural language draws from Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean farmhouse typologies, reinterpreted through a contemporary Scandinavian lens. Rather than replicating a style, the design draws selectively from key spatial and material principles. Whitewashed masses, rhythmic arches and sloping tiled roofs establish the architectural character. Shaded verandahs and tactile finishes add warmth and depth. Indoor-outdoor continuity adapts these elements to a contemporary North Indian farmhouse setting.
White Manor: A Delhi Farmhouse Inspired by Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean Forms | TAS World
Vastu Shastra forms a core part of the planning strategy, guiding the design from the outset. The built form occupies the southwest portion of the site, reinforcing a sense of stability and grounding. The landscape opens towards the north and east, bringing in daylight and ventilation. The swimming pool sits in the northeast Ishan corner, traditionally associated with water and prosperity. The entry orientation follows the same principles. Landscape zones are carefully placed across the site. Together, these decisions create a balanced spatial experience throughout the residence.
What distinguishes the project is the way these Vastu principles seamlessly align with passive design strategies. The orientation reduces western heat gain and allows soft northern and eastern light to reach deep into the interiors. It also promotes cross ventilation across the major spaces. Sustainability here is embedded quietly within planning logic rather than expressed through overt technological gestures.
The facade composition is organised around a commanding double-height central entry volume that anchors the entire elevation. This vertical mass establishes hierarchy and proportion while giving the home a distinct architectural identity from across the lawn. Extending horizontally from this core is a rhythmic arcade of full-height arches that forms one of the defining visual and spatial features of the residence.
These arches are not merely ornamental references to Mediterranean architecture; they are deeply functional climatic devices. By creating recessed shaded zones along the facade, they reduce direct solar exposure while introducing layered shadow play that changes character throughout the day. The arches also establish a semi-open transitional threshold between architecture and landscape — a recurring theme across the project.
One of the most important experiential spaces born from this strategy is the front patio. Stretching across the length of the elevation and sheltered beneath the upper balcony projection, the patio became the architectural response to the client’s desire to remain connected to weather and nature. During monsoons, the space transforms into an immersive sensory environment where the sound of rain, the smell of wet earth, and the visual rhythm of water across the lawns become part of everyday living.
Materiality throughout the project was approached with exceptional restraint and clarity. The exterior palette revolves around four dominant elements — white lime-finished surfaces, terracotta roof tiles, black metal detailing, and layered greens from the landscape. This controlled palette allows proportion, texture, shadow, and light to become the primary visual language of the architecture.
The terracotta sloping roof introduces warmth and silhouette against the otherwise monochromatic white massing, while slim black railings sharpen the composition with precise linear contrast. Together, these elements create a farmhouse aesthetic that feels timeless yet contemporary, rooted yet globally familiar.
Landscape design extends the architectural discipline rather than functioning as an independent layer. The lawns remain intentionally expansive and uncluttered, allowing the architecture room to breathe. Along the white compound walls, a carefully repeated planting rhythm of date palms, Ficus Panda standards, and sculpted topiary establishes a near-graphic interplay between greenery and built form. The composition creates a calming visual cadence where landscape operates almost as a living elevation treatment.
The swimming pool stands out as one of the most refined design interventions within the project. Elevated and finished entirely in Gwalior mint stone, the pool carries a muted grey-green tonality that changes beautifully with shifting daylight. The stone was selected not only for its cooling properties and tactile quality, but also for the way it reflects water and sky with remarkable softness.
Rather than treating the pool as a singular recreational feature, the design transforms it into a layered spatial experience. A submerged lounge allows users to sit directly at water level, while a floating dining platform creates an intimate setting suspended above the reflective surface. An integrated Jacuzzi further reinforces the project’s larger narrative of pause, stillness, and sensory retreat.
Internally, the language shifts from Mediterranean formality toward Scandinavian-Bohemian warmth. The transition is intentional — the exterior establishes presence, while the interiors dissolve into comfort and tactility.
The ground floor creates a completely open social volume without bedrooms. Living, dining, entertainment, and leisure areas flow into one another, allowing uninterrupted movement throughout the space. This openness reinforces the project’s central idea of togetherness and fluid family interaction.
A defining interior USP is the exposed wooden purlin ceiling system that extends across the living spaces, patio, staircase volume, and upper balcony. Crafted in warm walnut-toned wood against white plaster ceilings, the purlins introduce depth, rhythm, and intimacy into otherwise expansive volumes. More importantly, they establish a continuous visual thread connecting interior and exterior spaces.
The flooring material further strengthens the home’s layered yet restrained character. Persian-patterned cement tiles in muted grey and off-white tones add visual richness underfoot while remaining tonally calm. The patterning subtly references heritage craft traditions while complementing the farmhouse vocabulary.
Furniture and styling follow a highly edited material palette centred around boucle upholstery, natural wood, textured wall finishes, lime-washed surfaces, brushed brass accents, and sculptural ceramics. The design intentionally avoids over-decoration, allowing texture, proportion, and negative space to carry emotional weight within the interiors.
The bar area introduces the project’s singular dramatic moment. Anchored by a textured black volcanic stone wall, the space contrasts sharply against the otherwise soft neutral palette. Floating timber shelves with concealed brass lighting display curated white ceramic objects and sculptural pieces, creating a gallery-like composition where material contrast becomes the focal point.
The upper floor houses three bedrooms, each interpreted through a distinct design personality while remaining materially cohesive. One room adopts a clean contemporary language, another introduces raw stone textures for a more grounded atmosphere, while the third leans into a culturally layered aesthetic with traditional art and handcrafted detailing.
Natural light plays a defining role throughout the residence. Large openings frame views toward the lawns and pool while ensuring every room remains naturally ventilated and illuminated throughout the day. The house relies on natural daylight, making artificial lighting almost unnecessary during the day. This simple approach becomes an understated yet meaningful form of luxury.
The project ultimately redefines luxury through restraint. Instead of relying on excess, White Manor focuses on proportion, sensory comfort, climatic responsiveness, tactile materiality, and emotional calm — creating a farmhouse that feels timeless not because it follows trends, but because it prioritises how a space should make you feel.
Fact File
Designed by: TAS World
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: White Manor
Location: Alipur, Delhi
Year Built: 2025
Built-up Area: 10000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Anmol CP Sachdeva
Photograph Courtesy: takeninstudios
Firm’s Instagram Link: TAS World
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