High-end villas Where Functionality Meets Grandeur | Gopal Zaveri Architects

When it comes to high end residences, the million dollar question that accosts every designer is this : how does one create a space that is both personal and cosy, while simultaneously achieving such grandeur and opulence that one doesn’t need to step out of their house in order  to experience world class luxury? These twin villas in Surat offer the perfect solution- with their elaborate gold panelling and clever exaggeration of available space, these houses promises an experience that can give even royalty a run for their money.

Right from the very first glimpse, these bespoke villas speak volumes of the lavishness behind their walls.  The imposing G + 3 structure is artfully balanced out with a generous overhang crowning it and a strategically scooped out void on the second floor. Further, the approach affords a deceptively symmetrical view of the two different buildings, designed for two brothers of the same family.It is only when one steps inside that one realises that the spaces are anything but mirrored- a clever tactic on the part of the architect in order to preserve the uniqueness of each family’s tastes and requirements.

Inside, one is greeted with a spacious living room, opened up by a dramatic double heighted ceiling, topped off with a glass pyramid 40 ft from the floor finish in order to usher in natural light into this central part of the house. With a gold rimmed accent wall on one side and a clear visual connection with other spaces on the remaining three sides, this area completely sums up the “functionality meets grandeur “interior theme of the design.

The living room even offers a peek into another striking experience- the dining room. Here, a trendy chandelier lights up the space, while ceiling high mirrors serve to make the space appear and feel much larger than it actually is.

This area is flanked on one side by a state of the art modular kitchen, and on the other, a homely pooja room with traditional woodwork. Here, the architect’s judicious placement of windows becomes most apparent as the airy pooja room serves to also ventilate the dining room. The initial drawback of a small plot with less open space has therefore, successfully been adapted to in the design.

The rest of the rooms are then customized according to each individual user- however, the underlying concept of providing a mansion-like experience is maintained in each space. A muted pastel colour palette ensures that the focus remains on the bold use of wood and gold panelling that occurs in almost every single room of the house. The elaborate use of Italian marble for flooring effectively ties up the design and adds to the feeling of luxury.

All in all, the architect has created a spatial experience that borrows a balanced amount from modern, trendy design tools as well as conventional devices in order to make the best use of a space that is both homely and comfortable, but also induces immense awe and adulation.

Facts File:

Firm: Gopal Zaveri Architects

Area: 11000 sq.ft. x 2 =22000 Sq.ft

Location: Surat,Gujarat.

Principal Architect: Gopal Zaveri

Team: Jyoti ladiwal and Yash Kevadiya

Photography credits: Photographix

Text Credits: Geethanjali Raman