The Dasavatara Hotel SJK Architects
The most venerated, and the wealthiest temple trust in India, Tirumala – Tirupati, is considered to be the sacred abode of Lord Vishnu, one of the three supreme deities in the Hindu Trinity. The practice of religion here is devout and ritualistic with great faith being invested in the idol and the customs of the temple. The temple is visited by 20 million devout pilgrims annually requiring organized crowd management. The area is considered auspicious for wedding rituals and celebrations and caters to discerning business travelers who like to combine leisure conferences with a divine temple visit.
The brief required us to build a 121 key boutique Hotel on a 13150 Sq.m plot of land, at the foothills of the Saptagiri Mountain range. The functions included Guests rooms & Suites, Banqueting facilities a Business center, Health center with a Spa, Gym, a Games room & Swimming pool and 2 Specialty restaurants.
The all-pervading position of the worship of Lord Balaji (or Lord Vishnu) in this temple town pointed us towards an environment that embodies the classical elements of temple architecture – the orthogonal, introverted Hindu temple plan. The need to express both divinity and serenity after the overwhelming experience of gaining a glimpse of the Lord also guided this design. These ideas have been refined & distilled into a contemporary building with a central open courtyard and a water body, within which “floats” the all-day dining space – ‘The Lotus Café’, envisioned as a lotus in the pond. This central water body forms the core of the hotel, both spatially & experientially. Simplicity and divinity are the core values this building stands for whereas the interiors draw on craft, mythology, and symbolism to weave a story that one encounters throughout the project.
Mythology recounts that the Lord Vishnu appeared on the earth in ten incarnations called the Dasavatara – each avatar appropriate to his position as a saviour within that era. It is said that whenever there is a decline of religion, Vishnu is said to incarnate himself to protect the good, to destroy the wicked and re-establish the balance of life on earth. These avatars also represent the evolution of humankind and each embodies character, stories, color and emotion. The interiors of all the public spaces have been designed to represent an avatar, replete with character, color, and symbolism.
Black Gold Paint, Sandstone, Beige wall paint, Blue tiled water body, Imperial Beige Turkish Marble flooring & shear glass facades:
Guest Block’s south façade has been finished in an exterior grade black-gold paint (exterior grade paint was customized with Archital- Oikos, to arrive at a specification that is anti-fungal & breathable)
Exterior façade along the South & internal façade along the east length of waterbody has a Teak sandstone finish, respectively used as stone on edge & cut stone in a staggered pattern (Stone supplied by Italiano Stones & Tiles ). These stones were pre-sealed and fixed using a specialized polymeric adhesive based grout from Ardex Endura ( to help reduce structural loading factors otherwise encountered while using cement mortar while cladding walls)
Project Info Architects: SJK Architects Location: Andhra Pradesh, India Architects in Charge: Shimul Javeri Kadri, Sarika Shetty, Michelle Pereira Year: 2015 Manufacturers: Saint Gobain, Kohler, Jaquar Structural Consultants: Engineering Creations Consultancy (I) Pvt. Ltd. MEP & FF Consultant: AECOM Lighting Consultants: Lighting Design Works Landscape Consultant: IPDM Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. Kitchen & BOH Consultant: Mistry Associates PMC: Sycone CPMC Pvt. Ltd. Clients: Marasa Hospitality Area: 115000.0 ft2 Type: Hotel Photographs: Himanshuu Sheth , Rajesh Vora
source
Nestled in the serene surroundings of Swarnabhoomi, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Ivory Courtyard is more than just a residence—it is an architectural statement that harmoniously blends Indian traditional values with modern contemporary living. With its pristine ivory colour exterior symbolising purity and sophistication, this home stands as a beacon of elegance and comfort for the two families […]
“Even within the smallest green lies all the purity and freshness of Eden.” This idea became the seed for Eden Moss, a home nestled in an ecological environment and imagined as a breath of freshness, evoking the scent of mud after rain, and seamlessly intertwined with nature while still embracing comfort and contextual charm. Nestled […]
Nestled in what was once a coconut orchard, Sanctum serves as a sanctuary for a retired couple. Their daughter & a feline companion join them to offer a tranquil environment for everyday goings-on. The site is a 60’ x 90’ portion of land with six coconut trees. Two teak wood & silver oak trees, each […]
Tucked into the calm, tree-lined lanes of Nagarbhavi in Bangalore, Avani Residence rises as a poetic response to the chaos of the city, a vertical sanctuary where light dances, materials breathe, and space unfolds in gentle rhythms. Designed by Archemist Architects for a family of four, the residence is a nuanced interplay between constraint and […]
Adorn, a home filled with earthen design and the laughter of a family of four, nestles in the peaceful neighborhood of Selvapuram, Coimbatore. “On one side, it shares boundaries with cozy family homes; meanwhile, the other side opens to expansive fields dotted with tall trees.” The fresh air scented with greenery sets a calming atmosphere […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]
The door design for main door is a defining feature of any Indian home, embodying both style and cultural significance. In a country rich with diverse architectural traditions, the entrance to your home reflects not only personal taste but also cultural heritage. Whether you’re drawn to the intricate carvings of traditional Indian door designs or […]
Pillar design is a cornerstone of architectural elegance, seamlessly blending structural support with aesthetic appeal. Our blog, “50 Best Pillar Design Inspirations,” celebrates this essential element, showcasing a variety of styles from classical Doric and Ionic to contemporary and avant-garde innovations. Whether you’re an architect, interior designer, or a design enthusiast, these pillar design inspirations […]
This simple farmhouse design is a humble residence that responds to the climate and site. It is a fun fact that the house is both an inward and outward looking house at the same time. One of the USPs of the simple farmhouse design project would be that it connects well with the most playful […]