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
“Viraam,” a 4000 sq ft house design that embodies its literal translation: “a pause.” The vision is to create a sanctuary for relaxation, introspection, and to escape from the constant demands of daily life – an urban void for personal retreat. This 4000 sq ft House Design Unfolds Calm Lifestyle | Avani Mudra Design Reimagining […]
The facade of this Indian contemporary house design strikes a careful balance between solids and voids, with sculpted forms that reveal the inner workings of the space. The design plays with light and shadow, creating visual depth and intrigue from the exterior. The form resembles a cuboid that has been scooped out, while the outer […]
This 5 storey building takes inspiration from ancient haveli architecture. “Hailing from north India, the family held deep nostalgia for haveli, large residences with communal courtyards called chowks, projecting balconies called jharokhas and intricate brick or stone lattice screens called jaalis, vernacular to many western and northern regions of India,” said SJK Architects partner Vaishali […]
Set in the serene landscape of Nashik, the Dabholkar Residence by GDA is a home, embracing stone clad walls. Here, tradition and contemporary design exist in harmony. Designed to reflect the family’s deep connection to tradition and art while embracing the style of contemporary living, it is a space where architectural details, heritage furniture, artwork […]
This remodelling project aimed to revitalise a load-bearing house while respecting its original integrity and adapting it to contemporary needs. The design approach prioritised minimal structural intervention, allowing the existing framework to guide spatial reconfiguration. Careful consideration was given to preserving the load-bearing walls, which formed the backbone of the original construction. Openings were strategically […]
Redefining Indian temple architecture, the relocation of the existing shrine due to a new residential project presented an opportunity to design a space that seamlessly integrates tradition with contemporary needs. The given 400 sq. ft. site was envisioned not merely as a shrine to Lord Datta, a local deity, but as a vibrant community space, […]
Nestled within a 30×40 ft plot is the compact house design in Banashankari 6th Stage, Bengaluru. This residence for the Ellappans, reimagines traditional Indian living in a contemporary, spatially dynamic form. Designed for a family of three- Mr. Ellappan, his wife, and their teenage son- the house expresses a deep connection to vernacular roots while […]
This multi generational home is a testament to the ability of the design practice to blend aesthetic appeal with practical functionality. Keeping environmental sustainability and the welfare of the community at the forefront, Bhowal designed a home that was truly ahead of its time. His visionary approach and the Design Consortium’s expertise in providing a […]
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 […]
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 […]