A stay that is shaped by its location
At Saraya, a small eco-retreat in Goa, guest accommodation was built directly around the site, its trees, its terrain, its available materials. I joined the project as a volunteer for six months, working hands-on as a carpenter and helping carry the initial ideas forward into built form.
Link to the Project:
Building within the forest without destroying it
Rather than clearing the land, the structures were designed to grow into it. Trees were left standing and integrated into the houses themselves, positioned so their growth remains possible rather than restricted. Learning to build this way meant rethinking construction from the ground up, not imposing a form on the site, but letting the site define the form.
Working with what the land provides
The main building materials were local products available in the surrounding area: loam, clay, bamboo, and leaves. Recycled materials such as corrugated metal were used where appropriate. Construction was carried out in part using traditional techniques by workers from India, combined with modern low-tech ideas. The construction process is a blend of craftsmanship, improvisation, and experimentation.
