PEAK Resort and Spa by Studio Symbiosis will be located in the natural desert landscape of Udaipur, Rajasthan in India. The villas will be carved into the landscape on a slope, drawing in cooling southerly winds to combat the heat.
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The design concept combines inspiration from regional Rajasthani architecture with a modern take on a hexagonal pattern. The shape is used in the shape of the villa courtyards, green roof landscaping and shade pergolas.
Related: This eco-resort uses an ancient natural cooling process
“The original outlines of the site were used as an interface to create the architecture,” the designers said.
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Thus, each villa is nestled in the landscape. These villas have been created by digging the earth in the location of the villas only, in order to disturb the natural beauty of the site as little as possible.
The hexagonal pattern is a unifying element for the design, extending even to the shapes of the villa pools. It creates a feeling of harmony and cohesion on the site. Meanwhile, the water bodies embedded in the site and the natural wind flow bring cooling air from south to north over the villas which are carved into the land.
Additionally, the project uses materials taken from the landscape in a closed-loop construction. Rocks, mud and natural fibers are turned into building bricks to create the villas. All together, it’s a low-key, sustainable way to create a peaceful retreat, a far cry from a high-rise hotel in the desert. Even water features have been incorporated into homes as backyard pools, so they serve a natural cooling function as well as recreational focal points.
So how do you get into the underground villas? They are built in a slope with a green roof. There will be a main entrance at ground level at the base of the slope. As you approach, you see the pool and the back door of each villa, like a honeycomb of pools and windows. Landscaping plants are planted in hexagonal areas above the roof under which you pass to enter the spa. Even the pergolas have a neat interlocking hexagonal design, providing playful shadows on the ground while functioning as shadows above the pool.
+ Studio Symbiosis
Images via Studio Symbiosis
