House Of Reclaimed Gold

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Climate-Responsive by Design

Designed to thrive in the *Maharashtra tropical climate**, the house uses passive cooling to eliminate the need for high-energy consumption:*

Natural Insulation: 9-inch thick adobe walls provide high thermal mass, keeping interiors significantly cooler than the outdoor heat.
Passive Cooling: A 26-foot high roof and meshed gables allow hot air to escape, while a lily pond buffer cools the incoming breeze.
Monsoon Ready: Deep verandahs and expansive sloping overhangs protect the earthen structure from heavy rainfall.

The Architecture of Upcycling

The project is a collection of "reclaimed treasures" salvaged from the path of demolition:

Earth-Built: The walls are handcrafted load-bearing adobe blocks, pressed from soil found right on-site.
Salvaged Basalt: Foundations were laid using chiseled basalt rock rescued from demolished Wada properties near Mumbai.
Breathed-on Wood: Reclaimed teak and seasoned timber from old vernacular homes were transformed into decking, roofing, and live-edge furniture.
Waste to Wealth: Broken granite waste creates vibrant mosaic floors, while site-sieved pebbles form tactile, anti-skid bathroom surfaces.

The Layout: Life Around the Fig Tree

The home is split into two wings—Public and Private—connected by a central verandah and centered around a sprawling fruiting fig tree.

The Public Wing: An open-concept living space and kitchen designed for "floor-seating" rituals, honoring rural Indian traditions.
The Private Wing: Bedrooms featuring skylit bath courts that bring greenery and natural light into the most intimate spaces.

Sustainability Meets Soul

By training local craftsmen in indigenous techniques, this project didn't just build a house—it revitalized a community's building heritage. The House of Reclaimed Gold stands as a testament that luxury isn't about new materials, but the stories and sustainability behind the old ones.

The House of Reclaimed Gold is a delicate balance between preserving tradition and respecting the environment, allowing its residents to fully embrace the beauty of farm life.

Primary Material :
Handcrafted Mud Blocks (SMB), Salvaged Basalt Rock, Reclaimed Timber, Waste Marble Mosaic, Reclaimed Roof tiles

Cooling Strategy :
9-inch thick Adobe walls for high thermal mass, 26-foot high roof with meshed Gables, a Lily Pond breeze-buffer, deep surrounding Verandahs

Special Features :
Central verandah centered around a fruiting fig tree, and skylit bath courts

Sustainable Vernacular Architecture in Vikramgadh
(Near Mumbai)

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