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<h5-red>CLIENT<h5-red> AMBUJA NEOTIA I <h5-red>Area<h5-red> 40,000 SQ FT I <h5-red>STATUS<h5-red> COMPLETED IN 2023 I <h5-red>TEAM<h5-red> ANKUR CHOKSI, HUDA ATEEQUE, KARAN SINGH, SHALINI SATISH KUMAR, SOMIK BEURA I <h5-red>PHOTOGRAPHER<h5-red> NIVEDITA GUPTA
Taj Guras Kutir sits within dense forests of rhododendron in Panthang, in the lap of the eastern Himalayas, offering stunning views of the valleys and the mighty Kanchenjunga range.
Inheriting an old architectural shell that the client had commissioned earlier, <rt-red>the studio was entrusted with designing the public spaces of the resort<rt-red>, the intent being to deliver an enriching experience to discerning travellers seeking tranquility in this remote location.
The studio’s design approach celebrates the property’s connection to the natural beauty that surrounds it and aims to instil a sense of home-like warmth and intimacy in the resort’s public spaces. Primary among the new architectural insertions is the arrival experience conceived as a light, porous timber pavilion that abuts a meditative, open-to-sky courtyard, creating a welcoming prelude to the main building.
The double-height lobby bar and the all-day dining—inherited from the original architectural shell—frame spectacular sunrise views of the Kanchenjunga range through their large north-west-facing fenestrations. Everywhere else, a deliberate strategy to create intimate volumes ensures a cosy, inviting atmosphere that also cocoons guests from the occasional inclement weather conditions.
Motifs and patterns referencing the region's Buddhist monasteries and local tribal art root the project within its site and context. Along with local stone, timber—traditionally often painted—reinterpreted here in its stained and flamed forms, is extensively used. <rt-red>Sikkim’s traditional woven tapestries are reinterpreted as intricate, wood-beaded screens, while the red and indigo hues of traditional thangka paintings are reflected in the upholstery, stained timber, and artwork, serving as striking accents<rt-red> throughout the interiors.
