Villas That Listen To The Land: Oryza Interprets Susegad For Modern Living

The coastal states of India have eternally shrouded mystical powers within their boundaries. Away from the clamour of the ordinary, their picturesque beaches, towering palms, heart-warming curries, and huddled vibrant edifices echo nature’s enchantments. Amidst these coastal towns is a sleepy little civic—a living palimpsest etched in laterite and stucco, courtesy of the Portuguese, who arrived in the early 16th century with baroque spires, azulejo-clad villas and a sense of contextual sensitivity. Sauntering the back roads of Siolim in North Goa—where bougainvillaea spills over balcaos, ancient Bhovris and sun-dappled courtyards, a boutique gated enclave of five holiday homes interpreting the bequeathed legacy. Conceived by Jaglax Homes, ‘Oryza’ draws from the region’s agrarian occupation and colonial past, borrowing references from the contours of paddy fields and tiled balcaos. With sweeping double-gable roofs, louvred arches that echo rice stalks, airy alfresco spaces, and a philosophy steeped in slow living, infused with local spices and coastal fare, Oryza conjures glimpses of the ‘susegad’ life.

Once a flourishing port where the tides of trade, conquest, and pilgrimage wove a rich tapestry of cultures through the ebb and flow of dynasties, Goa has long been the cradle of rice cultivation. In keeping with this agrarian lineage, Studio TreeSpace draws inspiration from the abundance of Goa’s pastoral roots and its historic ties to early coastal trade with Oryza, which loosely translates to rice in Latin.

Getting There

Beyond the leafy lanes of Siolim lies the tranquil village of Oxel, where Oryza resides. It is accessible via a scenic drive—past swaying palm groves, sprawling paddy fields, and the quiet pace of village life—from Thivim railway station (16.2 km). The 30-minute drive from Manohar International Airport (MOPA) unfolds as a journey through pastoral scenes and heritage echoes, where coconut-fringed bylanes meet arched corridors, tiled courtyards, and balustrades that whisper Iberian silhouettes in a tropical cadence.

Design Inspired By The Fields

Nestled within a tapestry of paddy fields, Oryza borrows design cues from the sleek and linear forms of Australian coastal homes. At the entrance, an arched threshold offers glimpses of courtyards and façades featuring GI arches and louvred details nodding at a transition from the local vernacular. As one ambles forward, welcome drink in hand, a cluster of five villas gradually reveals itself—each one oriented to capture sweeping views of the flanking paddy fields while initiating a dialogue with the natural landscape. This enclave is bound together by a central datum—an axis that anchors Oryza’s design, connecting open-to-sky courtyards, breezy verandahs, and poolsallowing air to flow freely throughout the space and enabling natural ventilation. 

Strolling through the lush landscape conceptualised by The Pinewood Studio, a gigantic double-gable roof, are crowns the villas, mirroring the outstretched wings of a seabird, in keeping with Goa’s tropical climate. While the grey shingles shimmering under the Goan sun are a fresh take on the Mangalore tiled roofs prevalent throughout the region. In an ode to eco-consciousness, the windows, balconies, and alfresco spaces frame palm shadows and shifting skies, all while championing natural light and cross-ventilation.

Also Read: From Tropical Modernism To Japanese Zen: 5 New Goa Restaurants On Our Radar

While outdoors, the landscape unfurls as an ode to Goa’s agrarian character and coastal topography, featuring manicured plantations akin to paddy grids and sinuous curves that borrow from the tides. Within this setting, garden showers surrounded by greenery, sit-out niches serving as corners for reflection, and stepping stones all prompt wanderers to explore a choreography of earth, ritual, and repose. Oryza orchestrates a conversation between the resident and nature.

A Look Inside Oryza’s Tropical Minimalist Villas

After wandering barefoot through the verdant tapestry, a glass door ushers one into a realm drenched in honeydew warmth and shaped by textures borrowed from the land’s natural materials. Step inside this L-shaped three-bedroom villa, featuring vast, sunken lounges, fluid dining spaces spilling into private gardens, and open kitchens framed by vistas of fields and pools that seamlessly meld the boundaries. With pools reflecting the shifting skies and greens extending into the bedrooms, Studio TreeSpace has meticulously crafted spaces in perfect synchronisation with their setting.

Also Read: 7 Of Goa’s Hottest New Dining Destinations

Ascend to the first floor, and a duo of bedrooms flank the central lobby with openings oriented to maximise cross ventilation while capturing sweeping views of paddy fields, maintaining the connection to the outdoors. The bedroom extends to the balcony, which serves as a transitional space, inviting filtered light and coastal breezes through the finned openings. A highlight feature is the crimson spiral staircase to the attic, a stark contrast to the otherwise pristine palette of the villa, courtesy of the unexpected red theory. Typically, in tropical architecture, attics often pose challenges with heat accumulation and poor ventilation. Here, attics are reimagined as petite terraces that host cross-breezes and shaded seatings, to create a space that is both cosy and expansive.

The villas feature a natural palette that hums the cadence of the land—rice-hued neutrals, grainy textures, warm stone underfoot, and wooden accents. While cane, linen, and jute offset the lime plaster, echoing the rich natural settings, whispering through the interiors in layered restraint. The bespoke furniture in metal, cane, wood and in-built anchors the space, adding a touch of ingenuity and quiet luxury.

Also Read: #DPExclusive – This Goan Villa Designed By Jugal Mistri Is Filled With Peachy Pauses And Traditional Twists

A Journey Through The Cuisine

Dining at the villa is a private affair, from lavish breakfast spreads to intimate dinners, crafted by in-house chefs, each meal is in close collaboration with individual tastes and preferences. Echoing the villa’s seamless indoor-outdoor flow, the dining experience extends to the poolside with curated barbecues, signature cocktails, and bespoke décor for the perfect barbecue night. 

However, if stepping out is on the agenda, Siolim’s verdant neighbourhood, Eminent for its soul-warming curries, offers a gamut of culinary destinations that blend the coastal town’s legacy and contemporary nuances. Around the corner at 8 Boheim Avenue, Mizu Izakaya, designed by The Bohemian Team, fuses Japanese minimalism with Goa’s susegad in a monochrome palette. Featuring textured blacks, muslin film projections, and a sushi bar that orchestrates a cinematic escape in a glasshouse, it also houses chef Lakhan Jethani, blending local produce with precision—think kokum-glazed chonak and Mentai grilled scallops. 

Located nearby, Boilermaker, designed by Studio Praia, leans into an industrial vibe with steampunk interiors punctuated with quirky signage and lush plants paired with offbeat knick-knacks. Here, cocktails and local ales carry the irreverent charm of Goa’s culinary past.

Also Read: This Sprawling Manor Reimagines Goa’s Plush Heritage With An Eco-Conscious Design

Further, there’s ISSA envisioned by Let’s Think Design First—a Mediterranean reverie overlooking the Chapora River with a central tree courtyard, ash wood accents, and neoclassical arches. Across these spaces, food becomes a quiet protagonist—be it scallops with mentai, kokum-buttered grilled fish, or ceviche that tastes like the tide. From polycarbonate umbrella shacks to neon signages, Siolim’s crew of diners are an invitation to mindful living.

A Cultural Gallery Trail 

Beyond the diners and the beaches is an immersive journey of Goa’s thriving art scene. Just a short drive away, amidst the wetlands of Pilerne, the Museum of Goa (MOG) is a contemporary art space founded by Subodh Kerkar in 2015. Within a former studio redesigned by Dean D’Cruz, it showcases sculptures, paintings, and installations inspired by Goa, alongside an art café, shop, and regular cultural events. Further in the village of Salvador de Mundo, the triangle-shaped Houses of Goa Museum offers a deep dive into the region’s architectural heritage. Designed by architect Gerard da Cunha, it features Indo-Portuguese elements, heritage sketches by Mario Miranda, and rare details like oyster shell windows and Tulsi Vrindavans.

Final Thoughts

For the conscious traveller drawn to Goa’s quieter corners, tucked away in Siolim’s lush Oxel village, Oryza offers an immersive escape. Beneath the balmy skies lies a terrain this gated enclave of five villas honours the agrarian rituals encapsulating Goa’s very essence of susegad. Whether through a duo of gable roofs, the deep overhangs, an attic sit-out or the louvred arches which borrow from local vernacular design, Oryza remains rooted in an earthy palette, while sustaining a relationship with its surroundings. 

With sweeping views of paddy fields to curated meals by in-house chefs using local produce, and golden-hour cocktails by the pool, each experience here is a nod to the land that nurtured its very being. Much like the evolving identity of Siolim, Oryza reflects a new chapter in Goan living that is defined by mindfulness, where every element invites pause, and every space cultivates a slower, more intentional way of life.

DP Loves

#1 Oryza strikes the sweet spot between swaying greens and shimmering blues tucked away in the heart of Siolim’s slow pace.

#2 The sunken living lounge takes cues from classic conversation pits, inviting languid conversations and barefoot ease, all while staying rooted in the quiet luxury.

#3 The ground floor bathroom, finished in Tadlakt Terra, features sculpted basins and built-in seating melding Goan ease with Mediterranean charm.

#4 The attic’s rooftop sit-out opens to sweeping vistas of the lush Goan landscape, orchestrating an encounter with treetops, fields, and skies. 

#5 The five-villa enclave is oriented to frame the flowing paddy fields, seamlessly blending indoors with the lush outdoors.

#6 The cosy daybed gently peeks into the greens, inviting languid afternoons, whispered breezes, and a touch of susegad serenity.