A 100-Acre Sanctuary For Slow Living Emerges In Ahmedabad

With a hot and dry microclimate Gujarat region’s covenant with water has always been fraught and tenuous. Within these frail relationships and with a backdrop blending traditional and pioneering modernist architecture, Suryam Developers sculpts ‘By The Waters’ on a 100-acre site away from the bustle of Ahmedabad city. The 72,000 sq. yd. waterbody drafts its plan and a collection of colossal villas positioned in a way that they blur the lines between indoors and outdoors, this development is an intimate ecosystem that houses tranquillity. “We were interested in how a large, water body could organise not just the masterplan, but also the daily rhythms of life,” shares Jinn Aik Oon, Director of SCDA Architects. As skies don segueing hues, the lake parlays as a mirror, orchestrating an ethereal illusion of existing within the skies.

The Dawn Of The Lake

For a land so often parched, water offers a rare balm, providing respite from the din and restlessness of urban existence. In keeping with this, G.M. Patel and Ishan Patel of Suryam Developers appointed Architect Dhaval Makhmalwala of Design Module, who was aware of the land’s challenges to lead the rebellion against the fast-paced life. As ‘wellness’ continues to ripple through the design industry, the project yearned for a voice attuned to a global audience. “His understanding of local building practices, material behaviour, and social patterns in Ahmedabad brought a layer of nuance that cannot be replicated from a distance,” muses Oon.

Also Read: Plunge Into The World’s Most Magical Waters Designed For Thermal Cure

Enter SCDA Architects, led by Soo K. Chan, whose minimalist, tropical modern architecture emphasises light, landscape and nature’s relationship with the built. “The starting point was the idea of water as both a spatial and psychological anchor,” shares Oon. Their signature boundary-blurring design is palpable in the palatial villas, where colossal windows, open plan layout, and alfresco spaces soften the threshold. While the golden light settles softly and a cool breeze courses through the air, it reinforces a sense of calm, however maintaining this serene ecosystem is no easy feat. The Patels understood an elemental truth: water left to itself can quickly grow stagnant. To safeguard the living heart of the project, they enlisted the Netherlands-based consultancy Witteveen+Bos, whose expertise ensured that the waterscape would remain in constant dialogue with the architecture around it.

The Sustainable Manifesto

In a landscape where luxury has increasingly become synonymous with excess, this project builds an intimate relationship with its surroundings. Here, “Water, landscape, and built form are conceived as a single system,” avers Dhaval Makhmalwala of Design Module. He adds, “The lake cools the surrounding air; planting creates shade and reduces ground temperature; building orientation minimises solar gain; natural ventilation reduces reliance on mechanical systems.” Orchestrating a microclimate, here sustainability is not treated as a supplementary layer but as something inherent, crafting a landscape capable of endurance that continues to function gracefully through the oscillations of heat, monsoon, and dry spells.

Within The Private Estates

While the waterbody divides the 100-acre sanctuary into a sequence of secluded enclaves, every villa is carefully oriented by the SCDA Architects to relish its own moment with the water. “Orientation was driven by both climate and human behaviour,” reflects Oon. Skirting past lush greens and a contemplative water court at the entrance, the sample villa transitions into interiors delicately orchestrated by By Salt. Within these colossal sanctuaries, time loosens its grip, lingering in the quieter corners like the foyer, the deck poised above the glistening pool, and the family lounge above, where laughter and conversations congregate. “There is also an emphasis on thresholds, moments of transition where one slows down, adjusts, and becomes aware of the environment,” muses Oon.

With an open-plan layout, clean lines and a pallid colour palette layered with hints of colour, the villas don a minimalist vibe to underscore the cerulean waters. Inside towering floor lamps, artworks punctuating every room, and sculptural furniture anchoring the spaces, Shaili Kasta, Principal Designer of By Salt, conjures an interior language paying homage to India’s rich artisanal legacy. While the interiors are an ode to the craft culture, the exteriors borrow references from the region’s distinct architectural element—jaali. “We minimised exposure on gable walls to reduce heat gain and to enhance privacy, while opening the villas toward the water and prevailing breezes,” explains Oon.

Six Chapters Of Slow Living

While the estates welcome gatherings with effortless poise, when it is time to retire, a carefully orchestrated clubhouse sails in with guest suites in tow. With the charm of a boutique hotel, it invites visitors to experience the villa’s hedonistic indulgences. In the spirit of wellness, a serene spa and contemplative yoga pavilions overlook the lake, savouring the slow pace. 

Beyond the clubhouse, the master plan unfolds across six distinct realms—from the resort-like Water’s Edge Club and the afforested Shunya Forest to Barefoot Island with its panoramic observation tower. “Rather than isolating activities, we created a network of interconnected paths that weave between water, gardens, and the residential clusters,” shares Makhmalwala. From 1.4 km of walking trails for touching grass and 2.3 km of cycling routes to encourage movement, to a 2 km kayaking trail for the intrepid soul, the recreational network unfolds like a slow-moving current. 

Amid the relentless churn of fleeting trends, the many roles we are summoned to perform, and the quiet haze that modern life casts over the mind, By The Waters by Suryam Developers pursues an altogether different intoxication. It is a slower, more enduring rhythm—one that seeps gently into the crevices of daily life, drawing its inhabitants closer to the only relationship that truly persists: the one with nature. Here, water assumes the role of both curator and custodian, tempering the site’s microclimate. Within this landscape long acquainted with drought, its presence feels almost paradoxical—yet it is precisely this tension that restores a fragile, enduring equilibrium between land, water, and life.

*Design Pataki was part of a press trip to By The Waters, Ahmedabad