Rooted In Stone: Nature Becomes The Foundation At This 16,000 Sq-Ft Home In Alibaug

The K House in Alibaug, designed by Mumbai-based ADND, is a family retreat and a light-filled sanctuary that invites the outdoors in. At 16,000 sq-ft, the interior of the farmhouse mirrors the wide-open spaces, seamless fluidity, and natural palette of the forested environment that envelops its site. The renovation project is a lesson in blurring boundaries and embracing nature in all its glory, with clever design interventions that ground the home in its context. 

When the client approached ADND for a mindful transformation of their family farmhouse, the design team, headed by Anand Menon and Shobhan Kothari, took up the challenge to see just how much they could open up the plan by eschewing the traditional design and confined spaces without compromising on privacy. After close evaluation of the site, topography, vegetation, existing build and living experience, they opted to maintain the structural integrity of the home and entirely reimagine its spatial experience.

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“The home was well-sited but disengaged from its surroundings. Our goal was to ensure it did not stand apart from its landscape, but instead became an extension of it,” says Shobhan. The new architectural elements were woven into the existing beam-slab-column framework, enhanced with natural stone, wood and lime wash finishes sustainably sourced within a 5 km radius, and adorned with functional and timeless furniture and accessories. “The final result is not a collision of eras but a dialogue between them, where the old does not disappear, and the new does not dominate,” explains Anand.

The new structure now maintains its original scale and proportions, with the addition of more interactivity, visual delight, better natural light and ventilation, and fewer walls. In terms of structure, the grounded lower mass has been reinforced as part of the earth with contour stone slabs, and the breezy upper volume has been wrapped in wooden brise soleil for lightness and adaptability. This fluted screen of wooden fins, in combination with plant balconies that skirt the entire top floor, filters excess heat and light, creating a more comfortable living environment without compromising on views.

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Interestingly, despite being vociferous about its almost boundary-less, wall-less build, the home does feature spatial distinctions, except they’re redefined rather than reinforced. Smart materiality and elevation shifts create fluid transitions between spaces, allowing them to evolve organically and build a layered experience. Moreover, a natural palette, without a dictated colour scheme, lets the materials and colours define divisions where necessary.

Take, for instance, the double veranda. Open to the landscape and the pool, this large shaded area is the nucleus of the house and an embodiment of the ADND design philosophy. It is just as much outdoors as it is indoors. “It is a space that is not confined by walls but defined by connection. It serves as a transition, a moment, and an experience, blurring the lines between shelter and exposure, protection and openness. The contrast between solidity and permeability, and light and shadow, seen in the heavy stone base versus the floating wooden screen above, speaks to mindful design—rooted yet adaptable,” states Anand.

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Towards the front of the home, the porch displays a similar shaded zone, albeit with a massive stone boulder emphasising the home’s connection to the earth. In addition to what the team calls “visual gravity and functional integrity,” this large rock has a carefully engineered column embedded within it, allowing it to support the canopy above and becoming an integral part of the architecture. Along the porch, a cutaway path leads to the clubhouse, while the main entry opens to the living rooms and six bedrooms across both floors, all with their considerations of natural light and ventilation.

Throughout the project, the most significant challenge faced by the design team was to exercise restraint when deciding which aspects to alter, retain and refine. The resultant transformation is organic, making it almost impossible to distinguish between the old and the new, while simultaneously preserving the character of the original farmhouse and upholding the principles of reinvention.

For the design team at ADND, the transition from tradition to tropicality required a thoughtful transformation of the family home, while also incorporating some of the firm’s core principles: promoting human- and eco-centric living with a focus on sustainability, timelessness, and inclusivity. With its practical materials, organic colours, light-filled rooms, and fluid layout, the environmentally-engaging design ensures that nature is integral to daily life in this home.