In All Its Glory
Nature is an intrinsic part of GNA’s Suryasamudra project
A majestic Banyan Tree stands across an open washroom supported by aesthetically crafted pillars, the entire space awash with sunlight. The intricate blending of great design with the elements of nature is the first thing that strikes you in GNA’s Suryasamudra project.
Gayathri Shetty, Principal Architect, GNA, explains the rationality behind the choice of design. “The resort was designed to attract clientele and to let them experience traditional tropical architecture and environment. We designed the entire resort in a way that most of the cottages have a view of the sea preferably from all spaces within (the cottages). All the cottages have private courts, retaining the existing flora, to enhance the experience of “living in the garden”. The same can be seen in a washroom where there is a banyan tree, making it perfect for a courtyard that also houses a massage.
Shetty, along with partner Namith Varma, runs the architectural firm GNA or Gayathri and Namith Architects which has been the recipient of 27 National Awards and International recognition in architecture. Incorporated in 1993, GNA has a team of almost 70 professionals in Bengaluru.
The entire project was designed keeping in mind the clientele it would cater to and what they would want to experience. “Sensory experience is what we aimed for and achieved in this project with the location of the site close enough to hear crashing waves and see tall palm trees that were existing on-site to enhance the visual experience, ” says Shetty.
Design basics
The concept of having washrooms in the open for some cottages was used with a view to merge the indoors with the outdoors, in keeping the theme of blending nature with design. All the washrooms in the resort are very elaborately planned. Irrespective of the cottage size, there is both an indoor and an outdoor shower area in each of them, with the latter being open to surroundings and the former with an enclosure to allow more privacy.
Prevalent concept
The theme of traditional tropical architecture was extended to both the material and accessories used in the design of the washrooms. This aspect, combined with the proximity of the resort to the sea, was key in deciding the choice of material used in the washrooms. And of course, certain practical aspects were also taken into account. “Natural materials like laterite and granite were used in abundance. Polished Agra red also gave the effect of Red Oxide flooring,” says Gowri Rao, Design Team lead of the project.
Other aspects
The furniture and the accessories were custom-made to blend with the decor. These were designed by Shetty’s team, who then worked with local craftsmen to get everything made as per specifications – from counters to basins and even accessories like soap dispensers, among others. All these were crafted out of stone which gave them a raw, rustic, untreated look on the outside, with the insides polished and smoothed out.
“The play of fixtures, materials and accessories as per the intended decor is very important and in our project, we have treated washrooms with equal importance as the other spaces, there was no compromise when it came to the furniture and the accessories,” says Shetty.
Fixtures and accessories are a pertinent part of the design in Shetty’s project, and she plays with the concept to suit the project at hand.
“The selection process of materials, accessories and corresponding fittings is the most exciting part of washroom design. Sometimes, we do very stark, minimalistic interiors, with basic colours and then accent the space with appropriate accessories and sometimes it would be vice versa, bold materials and basic fixtures,” she explains.
Gayathri Shetty
Principal Architect,
Gayathri & Namith Architects
“Sensory experience is what we aimed for and achieved in this project with the location of the site close enough to hear crashing waves and see tall palm trees that were existing on-site to enhance the visual experience.”
Some essentials
Apart from the look and feel of the space, Shetty’s design includes an equal emphasis on plumbing, “Plumbing is the most important aspect when it comes to washroom planning for obvious reasons, but at the same time, being very particular about what we want and where we want it in terms of fixtures and fittings, makes the entire washroom functional. When it comes to green principles, using the right fixtures can make a whole lot of difference. Sensor-based fittings are one such example that works well for public and hospitality buildings,” she adds.
Change in concept
This project is a strong reflection of the evolution of washroom design in recent years, where the space is no longer a back-of-the-house requirement. Rapid developments in the dynamics and the incorporation of new elements and features have taken it to another level.
Shetty explains this. “The washroom is no longer a back-of-house private requirement. The variety in materials and fittings that are available in the market is giving us as designers, freedom to explore and push the boundaries making us able to treat washrooms with the same attention as other spaces in that structure,” she says.
In a world becoming increasingly concrete, Suryasamudra stands out in all its glory.