Following the Changing Seasons

Set in a quiet corner of northern Goa, where coconut palms line winding roads and monsoonal rains constantly reshape the land, this house does not dominate the landscape but inhabits it carefully, like a courteous guest. This is architecture that engages the surrounding landscape as a changing environment to be observed and protected, offering both physical shelter and a calm place to withdraw. The site, a long strip of land that floods with each monsoon, is marked by the shade of two large trees and an old well.

Built on a raised plinth, the residence is a simple frame enclosed with hollow clay blocks and lime plaster that keep the interiors cool. Wooden louvers vent warm air beneath the insulated metal roof. Natural light penetrates inside and grazes the dark ceiling, creating a cozy atmosphere. Field Atelier designed the residence as a pavilion-style vantage point for following the changing seasons in the garden. The design balances intimate, secluded pockets with layered, open perspectives that frame the surrounding landscape. The architecture allows the landscape to pass through it. Walls, openings, and the building’s transitions to the surrounding ground establish the residence as a threshold – a place of passage, where living means moving through intermediate spaces.

The project’s organization centers on a “collection of verandas” – expandable surfaces that adjust to the residents’ needs. Shaded and ventilated by woven-wood shutters, the long entry veranda faces the old well and serves as a place for gathering, resting, and reflection. Another veranda to the south provides shelter while framing the garden and the fields beyond the property.

The living room and verandas form a continuous space that links the north and south ends of the site. From here, sightlines to the garden shift between clear glazing and a thin metal mesh. Through the glass, the view is sharp, while the mesh softens the outlook. Natural ventilation reduces the need for mechanical cooling, reflecting the project’s straightforward low-energy approach. The recessed but light-filled kitchen overlooks the garden and pool. The ground-floor study faces a mango tree and, through a large bay window, the central courtyard. Dark wood stairs lead from the living area to the private upper level, which comprises another small study and sleeping quarters.

Wooden furniture and doors were salvaged from the owner’s ancestral home, bringing elements of family history into the new residence.

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House in Corjuem

The door facing the courtyard was designed by Field Atelier and realized by weaving strips of wood to allow light and ventilation inside. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

The entrance sequence opens into a long veranda, which overlooks a well in the garden, with sliding wooden shutters to promote natural ventilation inside. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

The guest bedroom has a restrained color palette and wooden furnishings. A high window gently filters natural light. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

The rooms establish an intimate relationship with the outdoors, incorporating nature into daily life. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

© Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

The living room and verandas form one continuous volume running north-south across the site. This produces shifting sightlines and alters how the garden is perceived from within. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

House in Corjuem

In the ground-floor study, a large full height glazed door behind the desk frames views of the trees and admits natural light into the space. © Shantanu Starick, courtesy of Field Atelier

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