Project Year: Proposed
Location: Pimplad, Igatpuri, Maharashtra
Client: Mr. Kad
Area: 2 Acres
Typology: Hospitality- Resort, Landscape.
Set against the panoramic backdrop of serene dam backwaters, this resort is envisioned as a tranquil retreat where landscape, architecture and experience seamlessly blend. Designed to capture both the magnificence of the water body and the gentle undulation of the site, the master plan embraces a natural, fluidic language that follows the organic flow of the terrain.
Master Planning Through Contours :
The resort unfolds across multiple contour levels, each activity and functional zone placed with intention:
- Highest levels house the rooms, ensuring uninterrupted, sweeping views of the backwaters from every unit.
- Mid-levels accommodate recreational and social spaces.
- Lower contours bring guests closer to the water experience, outdoor activities and serene green pockets.
This contour-responsive planning ensures that built forms feel embedded into the land, rather than imposed upon it, allowing nature to dictate circulation and spatial transitions.
Diverse Room Typologies:
The resort offers a mix of accommodation types, curated to cater to varied guest preferences:
- Cottages opening into landscaped decks
- Luxury tents tucked into natural pockets for a close-to-nature experience
- Multi-storey hotel-style rooms for guests who prefer structured amenities
Each room type uses orientation, elevation and natural light to maximise views, privacy and comfort.
Recreational & Social Experiences:
The property is anchored by a range of thoughtfully planned recreational spaces:
- Amphitheatre
Designed as an informal cultural and social hub, the amphitheatre supports performances, gatherings, yoga sessions and open-air events. Its steps follow natural slopes, creating a seamless transition between landscape and built form.
- Swimming Pool & Submerged Pool Bar
A contour-aligned pool overlooks the backwaters, offering uninterrupted views. The submerged pool bar creates a resort-style leisure experience where guests can unwind while remaining visually connected to the water body.
- Open Restaurant
The restaurant is positioned to capture morning light and evening breezes, built as a semi-open pavilion that merges with nature, serving as a social anchor for the resort.
- Viewing Deck + Coffee Bar
A tall, strategically placed viewing tower provides a 360-degree vantage point of the backwaters, hills and lush surroundings. Adjacent to it, a small, serene coffee bar creates a perfect setting for slow mornings and peaceful sunsets.
Landscape & Sustainability:
The landscape strategy enhances the natural character of the site, with:
- Layered native vegetation
- Soft transitions between activity zones
- Framed views of water and hills
- Organic pathways leading guests from one level to another
Sustainability is embedded in the project’s DNA. The resort prioritizes the use of locally available materials—stone, timber, natural plasters and regionally familiar construction techniques—to reduce carbon footprint and blend the built environment into its surroundings.
Passive design strategies such as shading, natural ventilation, orientation and material choice further reduce energy consumption and enrich guest comfort.
Design Language: Natural & Fluid
The architectural expression avoids rigidity, opting instead for gentle curves, earthy hues and organic geometries that resonate with the flowing contours of the land and the calmness of the water body. Built and unbuilt spaces weave together to create a cohesive experience—one that respects the terrain and invites guests into a journey across levels, landscapes and memories.
This backwater resort is imagined as a holistic escape—a place to reconnect with nature, celebrate stillness, explore comfort, and indulge in a variety of curated experiences, all while being held gently by the contours of the land and the vast beauty of the water.
