H&M Homestay

Material strategies were guided by the site’s remoteness and limited resources. Stone was sourced both from a nearby quarry and from reclaimed masonry five kilometers away, while doors and windows were crafted from recycled timber. Rammed earth, CSEB, and adobe were considered but set aside due to logistical constraints—cob emerged as the most feasible method, enabling both material procurement and skill training on-site. The homestay embraces the mountains and orchards as the true protagonists. Stepped forms follow the contours to preserve views, curved cob walls soften the built edges, and existing trees become integral to the experience, offering shaded thresholds and gathering spaces. More than a dwelling, the homestay is an experiment in sustainable building practices, where architecture rests lightly on the land, framing the valley as its central narrative.

Set deep within the mountains of Nashik, the H&M Homestay is imagined as a series of built forms that dissolve into the contours of the land. The site, accessible only by a one-kilometer trek after the last motorable point, opens dramatically onto the valley, shaping the earliest design gesture: three guest cottages placed in a stepped formation, each looking over the planted bamboo-and-earth green roof of the one in front. These roofs visually merge with the surrounding slopes, allowing the cottages to recede into the landscape. The client’s residence sits separately, tucked between two large trees, and is stepped into the contour on two levels, creating an upper terrace. Stone retaining walls at the rear and sides provide stability, while the front walls, facing the valley, are built in cob construction using site-excavated earth.