Tucked away amidst the lush serenity of Nilgiri trees, lies an enchanting Airbnb that promises a getaway like no other. This hidden gem offers the perfect blend of natural beauty and modern comfort, making it a haven for those yearning for a peaceful retreat. Step inside, and you'll be greeted by a thoughtfully designed interior that seamlessly fuses the outside world with modern living. Each room has been meticulously curated to provide comfort and serenity, ensuring a restful escape. Designed By: Hiren A. Gandhi & Associates Completion Year: 2010 Area: 2,508 sq. m. Project Location: Gota, Ahmedabad Type: Farm House The farm house was designed as a week end retreat for my family and also as a venue for the wedding ceremony of my daughter. So I had no choice but to finish the house within a record time of six months to meet the weeding date. The 3000 sq.yd verdant plot has a number of niligiri and other indigenous trees, which are mainly on the south side. I decided to save each and every tree and so built the house on the north side. The plan is L shape, with one wing housing a table tennis room, which concerts into a large party area once the table is removed. The second wing has the bed room, with its own private courtyard and the intersection between the two wings contains the living cur dining area with an open Kitchen at the corner. All these spaces open onto the large veranda which has a fabric canopy and wooden flooring. The house is sunk three and a half feet below ground level forming kind of amphitheater in from with the veranda doubling as the stage. One enters into a courtyard from where stairs lead up to the raised garden, which again sloped upwards to the roof top. The terrace has small swimming pool and a tiny patch of greenery. At the end of the terrace is a veranda with a shower for the pool and a filler slab with earthen pots. This helps in keeping the entire house cool. The interesting feature of the rooftop is the built in seat with a railing. Two skylights with Blue polycarbonate sheets are the only building elements that you see here. There are no. grills in the house each of the sliding glass doors are backed by solid wooden ones, which also slide. When left open, they double as wall panels with the door in the centre sporting a pithora painting on the inner side and a Rajasthani one on the outer. A band made of filler slabs, running across the entire length of the house, acts as a shade against the weather. The retaining walls in the courtyards have niches, adorned with moleta art plates and both the bathrooms have small courts for natural light and ventilation. The house has employed the green architecture principles with a rooftop garden, filler slabs, designed to maximise natural light and ventilation, using local materials. The garden is sunk three and a half feet below ground level, forming a kind of amphitheatre is from with the veranda doubling as a stage.