Aurelia, a weekend home perched on a green and serene hilltop at Alibaug, a sea-side hill-station which has otherwise received quite a concentrated crowding of attention from Mumbaikars wishing to create second homes for holiday get-aways, is a clear, unambiguous statement of intent. It is literally and figuratively, as its tagline states, a ‘house under a pool’. The pool as the relaxing connect with nature being the primary purpose of a stay here, practically crowns the house, and the rest of the spaces, being mere ancillaries to this, settle around subordinately under it. Built as an annexe to an existing house which lacked the all-important holiday connect with the outdoors in its earlier inward looking layout, the new design breathes new self-actualising life into it by a change in orientation crowned by a massive pool. 

A linear stretch of fresh, sparkling azure, an infinity pool that quite literally reaches out forever to meet the horizon, looks around and under at almost untouched swathes of green. With sky, water and lush hills meeting across a panoramic scape, it is ‘Nature – Uninterrupted’. 

Swimming back to base at nightfall, one would still be surrounded by starlit water – an effect not just occurring naturally, but created by the tiny optical fibres embedded into the pool. A walk across the stairs to the deck, to the left, reveals another little pool, and sightings of built structures in the lit up deck and railings surrounding it at the lower level. Still, ‘is there a house or just the pool?’ one might ask...

Stepping out of the pool and walking away, dripping on to the wet boards that clad the deck, one would still be framed by an unhindered natural panorama under the open skies. But, wait, a sleek pedestal lamp, a corner piece of the huge open air living room that seems spread out a couple of steps above the boardwalk, shows up on the right; and, across the deck from this is the corner of a glazed building. Looks like there is a house, after all!

Another lovely space is the outdoor sit out, where one can relax on a comfortable set of sofas that, along with a couple of round tables and corner lamps, constitutes the outdoor living area. Continuing on the same level as the water’s surface, it allows more uninterrupted inhalation of the nature-scape spread all around. Beyond this, differentiated by the change in flooring from boarded deck to paved lawn, yet another setting adds to the charm – a foliage covered eco-mesh sheltering a barbeque pit, surrounded by a set of colourful rock-shaped seating and tall, elegant lamps. 

The railing that surrounds this terrace deck, though physically strong, is visually discreet, enabling the setting to connect seamlessly with the surrounding landscape of hilly slopes filled with coconut palms and lush greens. A pair of monolithic loungers, poised to stare over the railing at the refreshing scenery, perfectly completes the romantic setting.

Aurelia continues thus, in outdoor spreads of varied moods and styles strewn across its three acre plot, around a glass walled 2000 square feet residential structure that all but disappears into the folds of its hilly terrain. With the main living room lying under the pool, the bedrooms and most of the other interior spaces are also tucked into the same lower level. 

But, most prominently, the pools continue to line up, with the little pool across the deck along the exterior of the upper level living room, followed by another water body along the same line. 

This small infinity pool, meant for sunbathing, lets its water cascade over a stone retaining wall to form a bubbling waterfall as a backdrop to yet another beautiful sit-out. Meanwhile the larger main infinity pool lets its water cascade over to a retaining pool below main living room underneath, forming a similar waterfall as a backdrop behind its glass walls.

Water expresses itself in various forms over different settings across Aurelia, creating a myriad experiences for the users to savour.

The overarching theme remains an all-out embrace of all the elements of nature, with water playing the flamboyant protagonist. A sensitive juxtaposition of a range of elements, both natural and man-made, achieves dramatic outcomes.

The main living room under the pool is, again, totally enclosed in glass, an arrangement enabled by large columns tucked in discreet positions. The distinction between outdoors and indoors is thus diminished.

The interiors, subdued, minimal, yet plush and warm, are housed in maximal transparency. Every private corner of the house enjoys a vantage nook.

Swim, float, splash or sun-bathe, or just stare at the azure freshness, or listen to it cascade – water in every avatar can be experienced across Aurelia’s varied landscape of decking boards, pebbled paving, sand pits and green lawns.

As they say, changing your viewpoint can change everything. SHROFFLeON, prodded by surrounding visual feast and available terrain, aptly responded by turning the house outward, made it reach out to part-take of the goodies, transforming Aurelia into a scenic haven. The house beckons you to leave the world far behind, to drown your worries in its fresh blue waters, and swim away into the horizon.