Anaya Kutir, Kolkata

Enveloped in the subtropical greens of Raichak village, on the banks of the Hoogly river of Kolkata nestles the Anaya Kutir spa and resort. Sited far away from the Kolkata city’s bedlam, it occupies a prominent place in the resort hub ‘Raichak on Ganges’ over a 19,000 sq ft plot area. The pungent Mediterranean style of the property augments the primordial intent of providing exotic and intimate aura to the resort. Design becomes its own marker in the premises, while blending with the earthy structures of the Raichak buildings.

Resting on the river bank, Anaya Kutir is rendered as a celebration of the varied moods of water. The central lagoon pool that visually extends to Hoogly river, radiates life onto the building by accommodating recreational spaces and manifesting itself as the narrative facet of the property. An island bar radiates energy into the functionality of the pool, running along the length of the site while resonating blue hues on the warm skin of the villas. Imbibing the prerequisite of humanness in scale, mediterranean-style villas have been designed; Low ceilings, narrow stairs, chamfered square windows and hints of thatched roofs enhance the ethnicity of this design language. Elongated corridors between arched walls are roofed with broad wooden rafters to pave a path for a peaceful evening amble. Warm-lit patios with antique seating and crafted lamps incorporate elements of earth and water, as they open into the central pool, all together taming the human mind.

The development is a cluster of twenty individual villas that occupy a plot area of 700 sq ft each, bordering an organic-shaped pool that prompts the structure of an oasis. The villas are designed on two levels; wherein the lower level accommodates living, dining and a patio that opens into the pool, while the upper level nestles cozy bedrooms with a pool view/ river view. The terrace accommodates a soothing bubble bath to induce the experience of romance under the sky.

The boutique bistro is a robust element of the design vocabulary, as an amalgamation of various design entities; alfresco dining, white fabric canopies and pattern engraved lamps guide the participation of the user in the design algorithm. In the plethora of the earthy mass of the property, the bistro stands out, gleaming with golden warm light.

Shaped from the organic pattern of tropical and Mediterranean plants, the landscape manifests itself as a scattered green cover, parading the subtle blend of hardscape and grass patches around the pool, while evoking nature in design. Micro-islands in the pool render the central volume of the site and the heliconia garden on the west enhances the reds of the design palette. Simultaneously, the slope garden bordering the river concludes the design journey, providing a vast view of the river and beyond.

Breaking the monotony of mundane visual scape of city by connecting space with exotic yet earthy elements of culture, is the silver lining of Anaya Kutir. The dance of nature with undulating spaces of resort crafts a strong design statement and yields warm hues of hospitality, while inducing enthusiasm, luxury and surprise to the user experience.