Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM) has announced the completion of a new high-end residential tower that provides a lush oasis amidst the bustle of Mumbai. 

Called Carmichael Residences, the tower addresses an increasing demand for high-rise living. It sits in Tardeo, a neighborhood known for its historic bungalows and expansive gardens. The building is distinguished by a western red cedar façade that is accented with plantings. It also embraces passive design strategies inspired by the architecture of the region.

On the street level, a driveway winds toward an elevated and private lobby surrounded by curved glass. 

The lobby offers a serene atmosphere through the presence of gardens that feature scented flowers, running water, lush plantings, and finishes made of locally sourced granite and western red cedar. These natural elements ascend to the parking levels, which are shrouded in plantings.

“This development adds a new residential experience for the neighborhood,” said SOM Partner, Laura Ettelman. “We designed the building as a vertical landscape, leveraging the biophilic identity of Carmichael Road and maximizing the airflow and flexibility essential for comfort in a tropical climate.”

Above the parking levels, there lies an amenity floor that hosts a gym, garden, multifunctional space, and an outdoor yoga terrace. A pool and another garden share the roof with photovoltaic arrays that power the building’s back-of-house. All of the tower’s vegetation is irrigated by captured stormwater, a major component of the project’s Indian Green Building Council Green Homes certification target.

For this project, the architects followed the Vastu tradition of architecture, which emphasizes symmetry and a connection to nature. The style determines a home’s spatial arrangement, such as providing a communal room in the center of dwellings and placing entrances along the east to promote health and prosperity.

All 28 housing units are situated across the top 14 floors of the building. They are arranged in an open plan, with the ability to be combined into larger spaces. The approximately 230-foot-tall structure is clad in high-performance, fully operable glazing, with deep overhangs, known as chhajjas, that shield each unit from the sun and rain. 

Greenery drapes down the chhajjas, providing additional shading and detail to the building. Each unit also features sliding wooden screens that invite natural air flow and views of the nearby Arabian Sea. 

“Our approach coalesces comfort and sustainability simultaneously,” added SOM Principal Peter Lefkovits. “We replicated the verdure of Carmichael Road into the building itself—creating an experience that is both open and intimate.”