Hidden among the forested slopes of India’s Sahyadri Mountains sits something truly captivating. Villa Prakriti isn’t your conventional mountain retreat—it’s unTAG’s love letter to the landscape around Igatpuri. The name alone tells the story: “Prakriti” means Mother Nature in Sanskrit. This 418-square-meter farmhouse doesn’t fight the hillside; it flows with it, stepping down the natural contours like water finding its path through ancient rock formations over centuries.
Most architects see a sloping site and immediately think about how to flatten or tame it. unTAG took the opposite approach entirely. They let the 4,500-square-foot house cascade down the mountainside, each level finding its unique relationship with the forest floor below. The result feels less like construction and more like discovery, as if the building had always been there, waiting patiently beneath the dense canopy for someone to simply brush away the accumulated leaves.
Designer: unTAG
The real magic happens in how plants become architecture here. Green walls don’t just decorate spaces; they actively define them. Courtyards punch through the interior, bringing generous chunks of sky and forest canopy right into daily life. Earthen textures wrap every surface, their warm tones perfectly matching the rich mountain soil outside. Walking through these interconnected spaces feels like moving through layers of a living ecosystem rather than traditional, compartmentalized rooms.
Light becomes another essential building material in Pranit Bora’s stunning photographs. His images capture how sunshine filters through carefully positioned openings, painting shifting patterns across interior walls throughout each day. The interplay between shadow and brightness changes constantly, creating a living artwork that responds sensitively to weather patterns and seasonal changes. Every surface seems to breathe with the surrounding forest, expanding and contracting in perfect natural rhythm.
unTAG challenged everything about conventional shelter concepts here. Instead of protecting inhabitants from nature’s elements, they designed constant conversation with the environment. Covered terraces stretch living areas into open air while indoor courtyards pull the outside world deep into the home’s heart. The boundaries between interior and exterior dissolve completely, creating spaces that feel simultaneously enclosed and completely open to the mountainside’s ever-changing moods.
Villa Prakriti offers an impressive vision for contemporary mountain living; one where buildings enhance rather than compete with natural beauty. The house ages gracefully within its forest context, developing rich patinas and textures that deepen its connection to the Sahyadri landscape. It’s architecture that truly understands its place, respecting the ancient rhythms of this remarkable corner of Western India.
The post This Biophilic Villa In The Sahyadri Mountains Embraces Nature, & Becomes Its Partner first appeared on Yanko Design.