Text provided by Lavanya Chopra

Enfolded amid a collage of decades-old trees, wide motorable roads, and the gentle humdrum of a picturesque slice of urban Ahmedabad, this colossal home is a fitting homage to its bestowed name. The Roots to Roof Villa is an ode to the journey the clients and studio have shared, spanning over a three-year epoch. From the hearty parcel of land to the azure skies it reaches into, the built form has been crafted to realise the client’s vision of a bespoke dwelling experience! Inhabited by a reputed doctor-duo and their multigenerational household, the residence is an amalgam of private havens and communal areas tailored to address the myriad needs of the family. 

“We consider designing a home successful when it personifies what our clients feel is central to their way of living! This home has been conceived with an intriguing play of light, scale, and volume. A design exercise headlined by clean, modern, and luxury-driven details ensued, setting a timeless tone for the outside and inside,” shares Shailja.

Materiality, too, plays a constitutive role in The Roots to Roof Villa. Marrying the worlds of refined and rugged finishes, the interiors and exteriors are reminiscent of the richness of the Indian landscape, endowing the spaces with a retinue of earthy, robust, and contemporary materials. 

Shailja and Shaarvin’s first rendezvous with the site traces its memory to a crisp November morning in 2019. A corner plot, the land stood abutted by a network of two roads, a vantage view of sprouting residences, and a sprawling perspective of the community park. A Neem tree stood at the epicentre of the terrain like a relic, which, exercising its free reign, had claimed the site as its home. “We had to make the bittersweet decision to rehabilitate the Neem tree safely before we broke ground. As a team, we saw this as a sign of borrowing from the land’s history and figurative roots. We resolved to generously establish nature’s presence into what we would eventually build,” recalls Shaarvin. 

Today, the villa personifies a sentient building alive with carefully situated apertures, cantilevers, and sweeping forms. “The three-levelled residence is moulded in travertine stone, exposed concrete, large, glazed volumes, and aluminium shading devices to regulate the sun’s passage indoors. Greenery and foliage have been reintroduced along the home’s edges, enlivening the dwelling’s mise-en-scène,” adds Shailja.

The architecture of The Roots to Roof Villa resembles a painstakingly configured jigsaw — extruded, projected, and assembled masterly to celebrate the alchemy of framed green views, daylight, and morphing scales. This vision is one to behold, especially at dusk when the sky is painted in silken hues of salmon and lilac, and the villa glows with a soft luminosity in the dark.  

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Architects : Tvasttr Architects
Area : 10,500 sq. ft.
Year : 2023
Website : https://www.instagram.com/tvasttrarchitects/

Exterior view of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Exterior view of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

A sea of richly-veined, black marble poses as a welcoming carpet as one ambles indoors through the foyer. The fern-bearing stone planters rise as a pedestal, hosting a wing-formed sculpture in metal and marble, which nods to the home’s artisanal influences. On the other side, the hardscaped zen garden welcomes visitors while exuding a sense of tranquillity. The mild steel inlays create a mountain range-like silhouette, infilled by pebbles in its ‘valleys’; the installation’s muted tones contrast the viridescence around. Penetrating deeper into the foyer, the massive, veneer-clad double doors swing open to reveal a sliver of the vestibule, the pooja room encased behind fluted doors, and an assortment of tastefully curated sculptural inserts. 

“The arrival into the vestibule paints visions of a modernist gallery, each part of its expanse treated like an element of a larger piece of art. White Statuario and black Taurus marble engage in a timeless symphony, yielding a tessellated flooring that sets the stage! The same pattern has been mirrored in wood upon the ceiling for greater effect,” observes Shaarvin. 

Framed by a cladding of Statuario, the metal console harbours curated artefacts and is accompanied by a depth-projecting work of art. The parametric sculpture on the console is a miniature version of the actual wall that borders the dining area, positioned across the room. Alongside, the stacked pebble sculpture injects a whiff of greens into the monochrome milieu, contrasted by the serrated, crimson-hued twisted metal installation. This element masquerades as a lighting fixture, emitting dramatic shadows as twilight graces the home; additionally, the piece is portable and can be placed in any space that craves a dash of colour. 


Exterior view of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Outdoor deck of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Entrance foyer of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Staircase of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Drawing room of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

The formal drawing room channels understated glamour, perfect for retreating and savouring conversations or piping tea with views of the gardens unfolding within arm’s-length. The fluted glass partition system lends the area required privacy while allowing light to sieve through in filtered doses. The muted sofa and armchairs pair immaculately with the Taurus black marble coffee table, crafted in situ. Aureate touches of the wall installation and gilded accents in furniture elevate the space’s grammar, making it a timeless haunt. 

Donning the role of the heart of the residence, the living room, dining area, and kitchen have been imagined as a trio of open-plan spaces that urge the family to congregate and entertain! Regal in its make, the living room is the home’s tour de force, its walls embedded with double-height fenestrations that frame the greens outside as a cluster of delicate vignettes. Matching this feature’s scale, the book-matched stone cladding presides over the conversation space with an ethereal aura. Warm tones unleash a grounded sentiment, with tints of rust, beige, and black concocting a melange of their own through the furniture and area rug by Jaipur Rugs. 


Drawing room of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Living room of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Living room of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

Drifting into the volume, a bespoke chandelier in a gold finish appears as though in a state of levitation, underscoring the opulence of the communal space. Sited at the intersection of the living and dry kitchen, the dining area initiates a seamless flow between these spaces while gazing into the alfresco deck. “Sharing meals and conversations is central to the family’s lifestyle and allowed us to envision this space that would foster gatherings small and large! 

The natural stone on the table’s top displays a stunning gradient of greys and browns, borrowing inspiration from the surrounding spaces. This element makes for a durable and masterfully crafted piece that could stay in the family as an heirloom,” highlight the Architects. A chameleonic parametric screen sits as the backdrop to the crockery credenza, casting transforming views of the vestibule in any direction one walks. 

Breakfasts, brunches, and evening soirées are a delight when hosted in the outdoor dining deck. The thresholds of the inside and outside coalesce with the deck’s construction, creating a cosy seating nook offering vistas of the lush garden and tree canopies that lean in to caress an observer.

Serenading a homogeneous palette, the dry kitchen resembles a marble monolith, with the veins-laden variety traversing the floors and walls uninterruptedly. Along its periphery, the counters comprise 30-millimetre-thick exotic granite slabs, whereas the island constitutes two stone varieties with wood fluting beneath. 


Living and Dining of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Dining of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

Fanning species of palms, hearty doses of cane, and a plantation mural in tow, the parent’s bedroom is a tropical-vintage sanctuary. Crowned by a sloping roof (a long-time whim of the inhabitants), the resting space comprises a dark metal and cane headboard woven intricately by local artisans. A hand-illustrated wallpaper by Life n Colors is the crown jewel, depicting an enchanting, monochrome landscape populated by tropical foliage, adding a layer of depth against the deep teal wall. A pair of banana fibre lamps by Oorjaa grace this vignette, emitting a diaphanous glow. Furthermore, the geometric carpet by Jaipur Rugs and soft furnishings by Sarita Handa add a motley of hues to the space, balancing the earthy nuances. 

“The staircase tethers the villa’s levels, simultaneously posing as an animated part of the home’s DNA. The natural stone’s veins cascade over the risers and treads gently, meeting the monochrome matrix on the ground level,” points out Shaarvin. A convoluted metal sculpture stands witness to this union, marking the landing subtly. The stairwell volume is punctuated with linear, slit windows, drawing in strobes of transfiguring daylight. 

Welcoming one to the first level, the passageway creates an axial pathway leading to the resting quarters. Fringed by a lounge on one end, this space sheds its role as a mere circulation area. Instead, it echoes gallery-like influences, inhabited by the marble console, an abstract painting, and a ribbed backdrop for interest. 


Kitchen of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Multi-functional space of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bedroom of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

Peering into the double-height communal spaces below, the lounge is a snug conversation area reserved for the family. The scale of window apertures allows anyone perched here to gaze into views of treetops lacing the gardens. The blue sofas rest upon the geometric, beige rug, creating a striking visual against the charcoal marble floors. The totemic sculpture roosted alongside the sofa is a bespoke addition, moulded to iterate the colour’s prevalence. 

Succinctly combining minimalism and an ingrained feeling of calm, the master bedroom whisks you away to the realm of easeful luxury. Prefaced by a petite lounge, the room creates diffused zones meant for rejuvenation and rest. Views of the balcony percolate into the lounge, a space constituting organic-formed furniture, a neo-traditional carpet by Jaipur Rugs, and a statement pendant by Lafit Lighting.

An umber dream breathed to life, the room boasts a California King, upholstered by a gently arched headboard. The ivory tones of the fabric feel alive against the veneer-sheathed wall, with brass inlay members tracing its length subtly. “The influences here are evocative of Mid-Century Modern design, characterised by wood accents, curvilinear silhouettes, and warm palettes that create soulful spaces,” recollects Shailja. 


Bedroom of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bedroom 2 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bedroom 3 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

The older daughter’s bedroom delivers on its promise of being a comforting oasis for its inhabitant, steeped in an interplay of luxury-reflecting materials and stated grandeur. With soft, northern light pervading the space, the room’s expansive canvas hosts a richly detailed resting area and study. 

A tufted bed sits anchored against a reflective membrane of black mirrors, laid out as a successive trail of stripped members. “This element adds depth to the space and exemplifies the chandelier light's impact. The wall discreetly hides access to the walk-in closet and ensuite bath, creating a seamless transition between spaces,” Shaarvin highlights. Bordering the bedroom’s entrance, a quaint study creates the perfect environment to read, work, and contemplate, defined by its tiered wood desk and vitrine-style bookcase. 

Underpinning opulence, the ensuite bathroom is carved into three interconnected portions — the central vanity, a water closet cubicle, and the shower chamber. The circular mirror over the basin casts an illusion of infinite space, further amplifying the space’s glamour and scale. With both daughters bearing a penchant for organisation, the design team incorporated Häfele inserts into their walk-in closets, making storage a hassle-free experience.

“A playful escape into wonder, awe, and inspiration” is how the Architects describe the impetus behind the younger daughter’s bedroom. A platform-style bed rests upon a marble pedestal to mark the space’s nucleus. It segues into a cosy study nook tucked behind the arched partition wall, expressing the child's inclination towards vibrant hues!

“One of the most beloved features is the enchanting forest-scape adorning the wardrobes fascia. The technique employs ceramic delicately printed over the glass, creating a lively scene that portrays the child’s awe of nature,” shares Shailja. The family’s recreational spaces find a home on the villa’s second level, earmarked by a sun-drenched passageway. The veined marble rises from the floors, forming a console table peppered with resin artefacts and warm-toned art. The passage’s perimeter is studded by views of the vast terrace.


Bedroom 4 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bedroom 4 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bedroom 5 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

Enveloped in brick, stretches of concrete, and grounded by a wood floor, the multipurpose room is a versatile space that transforms upon the family’s whim. Performing the dual function of a gym for the clients and a music room for their daughters, the space checks off every distinctive requirement. Outside, a canopied area flows freely into the terrace, allowing one to peer into the neighbourhood, alive with activity and gently swaying foliage. While unwinding in the outdoor conversation space, one’s line of sight is persuasively drawn to the villa’s lofty, travertine stone cladding. 

From this façade projects a concrete cube. A finely crafted metal sculpture takes centerstage upon this plinth to commemorate the formerly rehabilitated Neem tree. “For us, this tree-formed sculpture is a metaphorical tribute, an act of remembrance in honour of something that inhabited this land before the home came into existence. It is a personal story woven into the home’s fabric, something for the family and us to cherish as a memory,” voice the Patels.  

An intimate suite spreads over a substantial portion of this floor as an anchorage of sorts. Designed to a T, the space addresses the family’s emphasised requirements of storage and a plush environment, melded as one. A compact and chic study nook is vitalised by the warm tones of abstract art, making it an idyllic spot to read and stare into the adjoining balcony.

The entirety of the all-white room is interjected by a bold dose of tan in the form of the upholstered bed, making a statement against the white Italian stone underfoot. The concept of storage sheds its stereotypical demeanour, integrating into the room’s form dapperly. The sequence of wardrobes is crafted in a warm grey, interspersed by niches to display bric-a-brac while introducing visual relief.  


Bedroom 5 of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Study area of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Home Theater of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Home Theater of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Seating area at terrace of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects

Driven by the language of decadent and immersive design, the suite bathroom holds the mantle for being the largest one across the residence. The Italian marble takes over, emerging from the floors and ascending the walls with a cavernous attribute. The dual-stone vanity claims the spotlight, adding a tinge of colour against the pools of veined marble in the backdrop. The shower’s glass partition is a picture window, framing the jacuzzi and the green-dotted balcony view!  “A towering, 8-foot-high water feature is the bath’s focal point, emitting serene, gurgling sounds as water trickles down. This sensory embellishment instantly elevates the experience of the suite, creating a retreat within the villa,” adds Shaarvin.  

Perfect for delighting in movie marathons, the home cinema entwines modernity with sumptuousness. Seating a large gathering of viewers, the space also houses a pantry cum bar and a powder room to ensure that the experience is optimal and pragmatic. The acoustically-secured room blends black, taupe, and tan tones, formulating a moody den-like ambience.

“The Roots to Roof Villa is akin to an answered prayer for us as a design studio! It is a blessing to come across clients who wholeheartedly believe in our efforts. There is an inherent joy in sculpting a family’s dream home — a space where their aspirations, joy, and needs converge. We have established the rationale to honour the land’s legacy while penning a new chapter into existence,” concludes the beaming Architect duo! 


Terrace of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Bathroom and Toilet of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Elevation of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Ground floor plan of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


First floor plan of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Second floor plan of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Terrace plan of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects


Section of The Roots to Roof Villa by Tvasttr Architects




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