The Leaf House designed by SJK Architects is a 45-minute boat ride across the harbour from the 22 million people in Mumbai in the coastal town of Alibaug, India. It is a 650sqm family home on a 1.3-acre site at the base of the hills and away from the sea. The land is lush with coconut, mango and neem trees. The sun rises on the eastern hills and when SJK Architects first saw the site it was strewn with leaves. The visual of the leaves became the muse for the final design of the building. The home consists of 5 rooms. Glazing surrounds 4 of the spaces and the 5th room is an open-air living room bordered by a lily pond and pool. The 4 enclosed rooms where designed so that each of the leaf pods open and rise to the north and east, sheltering the spaces from the southwest monsoons and tropical sun. The four leaf pods consist of a Master Bedroom, a child’s bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. The concrete roofs contain steel webs for a rebar effect allowing for a beamless space beneath. Steel columns that are filled with concrete support the roof and their angular pitch creates both a graphic effect as well as an organic appeal.
The outdoor living space is a study in minimalism. A cozy sectional wraps a deep coffee table and a matching accent chair finishes the setting. The concrete decking and roof leafs maintain their patina with the use of clear chemical coatings that will withstand the punishment of the tropical rains and sun. All the wood is polished with a linseed oil for the same reason. The facade of the home is a natural limestone in keeping with the natural setting.
