#DPExclusive: This Sun-Drenched Mumbai Apartment Is An Ode To Layering And Japanese Minimalism
Experience 'Summer Opera' by Gautam Shewa Architects: Japanese tranquility and British sophistication blend seamlessly, redefining urban living in Mumbai through cultural synthesis and innovative design.
The ability to shape-shift, improvise gracefully and surmount any curveballs that might land in their court is what sets the design team at Gautam Shewa Architects apart from their peers. “Initially, we faced a challenge with a central beam obstructing the master bedroom’s layout,” principal architect Gautam Shewa reveals in a candid conversation with DP. “Rather than viewing the beam as a hindrance, we embraced it as an opportunity to introduce architectural intrigue.” The Patel family, renowned for graciously hosting the cultured elite, thought it wise to defer to Ar. Shewa’s sensibilities when envisioning their 1,500-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment in vibrant Bandra, Mumbai. Dubbed ‘Summer Opera,’ the home was handed over as recently as this April, reverberating with arias of Japanese minimalism and English Countryside Chic in an effervescent cross-pollination between myriad styles
A sanctuary amidst the bustling cityscape, this home’s spatial geometry is meticulously planned to optimise the use of passages, with each room spilling fluently into the next. The free-flowing floor plan reveals a light-washed living and dining area, a well-appointed kitchen, a master bedroom, the captivatingly layered second bedroom and even a makeshift study that can transform into a haven for overnight visitors.
“My design approach, similar to the varying notes in an opera, utilises angles to enhance the overall aesthetic,” explains Ar. Gautam Shewa. “This results in spaces that feel open, interconnected and filled with natural illumination.” A unique synthesis of Japanese essentialism and British cottage décor, this abode serves as a testament to the evolutionary power of crossing cultural thresholds — because in doing so, the designer adeptly plays to the personalities of those who will ultimately inhabit this environment.
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