“With this project we attempt to shift the paradigm of luxurious landscapes from one of excess to one of frugality, awareness and a new aesthetic that celebrates its context.”
SIX SENSES FORT BARWARA
Client: COSMOS Buildwell Pvt Ltd
Key Consultants: Pradeep Kishan
Status: Built
Year: 2021
Location: Barwara, Rajasthan
Project Area: 6.5 Acres
Project Typology: Hospitality
Scope: Concept to Construction & Commissioning
AWARDS:
IFLA 2023
Set within a historic fort in the arid landscapes of Rajasthan, the Six Senses Hotel redefines luxury by embracing native ecology and cultural authenticity. Rather than relying on exotic plants and water-intensive manicured gardens, the design celebrates the site’s natural rhythms and resources, using over 30% native vegetation, locally sourced sandstone, and traditional water-harvesting systems to create a landscape that is both regenerative and culturally rooted.
The project challenges conventional notions of hospitality landscapes, where year-round lushness often comes at the cost of environmental sustainability. By amplifying local crafts, traditions, and materials, the design cultivates a sense of place that is both refined and conscious. Seasonality is restored, irrigation is drastically reduced, and the surrounding lake’s watershed is supported, all while crafting an immersive, sensorial experience for guests.
With this project we attempt to shift the paradigm of luxurious landscapes from one of excess to one of frugality, awareness and a new aesthetic that celebrates its context.
The site is a 6 acre historic fort located on a spur of the Aravallis, adjacent to a lake in the old town of Barwara. It is in the arid region of Rajasthan in north India. The surrounding hills once boasted subtropical dry deciduous forests and wildlife. Today, with over exploitation, these have all but disappeared and the lake is affected due to its degraded catchment.
The property was to be designed as a 48 suite high end luxury hotel with the landscape scope extending from public spaces (arrival sequence, spa, pool, courtyards, gardens, event spaces) to private suite courtyards. It entailed adaptive reuse of 4 historic structures, and new construction of guest suite blocks and ancillary buildings.
The idea of luxury in India is defined by its rapid modernization and is marked by landscapes that represent a static green condition. The resulting landscapes are often manicured, water intensive and dominated by exotic vegetation with a specific idea of aesthetics.
This project was an opportunity for us to redefine this paradigm of luxury. It aspires to shift the idea of luxurious landscapes from manicured to responsive, exotic to ecologically appropriate, and static to dynamic.
Materials, Crafts and Traditions:
The primary material used in the landscape is sandstone from the site which was repurposed during construction. This includes the driveways, landscape walls and boulders for retaining slopes. The paving is composed of local sandstone that brings in the muted browns and beiges of the desert. The sculptural elements were designed and crafted in Rajasthan and were inspired from local traditions.
The Water Story:
Water is one of the key drivers of the design. Calculations were done to assess the existing runoff from the site as it fed the lake and is hence critical. We harvested only excess runoff caused by new development, leaving the lake’s original source untouched.
The journey of rain water is expressed through surface channels that are derived from an age-old Indian system where long spiral channels were filled with charcoal to cleanse the water before harvesting. This celebrates the rain, engages local crafts and traditions, while making the observer acutely aware of this precious resource.
The water needed for irrigation is a fraction of a base case scenario (typically 6.5 ltr /sqm/day). Through meticulous selection of plant material, using over 90% native plants, the water requirement is reduced to <0.75 ltr/sqm/day, eliminating the need for elaborate irrigation systems, as once established, the native plants don't need frequent watering.
In the monsoons, the site captures water for 100 days of the hotel's needs. During the balance 265 days the landscape needs to be watered at most every 10 days, mostly met by recycled water on site.
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Native Planting and Seasonality:
The use of lawn is restricted. As the arid landscape doesn't host many shade loving plants non-native, but naturalized plants are used in shaded spaces such as courtyards, room gardens etc. Native plants were carefully selected after ensuring that they were not poisonous, and thorn bearing ones were used in areas that aren't easily accessible. The resulting aesthetic brings the ruggedness of the Aravallis with all its seasons of greens, russets and browns, within the fort.
As designers, we used the native plants and their dynamic characteristics as our tools to create compelling compositions, differing from perhaps a naturalist’s approach of recreating nature.
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GALLERY
