This Sprawling Manor Reimagines Goa’s Plush Heritage With An Eco-Conscious Design
Aligning with conscious living principles and sustainable design techniques, Villa Da Zita in Goa promises to whisk you away from the concrete jungles to boundless greenery.
Given a choice, city dwellers often dream of trading their urban apartments for a luxurious Goan villa–it’s not hard to imagine why either. Nestled in the trendy neighborhood of Vagator, Goa, Villa Da Zita sprawls like a luxurious mansion, offering an exquisite escape. A lofty entrance door flanked by pilasters, a rectangular long porch referred to as ‘Balcao’ in Portuguese, a lush garden courtyard, and a bio-filtered pool lined with sage green tiles with water cascading is the sight that welcomes guests into this villa. This design ambience complements the concept of slow living that converges with eco-design and sustainable practices.
Designed by Naina Nagpal of Vianaar Homes, this 5 BHK luxury Goan villa is enveloped in a texture–finished white plaster that complements the earthy colour palette of the interiors. As you approach Villa Da Zita, you are struck by its immense white façade amidst lush greenery unfolding like a quiet narrative—where every design element reflects a delicate blend of heritage and the contemporary.
The Beauty Of Spatial Fluidity
The creative head and co-founder, Naina Nagpal of Vianaar Homes enjoyed limitless creative freedom, offered by the expansive space of this Goan villa which takes inspiration from 16th-century Goan design. Right from the onset, the monumental grandeur is reflected through a long corridor flanked by arches that meet with the inbuilt porch. The sprawling living and dining room features a double-height cane ceiling, supported by wooden rafters and punctuated with a row of skylights, flooding nature lights — creating a sprawling layout while maintaining a cosy ambience. A sliding door leads to the mint-green kitchen where a modern kitchen core glam has been unleashed with a dash of sophistication.
Vianaar Homes collaborated with a skilled artisan for this 10-seater live edge table, showcasing the unrefined beauty of natural wood. ( Image Credit: Fabien Charuau)
Ascend to the residential wing’s second floor via a stunning brownstone staircase crowned by wooden rafters that lead to the luxurious master bedroom. The abundant use of wood-framed doors not only floods the space with natural light, it also provides uninterrupted views of the charming courtyard garden and the beautiful pool. The ground-floor rooms look out to the lush landscaping that creates an illusion of a tropical forest. Nagpal says, “It wasn’t just about adding a touch of green; the selection was carefully curated to thrive in Goa’s tropical climate.” Vianaar Homes’ commitment to crafting ingenious Goan designs extends beyond aesthetics, embracing a deep-seated respect for environmental sustainability.
The regeneration pool is a stunning centrepiece that elevates the property’s aesthetics while providing efficient evaporative cooling for optimal temperature control. (Image Credit: Elmer D`Souza)
Elevating Sustainability Efforts
Handmade terrazzo tiles grace the interior floors, crafted from recycled marble waste. Clay roof tiles double as a timeless feature and are deemed an environmentally friendly roofing solution. To bring in natural ventilation, the design layout thoughtfully positions windows and skylights to encourage a steady airflow.
“For a conventional bio-filtered pool you require an L-shaped pool with a bigger pond. Due to spatial constraints, we opted for a pond featuring a variety of oxygenating plants to serve as a bio-filter for the pool,” explains Nagpal. A bio-filtered swimming pool designed out of a desire to coexist in harmony with the natural surroundings is a bespoke amenity of this home. It has been designed with a unique filtration process, where the water flows through a regeneration pond that is home to good bacteria, aquatic plants, and other organisms that enhance water quality. It is poised as a challenge to the design scheme to which Nagpal adds, “This pond has now become one of the focal points of the house as it adjoins one of the bathrooms and bedrooms in the manor.”
Art and handcrafted furniture certainly add a character to the space. The cane and rattan-clad furniture and customised lights made of banana leaves, crafted by local artisans add a refreshing spin to the indigenous designs. There are vibrant art pieces from all around the world, including local Goan artists like Manuela Pinto, Ronny Frost, Sakshi, and a South American artist named Simon. The overarching theme spotlights sustainable materials and vintage textures, creating an inviting and timeless space. “One of the best spots in the villa is the passage leading to the living room which is more than just a walkway,” shares Nagpal. The contemporary lounge accents, overlooking the garden and the water cascade promise cosy afternoons spent lost in the pages of a beloved novel.
