Design
Sunoo Temple House is a private worship space that is designed to feel like a galaxy. Saket Sethi, the architect has explored forms, textures, and emotions in a very creative way for his client, who wanted to surprise her husband with a home and a place of worship surrounded by greenery.
The Sunoo Temple house lies on the outskirts of Mumbai, giving a magnificent look and feel for a private worship space. Saket Sethi, the architect designed the house to have an angled rooftop garden, amidst all the paddy fields in the surroundings. A view from here leaves us flabbergasted with an egg-shaped, galaxy-like, garden temple, coated with glittering mosaic.
This building was sculpted according to the likes of the very creative client, who arrived from Holland wanting to gift her husband a house surrounded by a thriving landscape and gardens, says the architect. This was designed in sync with her spiritual requirements and acted as a calm space to be able to meditate and feel the power within us.
The egg shape of the temple is surrounded by a circular pathway around it, indicating the circumambulation of the moons around the planet. The shape was also made to resemble the Shivling, a sacred form of Lord Shiva in the Hindu tradition. The architect remembers a conversation with the client describing her requirement of the space being in gratitude to the Universe. He then decided to make the facade complete with sparkling tiles, as a way of reflecting that idea. The inside gives the feeling of being inside a conch, which is heavily tiled and has spiraling interiors.
The context of the building has been cleverly matched with the lush greenery with the overflowing, yet serene rooftop garden. This attracts numerous birds, bees, and other pollinating insects helping the environment thrive. This rooftop garden also helps the house remain cooler during the summers and acts as a private garden to relax and unwind.
The house has a very open plan, with spacious living and dining, a kitchen, and four well-furnished bedrooms. There are large windows opening up from each space, giving a visual connection to the outside. The interiors have a subtle vintage decor, with collectibles from all around the world adorning the walls. This house is a very creative take on spiritual and mindful living.
