White Mongoose - AirBnB
Principal Designer: Anant Mairal, Heval Dhudshia, Ankurkumar Azad
Execution team: Pragati Construction
Design team: Bala Ceani, Namitha Niji, Mayuri Jadhav
Furniture: SO Design Lab
Location: Auroville, Tamil Nadu
Photography: Saurabh Madan
Phase 1 of the development comprises three key components: a residence for the clients' parents, a bed-and-breakfast unit, and a series of interactive landscape elements. The design employs humble, locally sourced materials—rammed earth, black Kadappa and Tandoor stone, brick vaults, and flat terracotta filler slabs—combined with simple, efficient construction methods. The intent is twofold: to create a comfortable retirement home for the parents, and to set the foundation for a larger family estate where future independent homes, farming, and landscape development can evolve over time. Architecture here becomes a way of embedding personal gestures, reflecting the unique needs of different family members while holding them together within a coherent whole.

The Airbnb serves as a guest facility at a slightly larger scale, separate from the clients' own home. As Auroville and Pondicherry attract more visitors, students, and professionals, the additional building addresses this growing demand. Beyond providing accommodation, the house is intended to bring fresh energy to the property through the presence of new people and activities. The ground floor is designed as an open plan, with a double-height living hall flowing into the kitchen and dining spaces. A mezzanine lounge overlooks this central volume, enhancing interaction across levels. Guest bedrooms are located on the first floor, each extending onto shaded terraces with views over the surrounding greenery.
Materiality anchors the architecture: rammed earth and earth-plastered brick walls combine with cement oxide flooring to establish a grounded, tactile atmosphere. A contemporary screen wraps the living hall, while sloped metal truss roofs crown the structure. Together, these elements articulate the building's elevation, balancing contextual materiality with a clear, modern expression.

















