- Project: Caryota House
- Architect: DADA Partners
- Location: India, New Delhi
- Year: 2023
- Area: 1300 m2
- Photography: Ranjan Sharma
Nature, Privacy, and Architecture in Perfect Harmony
Designed by Dada & Partners, Caryota House is a 14,000-square-foot contemporary residence nestled within nearly three acres of serene landscape in New Delhi. The home was envisioned for a couple and their two daughters, combining understated luxury with a seamless indoor-outdoor experience—all while preserving privacy in a shared compound with two other houses.
The defining feature of the residence is a towering Caryota (fishtail) palm tree, once overlooked behind an older structure. Recognized by the architects as a natural anchor, the tree was integrated into the home’s design, eventually lending the project its name—Caryota House.
A Three-Level Home Wrapped Around a Living Tree
The home is structured across three levels, with all major living spaces arranged around a central open-to-sky courtyard that cradles the Caryota palm. The ground floor houses the formal living room, bar lounge, family area, and dining space—all of which open to this verdant core via full-height sliding glass doors, dissolving the barrier between indoors and out.
What makes the experience unique is the sense of discovery—the courtyard is not visible upon entry, only revealing itself as you move through the space. This approach creates a moment of revelation, offering both drama and tranquility in equal measure.
The open courtyard also serves a practical purpose: it creates a microclimate that naturally cools adjacent spaces, promoting airflow and reducing the need for mechanical ventilation.
Entry Experience and Material Subtlety
The approach to the home is orchestrated along a cascading water feature that runs parallel to the stepped entry court. The water wraps the elevated formal living room, accentuating a floating architectural gesture. A cantilevered step over the water’s edge provides a sculptural platform—elegantly merging landscape, art, and architecture.
A restrained palette of white walls, expansive glass, and charcoal-grey sheet cladding defines the house’s minimalist identity, in line with the client’s desire for modern simplicity with high spatial quality.
Upper Level: A Gallery of Light and Views
The first floor is accessed via a gallery that rings the courtyard, offering continuous visual connections to the central palm. Each bedroom is positioned for privacy, while still being visually connected to the landscape.
The master bedroom features a 12-foot-wide window that frames the palm in full height, making the courtyard feel like an extension of the room—a poetic gesture that underscores the house’s biophilic design ethos.
Lower Ground: Leisure Meets Landscape
The lower ground level houses the entertainment lounge, study, and indoor swimming pool, all oriented around a sunken courtyard. This outdoor void provides light, openness, and a private garden experience to the subterranean spaces.
The sunken court becomes the focal point of the basement, ensuring that even the deepest parts of the home remain connected to nature and daylight.
A Contemporary Home That Breathes With Its Landscape
Caryota House by Dada & Partners is more than a luxury residence—it is a meditative architectural response to site, family, and environment. Centered around a palm that demanded recognition, the home celebrates biophilic design, privacy, and minimalism in perfect harmony.
With fluid interior-exterior transitions, passive climate responsiveness, and restrained elegance, Caryota House stands as a masterpiece of modern Indian residential design.
