Hara Villa: Pinakin's eco mini villas

Designer du jour Pinakin Patel, front runner of a design direction loosely referred to as India Modern, this year completes 25 years in the business of furniture, interiors and architecture and his commemoration gift to India is a worthy concept.

These are fully furnished, individual, made-to-order wooden villas, that will pop up, as it were, on your property -- be that a holiday spot outside Mumbai, such as Alibaug, Goa, Nashik or Khandala or as a spa or additional living quarters in your own backyard.

In 2000, Pinakin shifted his studio from noisy Mumbai to the quiet of Alibaug and this is where, in between Hindustani classical music lessons, the inspiration grew for what he calls "limited edition, plug-in living."

And though it could come across a little warped, sort of like 'Come to my designer Lego holiday home', the villas are small and therefore planet friendly. Hence the name, Hara Villa, Hindi for "Green Villa".

A bio-degradable ready living unit of 670 square feet. Should be enough to play in right? Let's investigate. 

A Hara Villa consists of one bedroom, kitchenette and bathroom, an outdoor wooden deck and sit-out with shaded pergola -- roofs, walls, flooring are all made in local timber. Light fittings are energy efficient CFLs or LED fittings. The villa can receive electric supply from solar panels or inverters and Patel says it's also time to bring back the brilliant Indian bucket bath. 

The entrance to a Hara Villa.Fully wired and kitted-out, they come with air-conditioning, kitchen equipment, a TV, computer, music system and lifestyle stuff like broadband Internet, bed linen, crockery, art and accessories -- all by Pinakin -- which means your home must perforce be his interpretation of your taste down to the last detail. 

On the other hand, this is the most stress-lite, cost and time effective example of "how to build a holiday home" I've ever heard of in India. A Hara Villa will cost Rs 30 lakhs (US$64,500), which works out to Rs 4,500 per sq ft and is ready in three months. It's like buying a car, only a Hara Villa is not portable and is greener.

Patel will only do 25 pieces, limited edition and numbered, after which the design will change completely. For Hara Villa inquries, email mohak@pinakin.in

Pinakin flagship, Raghuvanshi Mills, S.B Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai; tel. +91 (0) 22 6500 2400