In his essay, ‘The Wise Fools of Moira’, Professor Lucio
Rodrigues writes, “Moira is a beautiful
munnouchinz kellim in Konkani, and each
fruit is equal to a square meal… But the bananas are not Moira’s chief claim to
fame among Goan villages. The people are as famous, if not more for their
kellim, so famous indeed that they have passed into simile and proverb and
legend. They are among the most industrious people of Goa…”
village in the Taluka of Bardez, in the
tiny western state of India, Goa. The village is famous for many things, among
others for its banana plantations, which yield big, long bananas, called
This cozy hamlet of wise fools is a stunning locale.
Pristine, verdure and tranquil with the old Moira Church forming the nerve
centre. No wonder, an artist as evolved as Vikram Goyal chose this
beautiful
landscape to conceptualise a home here. But this is no normal home. The
building is a marvel of sorts, an expansive canvas to showcase its creator’s
superior design aesthetics. The man who is the brain behind the internationally
renowned design atelier Viya Home, has been known for his product and interior
design creating exquisite pieces and spaces using the superior indigenous
craftsmanship of Indian artisans. But Vikram’s work is hardly Indian in look
and feel. That is the very basis of Viya Home’s design vocabulary. It
celebrates the heart of Indian workmanship
through a global approach.
Moira by the Church is an award-winning two
level 710 sq m
bungalow built 1,297 sq m plot. The house overlooks the charming Moira church
on one side and a pretty Shiv temple on the other. The lush paddy fields
further soothe the eyes as you look around.
The beauty of the property is enhanced by its modernist
architecture. “We used local materials because the house should be one with the
place it is built in. We tried an innovative inclusion of laterite in the
construction, interiors and landscape. The textured surfaces give it a rustic
and earthy feel and the exposed, concrete ceilings gives it that expansive
look,” says the design maestro.
The interiors are dotted with custom-made sculptural pieces
from Viya Home, which play around with original art-deco and antique Goan-
Portuguese
furniture. The house, an art work in itself, has won several laurels, including
the All India Stone Architectural Award for landscaping in 2016 and the
Commendation of Italian Dedalo Minosse International Prize for Architecture and
Design.
The surface of the house is rugged and the walls
are made of
exposed laterite---a local Goan stone that is rust-coloured, like terracotta,
which is contrasted with the masculine luxury of the rest of the nest. The colour
scheme inside, used in the upholstery or objects, revolves around hues of
beaten gold, khaki, brown and black.
Enough said then. Let’s take a walk through this piece
de
resistance.
This article first appeared in www.artculturefestival.in
In his essay, ‘The Wise Fools of Moira’, Professor Lucio
Rodrigues writes, “Moira is a beautiful munnouchinz kellim in Konkani, and each
fruit is equal to a square meal… But the bananas are not Moira’s chief claim to
fame among Goan villages. The people are as famous, if not more for their
kellim, so famous indeed that they have passed into simile and proverb and
legend. They are among the most industrious people of Goa…”
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