Elevé
Year
2026
Location
Assagao, Goa
Project
Boutique resort
Set within a forested valley in Assagao, Goa, Elevé is a boutique resort shaped around the existing trees, contours and ecology of the land.
Context
The steeply sloping site in Assagao came with a mature forest canopy, exposed laterite rock, natural depressions and a historic well still used by the local community. More than eighty mature trees occupied the 15,000 sq ft property, while hornbills, kingfishers and other birdlife moved regularly through the valley. Rather than seeing these conditions as obstacles to development, they became the starting point for the project. The brief was therefore clear: create a refined hospitality experience while retaining the contours, forest cover and ecological continuity of the site, with zero tree felling as a fundamental commitment.
Response
Elevé follows the natural rise and fall of the hillside rather than reshaping it. Twelve guest pods are positioned within existing clearings and raised on slender supports, allowing the forest floor to remain largely continuous beneath them. A winding timber walkway threads between trees and connects the rooms, while arrival begins at ridge level with reception and bamboo dining spaces before gradually descending toward the valley floor. Copper, bamboo, timber and laterite form a material palette intended to weather naturally and settle further into the landscape with time. The existing rock face and historic well were retained as integral parts of the experience, while north-facing openings, shaded decks, water bodies, rainwater harvesting and wastewater management reduce the resort's environmental load.
Laterite stone, Wood, Bamboo, Copper, Ferrocement, Lime plaster, IPS, Mosaic
Avinash D'Mello
Owner, Elevé
