Set on a 45-degree slope strewn with massive boulders and reachable only on foot, Agastya, the ayurvedic resort conceived by Dr. Unni, overlooks Kovalam, the most celebrated beach in Kerala. It stands among the most demanding landscape design challenges we have undertaken. Working with the terrain rather than against it, the project drew us back to Roger Trancik’s Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, whose ideas about shaping meaningful, connected space proved as relevant on a hillside resort as they are in the city. The result is a retreat where boulders, contours, and pathways become part of the healing experience. Please visit the resort website. Picture courtsey Dr. Unnis
