Designing for Slow Living: How Architecture Is Changing the Way We Experience Luxury

Luxury design is increasingly moving beyond aesthetics to shape how people experience space, nature and time. At Awas Country Club, a patrons-only private club in Alibaug, architecture and landscape come together to create a setting centred around privacy, nature, well-being and a slower rhythm of living.

Set within mature mango trees and landscaped greens, the property is designed as a biophilic oasis, with natural light, open spaces and the landscape woven into the experience. The pool opens to the sky, while shaded pathways and dense greenery create a naturally calm setting.

The same approach extends into the three private five-bedroom villas, each spanning over 4,700 sq. ft., with garden-facing bedrooms, private terraces, generous living and dining areas, and contemporary coastal interiors. Natural light and handcrafted finishes add to the understated aesthetic, while the terraces create an open connection with the surrounding landscape.

Across the club, the Green Zone brings together squash, padel, pickleball, a golf simulator and fitness facilities, creating dedicated areas for movement and active leisure. The Blue Zone combines a Himalayan Salt Room, Saltstone Spa, jacuzzi, cold plunge, steam, sauna and open-to-sky areas for pause and recovery. Bringing these offerings within one estate allows patrons to move naturally between activity and downtime, without the need to follow a fixed pace.

The wider property also accommodates moments of gathering, with living and dining areas within the villas flowing into one another and private terraces extending the interiors outdoors. At the clubhouse, Drift’s multi-cuisine dining, private lounging areas and the Blue Mind Central Court sit alongside a mini theatre, karaoke room, card room and Mahjong room, offering settings for dining, recreation and socialising.

At Awas, architecture is therefore closely tied to the way the property is experienced: through natural surroundings, open areas, private residences and a considered mix of wellness, recreation and hospitality. Rather than imposing a single way to spend time, the property brings these elements into one setting, allowing patrons to shape their own rhythm within the club.