Boutique Hotel, Dharamshala
Located on a steep roadside plot, the design features a the 11-room boutique hotel is split between a prominent tower and a shorter block. An entrance bridge leads guests into a central lobby, connecting the tiered levels that step down the slope, housing a restaurant, lounge, and private balconies for every room.
The material palette emphasizes sustainability and safety in a high-seismic zone. A heavy stone base provides a grounded foundation, supporting a lightweight wooden superstructure and a traditional slate roof. This modern interpretation of vernacular styles ensures the building is earthquake-resistant while remaining deeply rooted in the local cultural landscape.
A new hotel is designed as a modern interpretation of traditional Chehni Kothi towers, blending stone and wood into the mountainside.
The design focuses on building safely and naturally on a steep mountain slope. By using the traditional stone-and-wood layering of Himalayan towers, the structure gains natural flexibility to better handle seismic activity.
Instead of cutting deep into the hillside, the program is stacked vertically to respect the natural topography. Locally sourced materials like slate, timber, and stone maintain an eco-friendly footprint. Every element—from the entry bridge to the private balconies—is intended to immerse guests in the vast mountain landscape.
