Every Thursday, idealista/news invites you to discover another dream home — the kind that blends history with a contemporary touch. This time, the destination was Muchintal, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, where the medieval concept is given a new life in the 21st century.
For centuries, moats were synonymous with protection, creating clear boundaries between the safety of the interior and the outside world. At Antriya, this defensive logic has been reinterpreted: a house surrounded by a perimeter ring reminiscent of ancient defence systems, now serving comfort, privacy, and the way the space is experienced on a daily basis.
Shamanth Patil
The property sits on a 4,000-square-metre plot and was conceived as a weekend retreat for an extended family. The residence itself occupies around 1,350 square metres, in a project that seeks to integrate landscape, architecture, and protection.
Instead of relying on opaque walls or metal fencing, the architecture studio behind the project, 23 Degrees Design Shift, chose to excavate a continuous channel around the main volume. This contemporary “moat” is not merely an aesthetic gesture: it responds to a very practical need — preventing snakes and other wildlife typical of the rural areas of Telangana from entering the property.
Shamanth Patil
Within this protected perimeter stands a two-storey house organised around three large khammam sandstone walls — a local warm-toned stone that defines both the structure and the spatial atmosphere itself. According to the studio, “the entire house was designed using three linear stone walls, which provide a sense of direction, privacy, and comfort through their relative scale.”
The first of these walls accompanies the main communal areas. On the ground floor, it defines a large open living area that functions as a shaded veranda and an outdoor gathering space. Above it lies a second relaxation area and the master suite, connected by a sculptural spiral staircase that reinforces the verticality of the composition.
The second wall runs longitudinally through the house, separating the communal spaces — kitchen, dining room, and living room — from the four en-suite bedrooms located on the ground floor. This gesture creates privacy without relying on excessive compartmentalisation. Meanwhile, the third wall extends outward and structures a support area for the swimming pool, expanding the architectural logic beyond the main volume.
Shamanth Patil
Protection is not entrusted solely to the moat. Large cantilevered slabs, ranging from 2.5 to 3 metres in depth, surround the entire perimeter of the house and create generous shaded areas. These overhangs help reduce temperatures in the region’s hot, dry climate by employing passive strategies typical of contemporary tropical architecture, avoiding overheating without relying exclusively on air conditioning.
Shamanth Patil
The interior of Antriya deliberately moves away from the polished aesthetic commonly associated with luxury homes in urban settings. The studio explains that, “having spent their entire lives in sophisticated urban residences, this weekend house was conceived as a space that brings the user as close as possible to an authentic, genuine, and less ‘processed’ experience of materials.”
The walls and ceilings are finished with a lime-based plaster, while the floors are made from Markapur slate, a local stone “that offers a smooth yet slightly undulating surface, encouraging residents to walk barefoot,” explain the architects.
This emphasis on sensory experience transforms the house into a deeply tactile environment, designed to be explored and enjoyed slowly.
The furniture incorporates wood with irregular edges, natural fibres, and black metallic details that contrast with the stone and stucco. The result is a restrained yet striking aesthetic, in which every material reveals itself honestly, without artifice.
Shamanth Patil
The surrounding landscape, designed by Kiasma Studio, further strengthens this connection to the site. Large meadow areas are punctuated by shrubs and a small vineyard, while a dense belt of trees protects the boundaries of the property and ensures privacy.
To complete the setting, the project also includes a cricket field and a dirt track for off-road vehicles, showcasing the playful and relaxed side of this rural retreat in India.