Lehar Sa Resort, at Madhai, Madhya Pradesh, by Akshay Selukar

March 20, 2019

The Lehar Sa retreat is planned to integrate the layout with the existing contours. Avoiding any cutting of the contoured land, individual clusters of rooms are located at different levels spaced to allow each room an unrestricted view.

Follow ArchitectureLive! Channel on WhatsApp

Lehar Sa Resort, at Madhai, Madhya Pradesh, by Akshay Selukar 1

Initially, the plan was to design a Resort with 9 Guest Rooms, situated on an undulating site in Suhagpur District (Madhai), Madhya Pradesh. Designed on a contoured irregular shaped site overlooking a dense river and hills beyond, Madhai’s has a pleasant weather with average temperatures of 25⁰C.The construction system included Bamboos, Brick, Rcc, and locally available stone with a Carpet Area. Area of each Key being 38 SQM and 9 keys in total.

The Lehar Sa resort is planned to integrate the layout with the existing contours. Avoiding any cutting of the contoured land, individual clusters of rooms are located at different levels spaced to allow each room an unrestricted view. Using the site to its full advantage, all the public facilities and the rooms are river & poolside oriented in response to the amazing view. The climate of the location with temperatures in soaring just around 30⁰C most of the year.

The entire layout is created is organic in character and correlates to the organic settlement of the villages in the vicinity. Bamboo, timber and locally available stone are the materials that predominantly form the structures creating an eco-friendly and sustainable design solution. All the building and houses are situated to allow the natural undulating land to be retained in entirely with natural landscape in the form of local palms and other trees.

Vehicle movement is restricted to a small part of the site allowing access from the main approach to the road up to the reception area. The entire resort is perceived as a minimal intervention in the existing landscape by the layout and the material palette of the built forms that homogeneously integrate themselves with the site. Instead of a manicured look of most resorts, we wanted to retain the site as a whole and create the least obtrusive spaces that would blend within the landscape. Contextually designed Lehar Sa retreat is a sustainable design solution which will be known for its layout, aesthetics, and design.

Principal Architect: AkshaySelukar
Credits: City Madhai, MP
Client: Mr.BhupeshRathi
Completion Date: September 2018
Gross Floor Area (MQ): 400
Design Team: H and A Consultants
Photo Credits– Sameer Chawda

Akshay Selukar

Profile and Contributions

Completed, Hospitality, Madhya Pradesh

Recent

Khazans in Slavador du Mundo, Bardez, Goa. © Kusum Priya (1)

The Map That Was Never Yours
“If publicness is reduced to what is legally accessible, then these landscapes were never public to begin with.”
—V.V. Kusum Priya

April 28, 2026 No Comments

As part of our editorial: What makes a space public?, V.V. Kusum Priya argues that Section 39A of Goa’s 2024 Town and Country Planning Act this isn’t just a legal issue, and that it’s the erosion of an unrecognised but collectively sustained commons, and a question of what “public” really means and who benefits from the legislations surrounding this.

Life on the public spaces in downtown Calcutta. Source - Wikimedia

“Appropriation of public spaces is the genesis of political movements, of ideological apparatus, and of endangering the city’s multi-dimensional fabric.”
—Dr. Seema Khanwalkar

April 27, 2026 No Comments

Dr. Seema Khanwalkar, explores how the public spaces in India are dynamic, contested areas shaped by informal economies, migration, and social negotiation. She reveals how the transactional activities democratise ownership of these spaces, while the political and religious appropriation increasingly displaces this organic vitality, creating exclusion and anxiety. This shrinking of inclusive public space threatens urban social fabric, yet remains largely absent from city planning conversations, making it a far deeper crisis than mere encroachment.

“… people like Sen [Kapadia] don’t really leave. They become the questions we continue to ask.”
—A Tribute by Nuru Karim

April 22, 2026 No Comments

Nuru Karim reflects on his relationship with Sen Kapadia through three transformative “states of being”—as a student, as a studio colleague, and as an independent professional. To capture Sen’s essence, Karim draws on three powerful metaphors: a mountain (commanding yet silent), a banyan tree (generous and sheltering), and a river (unseen yet ever-present). Together, these images paint a portrait of a man whose quiet depth left an indelible mark on all who encountered him.

Nirbhaya Nirgun
“Sen [Kapadia] found his own light early. He followed it without apology and without detour, and never let anyone dim it.”
—A Tribute by Pinkish Shah

April 21, 2026 1 Comment

Pinkish Shah’s homage to Sen Kapadia, celebrates him as fearless and formless in both life and work. Intellectually rooted in Louis Kahn and Sri Aurobindo, Sen pursued architecture that transcended form toward essential silence. Known for his courage, he maintained quiet, unwavering independence throughout his career.

“Professor Shireesh Deshpande chose the far more difficult task: to mould young minds into thoughtful, responsible, and rooted architects.”—A Tribute by Sarbjit Singh Bagha

April 21, 2026 1 Comment

Sarbjit Singh Bagha shares his tribute to Prof. Shireesh Atmaram Deshpande (1934–2026), a pioneering figure in Indian architectural education who passed away on 10 April 2026 at 91. Known affectionately as “Dada,” he spent nearly four decades at VNIT Nagpur, founding India’s first M.Arch. programme and introducing innovative pedagogy. He served as President of the Indian Institute of Architects (1992–1994). Choosing teaching over professional practice, he shaped generations of architects.

View of the setting, Asiad. Credits: Meaningful Design Labs

Brutalist India | Asiad Tower, New Delhi

April 18, 2026 No Comments

As part of Brutalist India series Bhawna Dandona writes about the Asiad Tower on Khel Gaon Marg in New Delhi, originally designed as a revolving restaurant, but now used as a venue for functions and weddings. The structure stands in close proximity to the Asiad Village and Siri Fort Complex and was designed by the Architectural Department of the Delhi Development Authority.

Lehar Sa Resort, at Madhai, Madhya Pradesh, by Akshay Selukar

Akshay Selukar

Recent

The Map That Was Never Yours“If publicness is reduced to what is legally accessible, then these landscapes were never public to begin with.”—V.V. Kusum Priya

“Appropriation of public spaces is the genesis of political movements, of ideological apparatus, and of endangering the city’s multi-dimensional fabric.”—Dr. Seema Khanwalkar

“… people like Sen [Kapadia] don’t really leave. They become the questions we continue to ask.”—A Tribute by Nuru Karim

Nirbhaya Nirgun “Sen [Kapadia] found his own light early. He followed it without apology and without detour, and never let anyone dim it.”—A Tribute by Pinkish Shah

“Professor Shireesh Deshpande chose the far more difficult task: to mould young minds into thoughtful, responsible, and rooted architects.”—A Tribute by Sarbjit Singh Bagha

Brutalist India | Asiad Tower, New Delhi

Featured Publications

New Release

Subscribe & Join a Community of Lakhs of Readers

We Need Your Support

The Map That Was Never Yours
“If publicness is reduced to what is legally accessible, then these landscapes were never public to begin with.”
—V.V. Kusum Priya

“Appropriation of public spaces is the genesis of political movements, of ideological apparatus, and of endangering the city’s multi-dimensional fabric.”
—Dr. Seema Khanwalkar

“… people like Sen [Kapadia] don’t really leave. They become the questions we continue to ask.”
—A Tribute by Nuru Karim

Nirbhaya Nirgun
“Sen [Kapadia] found his own light early. He followed it without apology and without detour, and never let anyone dim it.”
—A Tribute by Pinkish Shah