They have a character of their own and are a reflection of those who dwell within them – these houses are more than just concrete and floor. With tastefully decked up walls of framed memories, a lingering scent in the air and treasured artefacts, every house conceals a tale and structural history.
“Our heritage homes have been standing for so many years, telling us countless stories of how life must’ve been,” says architect Golda Pereira, who has worked on several house restoration projects in the state.
Born and raised in Goa, Golda graduated from the Goa College of Architecture and went on to do a fellowship with the Charles Correa Foundation for about a year. “I then worked for Goan architect Amit Sardessai, after which I felt confident and thrilled to start on my own,” she affirms.
And from then on, she’s been on a pursuit of breathing life into ruined Goan houses with designs that suit contemporary needs, all while keeping the structure’s soul intact.
Back in the day, constructing these houses wouldn’t have been as easy as it is today. “It just goes on to show the amount of thought and time that was put into making these homes,” she says, undeterred by the scale of these unique story telling structures.
TELLERS OF TALES
Built structures by their very nature translate a way of life that acquaints one to a place.
“I love our sopo in balconies, it makes for such a beautiful meeting space,” shares Golda, adding more components to her favourites' list. “Our beautifully-scaled roofs, materials like cement oxide, laterite walls, windows with built-in seats and courtyards that create a beautiful pause to feel amongst nature,” she says, almost allowing you to form a mental picture of a colonial Goan house.
Golda, however, finds Goan architecture to be often misinterpreted as Portuguese architecture, and explains this saying, “It’s because the houses speak so much about the society, then.” She considers architecture integral to a region and says, “Our homes tell us so much about a place, its climate, landscape and lifestyle.”
Whether it is the inward-looking conservative traditional courtyard houses or the grand high-plinthed homes with long verandahs, she explains how design was incorporated to suit the way of life of the community.
REBUILDING THE RUINS
“I always meet the client on site first, even before starting a conversation about the house. There is a lot of work that happens on site, besides the drawings done,” Golda says describing how she gets into the restoration process. She adds, “Interpreting the air circulation and the rooms, while bringing life and light to the structure is what I like to do.”
And while taking up a project, Golda secretly wishes a more challenging structure, it’s something that drives her on.
“If it’s only a small repair work and doesn’t involve any design, I refrain from taking up the project,” she says and adds, “I like projects that seem impossible, in the sense that they have had several changes done and I need to remove those layers to create something, or even if it’s a humble little space that has potential.”
Although she has never encountered a project (concerning design) that seems impossible, she rues out some of the challenges that she particularly faces in rebuilding.
“I think what’s difficult is maybe finding the right craftsmen, there is much work that requires skill concerning plasters, woodwork and sometimes flooring,” she highlights. There are also times that while breaking walls new problems emerge and Golda suggests adapting plans to the new structural challenges.
And while doing so, what she considers essential is building a rapport with the clients. “I think what’s really important for me, is to feel comfortable with my clients and for them to have some trust in me,” she confesses.
LOST FOREVER
Heritage is an important aspect of one’s culture, a connection to the past, especially in today’s fast-paced world.
“By restoring I feel I’m contributing to keeping Goa’s heritage,” says Golda, who enjoys working on new constructions as well. She believes restoring is more sustainable instead of starting a project from scratch and adding more footprint. “More so, the challenges and interpreting what it could be is such a thrill,” she exclaims.
At a time when structures are being built so haphazardly and with lack of care, imagine these century-old homes still stand the test of time – for their architecture, their stories of what Goa once was.
Golda has found more people open to restoring homes. “I think people have realised the value of heritage homes, it took maybe people from outside the state to buy them, for us to understand their worth,” she admits and concludes, “It’s a piece of the past, something that you can’t get back if it just crumbles down to the ground.”