Architectural Cases

Sanjay Puri Architects has unveiled its latest project, the Crest Nine community center, nestled on a dramatic hillside overlooking the Arabian Sea in Anjarle, India. Eschewing a conventional monolithic structure, the design gracefully follows the natural contours of the land, with its distinct curved forms emerging organically from the sloping landscape. This innovative approach not only respects the environment but also creates a unique architectural dialogue with its coastal surroundings.

Sanjay Puri Architects’ Crest Nine: A Harmony of Design and Nature

Designed by the visionary team at Sanjay Puri Architects, including lead architect Sanjay Puri and designers Sanya Gupta, Madhavi Belsare, Akshay Chikhalkar, and Payal Raut, the Crest Nine community center is a testament to context-driven architecture. Completed in January 2026 for client House of Abhinandan Lodha (HOABL), the center is located in Anjarle, India.

Visitors embark on a downward journey from the access road, traversing a wide staircase and a gently arcing ramp that frames a verdant garden. This path leads to a central circulation spine, which intelligently organizes the building's various sections and guides movement throughout. The architecture transitions from a modest curved entrance to a series of grander parabolic volumes, each stepping gracefully across the hillside at varying elevations, creating a dynamic skyline that mirrors the natural topography.

Between these sculpted masses, inviting courtyards and lush planted pockets introduce open-air spaces, strategically altering the scale of the complex as one explores. The upper level hosts a diverse range of hospitality and leisure amenities, including an indoor sports room, a modern gymnasium, a vibrant restaurant, a chic bar, and luxurious guest suites. Each of these spaces extends onto expansive curving decks, offering unobstructed, westward views of the sparkling Arabian Sea, blurring the lines between indoor comfort and outdoor splendor.

At the heart of the complex lies a circular courtyard, serving as a focal point for vertical movement. A magnificent sculptural staircase spirals downwards to the lower level, where a suite of recreational areas unfolds around a sprawling swimming pool terrace. This level features three distinct pools, a state-of-the-art health club, and an open-air cafeteria, all designed to foster informal gatherings and outdoor activities on a generously proportioned deck.

The roof structure is a crucial element of the design, dictating the building's spatial experience. Its profile elegantly rises above the main volumes and gently dips towards the courtyards, creating deep overhangs that provide essential shade for the decks. These extended edges offer protection from intense sunlight and seasonal monsoon rains, all while preserving the captivating panoramic views of the site.

The exterior of Crest Nine is predominantly clad in locally-sourced laterite stone, imbuing the structure with a warm red hue that resonates with the rich soil and rock formations of coastal Maharashtra. This material choice not only provides a textured backdrop for the building's sweeping curves but also profoundly connects the architecture to its geological context.

Environmental performance was a key driver in the design process. Approximately seventy percent of the built area relies on natural ventilation, augmented by the open courtyards and cross-ventilation provided by the expansive decks. Daylight permeates every interior space, minimizing the need for artificial lighting during the day. The roof utilizes a metal framework finished with shingles, and the commitment to local labor and regional materials significantly reduces the project's embodied carbon footprint, showcasing a holistic approach to sustainable design.

The Crest Nine community center is more than just a building; it is a harmonious integration of human design with the raw beauty of nature. It exemplifies how thoughtful architecture can enhance both the user experience and environmental stewardship. This project stands as a beacon of sustainable and context-sensitive design, offering a serene yet dynamic space for leisure and community engagement. Its graceful curves, material honesty, and commitment to natural elements create a place that feels both timeless and deeply rooted in its spectacular Indian setting.

In a pioneering display of material innovation, designer Jack Craig has unveiled his "Molded Carpet Series," a collection that redefines the conventional understanding of household carpeting. Through a meticulous process of applying heat, pressure, and manual shaping, Craig transforms discarded carpet remnants from residential settings into strikingly rigid and sculptural forms. This project transcends the typical function of carpeting as merely a soft floor covering, instead treating it as a raw resource brimming with untapped potential.

Artist Jack Craig Forges Sculptural Forms from Repurposed Carpet

Working from his Detroit studio, artist Jack Craig has meticulously developed the 'Molded Carpet Series' since its inception. This innovative project involves collecting carpet remnants from various urban interiors, each piece carrying a unique history and color palette. Craig then subjects these fragments to carefully controlled thermal and compressive forces. The individual fibers, backing materials, and diverse hues of the carpet undergo a remarkable metamorphosis, softening and fusing together to create dense, textured skins. These reconfigured surfaces, while originating from a material traditionally associated with warmth and comfort, emerge with an entirely new tactile and visual character, showcasing irregular topographies and a surprising rigidity. For instance, the "Rust Molded Carpet Chair, 2025" and "Reverse Molded Carpet Table, 2025" exemplify this transformation, where once-pliable carpet is sculpted into robust furniture elements. The "Penumbra Molded Carpet Light, 2025" further illustrates the versatility of this technique, presenting carpet as a medium capable of forming intricate lighting fixtures. These pieces were prominently featured at the David Klein Gallery in Ferndale, Michigan, where they captivated audiences with their innovative use of discarded materials.

This pioneering work by Jack Craig offers a compelling vision for sustainable design and material reinterpretation. By elevating a commonplace, often discarded item like carpet into a medium for sculptural art and functional furniture, Craig not only highlights the inherent beauty and potential within everyday materials but also encourages a broader reconsideration of waste. His approach underscores the idea that with creativity and experimental techniques, the lifecycle of materials can be extended and reimagined, leading to both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious outcomes.