Some projects stay with you, not just because of their location, but because of the story behind them.
When Perna, a Nepalese client, reached out to us, he shared a vision: to create a hotel that wasn’t just about luxury, but about serenity. A retreat rooted in wellness, nature, and culture, somewhere people could truly arrive, reconnect, and breathe with the ambition of naming the destination Pranayama (Breath).
This retreat is one of the most beautiful and challenging projects we’ve worked on and easily one of the most meaningful. A true collaboration between people, place, and purpose.
We travelled to the site in Nepal, which consisted of 25 acres of terraced mountainside, remote and wild, overlooking the Annapurna Mountain range with the best view of the range in the Himalayas. It was immediately clear that the site would shape the direction of the design and project. The site already consists of stepped paddy fields cascading down the landscape, to immerse this feature into the architecture was important; to feel one with your surroundings.
Designing here meant listening first. We were inspired by traditional Nepalese materials and forms, stone, timber, oval structures and reimagined them in a contemporary way. The architecture is guided by the surroundings and considers locally sourced material opportunities. The design is a pitched roof in the form of a semi-circle hosting a social event space with an infinity pool. This central hub that opens out towards the mountain creates a unique panoramic view of the Annapurna Mountain range. Villas are nestled into the terraces, a yoga pavilion greets the sunrise. A wellness retreat offers space for reflection and renewal.
The client’s passion for food and sustainability is woven throughout the project with on-site gardens and a vision for self-sufficiency. At the heart of it all is connection to the land, to the self-connection, and to a slower rhythm.