By Neena Bhandari
Sydney, 02.08.2024 (The Hindu): In a burgeoning real estate market, three eminent architects – Dean D’Cruz, Gerard da Cunha and Arminio Ribeiro – go down memory lane and reflect on how Goa has transformed from a tranquil haven into a bustling hub as tourism and construction take centerstage. They underscore the need for environmentally and socially responsible policies and planning to foster sustainable communities, where cultural heritage and modern development can coexist in harmony.
Dean D’Cruz, co-founder and principal architect of Mozaic, recalls waking up to a rooster crowing and the aroma of curries simmering on woodfired stoves in his uncle’s home, where the extended family lived together. It was a cohesive existence that permeated their village, Saligao, in Goa.
He has meticulously restored his 105-year-old Portuguese-style villa, nestled in a quiet green corner of Saligao, where I meet him on a rainy evening. The home has been progressively restored from about 50 years ago. A staircase leads to the balcao (a porch) that overlooks a courtyard garden. The main verandah features columns crafted from single pieces of Burma teak and the flooring is adorned with Spanish-Portuguese tiles. Inside, two spacious living rooms with original oyster shell windows with pointed arches, flank the entrance. The use of shells is now banned, instead frosted glass can be used in the pointed arches.