Yoga Pavilion at Ananda in the Himalayas

Ananda In The Himalayas, in the hills above Rishikesh, has been rated the No. 1 Destination Spa in the World by 'Condé Nast Traveller'. The 75-room spa resort is known for its body and beauty treatments integrating Ayurveda with a more contemporary Western spa approach.

Ananda used to conduct yoga classes in an indoor hall, which can accommodate many people, or in the outdoor music pavilion, which can accommodate only a couple of people. Since there was great demand for outdoor yoga, the management asked us to design a pavilion for twenty people. The site provided is a secluded clearing surrounded by trees and overlooking the valley below. The brief was for the pavilion to go well with the old palace. The layout is a simple rectangle surrounded by slender columns. Period detailing has been used. The ceiling was hand-painted by artisans. Depending on the weather, the sides are sometimes enclosed by transparent screens.

Located near Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand, India. The floor area is 94 sqm (1,016 sqft). The project was completed in Oct 2005. Structural engineering by GRC Structures.

A first glimpse of the yoga pavilion as one approaches from the palace.

A monkey appreciates the period detailing along the roof line.

Steps down to the clearing containing the pavilion.

The interior of the yoga pavilion. © IHHR Hospitality

The interior of the yoga pavilion.

A detail of the slender columns and the ceiling art.

The pavilion among the trees.