Alila Fort Bishangarh, Jaipur, India

Perched atop a granite hillock in the midst of the Aravelli Range, Alila Fort Bishangarh is the result of adaptive reuse of a 230-year old warrior fort. The fort sits in a terrain of rocks with their dusting of arid, brown and wild grass. A minimum intervention approached has been adopted, allowing the wild abundance of nature to take precedent. The hotel’s arrival area is dominated by a jet-black reflective pool, positioned to capture a reflection of the fort, while the softscape contains hardy tropical plants. Walls use local dry stone masonry, purposefully broken to blend in with the landscape, preserving a unique marriage of history and modernity.