The upcoming Taj Hampi is emerging as one of the more thoughtfully conceived luxury hospitality projects in India, with landscape design playing as central a role as the architecture itself. Spread across nearly 11 acres in Karnataka, the development dedicates close to 2.5 acres to outdoor spaces shaped by the ecology, terrain, and cultural memory of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.
Ecoscapes Landscaping, working alongside international landscape architect John Pettigrew, has drawn directly from Hampi’s historic water systems and granite landscape for the design. A central water feature inspired by traditional Kalyani and Kund structures anchors the outdoor spaces, complemented by floating stepping stones, reused site boulders, and natural granite finishes. The planting palette focuses on native and climate-responsive species including Neem, Kadamba, Agaves, and fountain grasses, supported by water-efficient irrigation systems suited to the region’s conditions.
SJK Architects’ Shimul Javeri Kadri is leading the architectural design, with the built environment conceived as a continuation of the site’s natural and historical character rather than an imposition on it.
Developed under the Taj brand by IHCL, the project brings together architecture, landscape, and local craftsmanship around a single intent: to create a luxury experience that feels genuinely of its place.
