a SANCTUARY ABOVE the MUMBAI SKYLINE 

words YUZU Editorial

photos Patricia Goijens 

Located on the 45th floor of a high-rise residential tower in Mumbai, Three Sixty West marks the first project in India by Belgian architect Dieter Vander Velpen. Commissioned by Oberoi Realty after they discovered his work online, the brief called for a full-floor, 16,000-square-foot residence that balances scale with intimacy, and contemporary international design with the realities of multigenerational family life. The result is a carefully choreographed interior landscape—elevated above the city, yet firmly grounded in daily routines.

A CHOREOGRAPHY OF ARRIVAL AND FLOW 

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The experience begins as the elevator doors open. Sculptural bronze doors lead into a foyer where artwork draws the eye toward expansive skyline views. Sightlines are deliberately composed: wooden claustras offer controlled glimpses into the living spaces beyond, creating a gradual spatial unfolding rather than an immediate reveal. The layout establishes a clear rhythm between formal areas and more inward-looking zones, allowing the apartment to adapt naturally to different moments of the day.

SCALE, SOFTENED

Within the main living spaces, monumentality is balanced by tactility. A Calacatta Viola marble fireplace and an expansive dining table anchor the interior, while sculptural travertine coffee tables, bespoke seating compositions, and warm walnut veneers bring the scale back to a human register. Carefully selected pieces—among them a De Sede armchair, Atelier Pendhapa coffee tables, and a Nova chandelier by Schwung in the family dining room—introduce moments of character without overwhelming the architecture. The overall atmosphere remains calm, layered, and quietly expressive.

GARDENS IN THE SKY 

Indoor gardens function as subtle spatial connectors—one linking the living room and bar, another extending from the family kitchen. Fully retractable windows blur the boundary between interior and exterior, while limestone flooring continues seamlessly into these outdoor pockets. Gravel surfaces, large planters, and a palette of warm neutrals create an ever-changing interplay of light and texture, grounding the apartment’s vertical position in something tactile and natural.

PRIVATE WORLDS, PANORAMIC VIEWS

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The residence includes two distinct primary suites, each conceived as a private retreat with its own material identity. In one, green onyx envelops the walls and floors of the en-suite bathroom, forming a rich, immersive backdrop for a sculptural soaking tub carved from the same stone. Positioned in front of a full-height window, the vanity turns the city view into a daily presence. 

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE, CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE 

A restrained yet nuanced material palette ties the interiors together: light-stained European oak flooring, natural plaster walls, walnut veneer, and patinated bronze details integrated into joinery and hardware. Subtle references to Vastu principles inform the orientation of key spaces, embedding cultural awareness without resorting to overt symbolism. 

More than a panoramic residence, Three Sixty West is an interior designed to be lived in over time. It is a study in balance—between openness and retreat, richness and restraint, elevation and intimacy—offering a calm, assured reading of contemporary luxury.