Intro: Redefining Luxury with better ventilation, natural light, and lower-density living environments has moved to the top of the priority list for homebuyers today. According to Vikash Kawar, Director at Vijaylaxmi Realty, demand for balconies, decks, and open views has grown considerably.Â
What is driving the shift from overt luxury to timeless, intentional, and experience-led living?
India’s premium housing market has matured significantly over the last decade. Earlier, luxury was often associated with visible opulence, imported marble, excessive ornamentation, and larger-than-needed homes. Today, discerning buyers are prioritising quality of life over visual extravagance. Increased global exposure among Indian buyers and NRIs has broadened perspectives considerably. The post-pandemic focus on wellness, comfort, and functionality has further accelerated this transition, with buyers now gravitating toward sustainable, low-maintenance living that prioritises design longevity over trend-driven aesthetics. There is a growing realisation that true luxury lies in privacy, natural light, space efficiency, and everyday convenience. Today’s premium buyer values homes that feel calm, purposeful, and emotionally enriching — rather than merely impressive.
How has buyer behaviour evolved post-pandemic?
Post-pandemic, homebuyers have become far more intentional in their decisions. A home is no longer viewed only as a financial asset, it is now considered a complete lifestyle ecosystem. Across HNIs, young professionals, and NRIs, we are seeing strong demand for larger living spaces with flexible layouts, dedicated work-from-home areas, and wellness-oriented amenities. Better ventilation, natural light, and lower-density living environments have moved to the top of the priority list. Privacy and curated community experiences matter deeply, as does the seamless integration of smart technology into daily life. The pandemic fundamentally reset what people expect from the place they call home.
What trends or observations from your projects reflect this transition?
Across our projects, several clear shifts have emerged. Buyers are increasingly drawn to efficient layouts rather than excessively large homes, and the demand for balconies, decks, and open views has grown considerably. Wellness and recreational amenities now carry far greater weight in purchase decisions, and buyers are asking far more nuanced questions about ventilation, acoustics, and natural lighting than they did even five years ago. There is also a renewed appreciation for timeless materials and understated elegance. What stands out most, however, is that homebuyers today evaluate the complete living experience, lobby design, circulation planning, green spaces, community interaction areas, rather than focusing solely on apartment interiors. The lens has widened, and that is a welcome change.
How is AGM Vijaylaxmi Group responding to this shift?
At AGM Vijaylaxmi Group, our approach has always been rooted in long-term value creation rather than short-term visual appeal. In our premium projects at Goregaon East Sixty 3 W.E, this translates into a deliberate focus on efficient and future-ready layouts, a timeless architectural language, and functional luxury that serves residents year after year. Human-centric planning, strong execution quality, sustainable development principles, and Vastu compliance form the foundation of everything we build. Our philosophy is simple, a home should continue to feel relevant, elegant, and comfortable even decades later. To achieve that, we prioritise proportion, natural flow, ventilation, and practical usability over unnecessary excess.
What does “experience-led living” mean in practical terms?
Experience-led living means designing homes and communities around how people genuinely live, interact, work, and unwind, not how a brochure suggests. In practical terms, this translates into thoughtfully designed arrival experiences, natural movement and spatial flow, and wellness-focused amenities that people actually use. It means quiet, private zones within homes, functional common areas that encourage meaningful interaction, and landscaped spaces that promote relaxation and mindfulness. Luxury today is not only about materials, it is about how a space makes you feel every single day. That feeling of ease and belonging that is what experience-led living is really about.
How do you balance timeless aesthetics with modern functionality?
We believe timelessness comes from simplicity, proportion, and authenticity, not from chasing trends. Our design approach centres on neutral and elegant material palettes, durable low-maintenance finishes, and functional layouts with minimal dead space. Clean architectural detailing, flexible spaces adaptable to future needs, and a strong emphasis on natural light and ventilation are all central to how we approach each project. Rather than designing for the moment, we create spaces with enduring appeal and practical functionality that remain relevant for years. A well-designed home should feel as good to live in ten years from now as it does on the day you move in.
How are wellness and biophilic principles integrated into your projects?
Wellness has become central to premium housing, and rightly so. In our developments, we place deliberate emphasis on ventilation, natural light, and landscaped green zones that offer residents a genuine visual and sensory connection with nature. Open recreational spaces, walking tracks, and wellness amenities are planned from the outset not added as afterthoughts. Reduced congestion within the site layout, enhanced indoor air quality, and a visual connection with nature wherever possible are all part of the brief. Biophilic design is no longer optional in premium housing, it is becoming an essential part of responsible urban living, and one that our buyers clearly value.
What sustainable practices are you adopting?
Sustainability, for us, is directly linked with long-term quality living and operational efficiency not just environmental responsibility. Our projects increasingly incorporate energy-efficient lighting systems, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and robust waste management practices. Solar integration is evaluated wherever feasible, alongside sustainable material selection and efficient building orientation designed to reduce heat gain. Buyers today are well-informed, and they appreciate developments that are environmentally responsible while also reducing long-term maintenance and operational costs. Sustainability is no longer a differentiator it is fast becoming a baseline expectation.
How are shared spaces being designed to foster community?
Modern premium living is not just about private residences, it is equally about creating a meaningful sense of belonging. We design shared spaces with that intention in mind, interactive community zones, multi-generational recreational spaces, landscaped gathering areas, and wellness and fitness spaces that people genuinely want to spend time in. Children’s activity zones, comfortable social interaction areas, and co-working spaces within the building all contribute to a community that functions well beyond individual apartments. The objective is to create environments where residents can experience both privacy and connection, in a manner that feels natural and unforced.
How do you blend international exposure with Indian market realities?
Global exposure provides valuable insights into evolving lifestyle trends, urban planning, and execution standards. However, successful real estate development in India requires a deep understanding of local culture, buyer psychology, infrastructure realities, and regulatory frameworks and that understanding cannot be borrowed from abroad. Programmes such as the Owner/President Management Programme at Harvard Business School, which I completed as part of the OPM 52 Batch, reinforce strategic thinking, governance, and long-term institution building. At AGM Vijaylaxmi Group, we combine these global learnings with strong on-ground execution capabilities and an acute understanding of the local market. Ultimately, execution excellence remains the most important differentiator in Indian real estate.
What role does technology play in your projects?
Technology should simplify life, not complicate it and that principle guides every decision we make in this space. We integrate smart security systems, access control, energy-efficient infrastructure, and smart home readiness in a manner that is intuitive and genuinely useful to residents. Resident management platforms, efficient parking, and utility systems are part of this ecosystem as well. However, our focus is always on user-friendly integration that enhances convenience without overwhelming residents with complexity they did not ask for. The best technology in a home is the kind you barely notice, it just works.
How do you ensure execution quality and timely delivery?
Timely delivery and quality execution are built through systems, discipline, and accountability, not through intent alone. At AGM Vijaylaxmi Group, we place strong emphasis on detailed planning before execution begins, regular project monitoring, and rigorous quality control processes throughout construction. Reliable vendor and consultant partnerships, financial discipline, and strict regulatory compliance are equally important pillars of our delivery framework. Receiving Occupancy Certificates on time reflects not only our execution capability but also our commitment to transparency and customer trust. In a market where delays have become normalised, we treat on-time delivery as a non-negotiable commitment.
What are the biggest challenges in delivering modern premium housing?
The sector is evolving rapidly, and developers today face a genuinely complex set of challenges. Rising input and construction costs compounded by ongoing geo-political pressures continue to test project economics. Regulatory complexities add further layers of difficulty, as do the expectations around faster execution timelines. The integration of sustainability and technology into projects, while essential, also demands significant planning and investment. The fundamental challenge is balancing quality, sustainability, design excellence, and commercial viability all while maintaining timely delivery. There are no easy answers, but developers who build strong systems and stay disciplined through volatility tend to navigate these pressures better than most.
How do you see the premium residential segment evolving over the next decade?
Over the next five to ten years, India’s premium housing segment will become more experience-driven, wellness-oriented, and sustainability-focused. We anticipate greater demand for curated communities and increased emphasis on wellness infrastructure, alongside smarter, more energy-efficient homes. Lower-density developments, flexible living spaces, and a stronger integration of nature within urban housing will all gain traction. Homebuyers will increasingly gravitate toward developers with proven execution track records because trust, ultimately, is what the market will reward. The definition of luxury will shift decisively from excess to intentionality, comfort, and long-term value.
What advice would you give premium homebuyers and investors?
Homebuyers and investors should look beyond superficial luxury and focus on the fundamentals that genuinely determine long-term value. Developer credibility and execution history matter enormously, as does a transparent track record on timely delivery. The quality of planning and layout efficiency, ventilation and natural light, and overall livability are far better indicators of a home’s worth than imported fixtures or flashy lobbies. Sustainability features and long-term maintenance considerations deserve careful attention, as do location fundamentals and future growth potential. A premium home should not only appreciate financially, but it should also enrich everyday living for years to come. That is the standard worth holding developers accountable to.
From SFS Desk:
https://squarefootstory.com/dakhin-dilli-a-journey-of-sacred-art-from-north-to-south-india/
https://squarefootstory.com/gurugram-luxury-housing-boom-what-first-time-buyers-need-to-know/
https://squarefootstory.com/from-luxury-villas-to-sky-villas-future-of-premium-housing/
