Festivities at Santiniketan during Poush Mela. A Telegraph picture

Aparna Sen retires to her favourite creative nook to freeze her celluloid frames in her thoughts. Sunil Gangopadhyay draws inspiration from the unhurried ambience to pen his telling verses. Ganesh Pyne derives the stunning hues for his canvas from the same abode of peace?

The call of Santiniketan is eternal and it?s not just the creative cream that it beckons. Almost every Calcuttan wants to have a little nest in Tagore territory. And a project of low-key homes that blend seamlessly with the tranquillity and ethnicity of Gurudev?s ashram promises to fulfil a few such dreams.

Upoban, a joint-venture housing complex of Bengal Ambuja Housing Development Limited (BAHDL) and Sriniketan Santiniketan Development Authority, coming up at Purba Palli, will not be a mere retreat for its residents, the developers stress.

Designed by architect Prabir Mitra, of Ffort Radisson fame, to ?encourage intimacy and interaction through easy connectivity?, the small clusters of apartments and duplex bungalows over undulating land are expected to create a feel of community living.

?We wanted to create dwelling spaces in Santiniketan, which would be in harmony with the landscape and cultural ethos of the place,? says BAHDL managing director Harsh Neotia. The complex will comprise 22 two-storeyed houses. From one-bedroom studio apartments to two or three-bedroom units ? there will be 188 apartments in all, besides a duplex cluster with 33 three-roomed units.

The buildings in Upoban, covering just 25 per cent of the 9.046 acres ground area, will have soft built forms with mosaic floors and rustic finishing, interlinked by go-through pathways. ?The architectural vocabulary will be understated, with emphasis on the spaces created within the homes,? explains Neotia.

The landscaped open spaces will have seating areas sprinkled with locally-grown trees ? Sal, Shirish and Palash, sculptures done by students of Kala Bhavan and tribal art by local santhals on the flank walls of the buildings.

Subtle ornamentation, in sync with the red-soil vista and serenity of the surroundings, will add to the village-like ambience. Softly-lit streets with the restrained wash of light only from lamps on the walls, will give Upoban an old-world charm.

?Upoban will be simple, not overbearing, easily meshing with the contours of the immediate surrounding,? says Mitra. The veteran architect, who has also designed the VSNL Building, has created a drama of space with the buildings acting as a backdrop to the open courtyards, which will have an 'ethnic visual beauty'.

Motorised vehicles will not be allowed beyond designated areas to keep the complex relatively pollution free and allow unhindered pedestrian movement. It will also have its own active sewage treatment plant and rainwater harvesting facility. Each of the apartment clusters will have a landscaped courtyard.

'Of late, we have seen an increasing amount of interest among lawyers, writers and artists to have a little nest in Santiniketan. Upoban (where apartment prices will range from Rs 5.5 lakh for a basic one-bedroom studio apartment to Rs 19 lakh for a high-end duplex) should be able to meet some of the needs,? feels Neotia.