Piece of Heaven – a complex comprising of 21 cottages was started by two of my friends and myself in the year 2008. We had been looking for land in the mountains for many years to build our summer abode. When we visited this site located in upper Ramgarh, 30 kms ahead of Nainital towards Mukteshwer and encountered the stunning view of snow-capped Himalayan peaks, we instantly knew that this was it. The 10-acre site had fruit orchards with two distinct types of slopes—steep towards its southwest and gentle towards the northeast. Respecting the existing trees and topography, four prototype houses of around 250 sq. mts. each were developed at two levels. Site planning is based on the principle of retaining existing topography, and maintaining clear and unobstrusive views from each house.