Architecture

2022

Photographer : Sujith Photography

“Modernity finds its root in the legacy of Tradition” This is the resounding theme in this residential villa, located in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram for a family of five, consisting of two teachers, their children, and the children’s grandmother. Besides the harmonious amalgamation of the rustic and the contemporary, there is also a recurring tropical style in the approach of this design. Since TAB extensively studies Tropical Architecture, in the works of Sri Lankan architect Bawa and his contemporaries, typical elements of the same are found in our work. The conventional Kerala house sees a row of rooms, occasionally broken by toilets or the kitchen or a staircase to the upper levels: all of which are wrapped around a central courtyard which usually houses a well and/or a washing area and a pedestal for the Tulsi plant – considered sacred and imperative to the family and its well-being. 

Between the habitable spaces and the courtyard, there is also a wraparound verandah with low seating for communal gatherings when the weather is not favorable. To complement this inner verandah, there is also an outer one that may skirt the front and side facades of the house, which is also used for shorter gatherings with outsiders, street vendors, hawkers, and evening chats. These informal transition spaces, along with the house itself will customarily have thatched roofs to prevent collection or seepage of rainwater indoors, and are made of Mangalore tiles fixed onto wooden rafters and purlins which act as insulation from the harsh tropical sun. The indoors are kept cool by not only treating the roof but also the floor – with red oxide which is typically used in Southern India which has extremely sweltering summer temperatures. The same standard factors and elements can be seen incorporated into this modern take on the humble Kerala-style home – from the flooring to the roof, to an interpretive addition of voids to open up the plan. At first glance, the superstructure though spread out, is relatively low in height. 

Exposed concrete has been used in the façade, and the monotony of it is punctuated by interesting elements like MS sections, projecting bricks, and Mangalore tiles. There is also the use of red oxide flooring which is not only used to treat the floor, keeping it cool, but also fixed furniture seating around the house. Large spaces connected by a common floor plate but separated by screens and furniture, as opposed to solid and opaque walls, together with the roof tiles and the grey walls, make for an opulent but cozy experience. 

[{"value":"Perinthalmanna"},{"value":"Kerala"},{"value":"India"}]

Architects : Tropical Architecture Bureau
Area : 2500 sqft
Year : 2022
Website : tropicalarchitecturebureau.com

Being educators but also parents, the clients understand the importance of learning in a classroom but also learning amidst nature. This is reflected in the planning where one can notice large open spaces which allow for freedom of movement, thought, and play. Several types of plants adorn these spaces and create interesting and welcoming spots for informal assembly and individual relaxation. Revisiting the earlier example of courtyards in the traditional Kerala houses, the floor plate of the first floor is punctured by voids such that only passages are left to access the spaces on that floor, which act as “bridges” between various areas. This also induces a sense of adventure in experiencing the home by just walking through it. The staircase is also a contemporary take on the conventional folded plate by making it a folded plate but out of metal instead of the casted slab, and suspending it from the ceiling via metal threads which double as the protective railing, creating habitable space under the staircase. 


Multiple decks and windows with low-height seating open up towards the surrounding gardens in almost all parts of the house such as the living area, the dining room, the bedrooms, etc., allowing liminality in spaces that would otherwise be mindlessly used transition spaces. In retaining the existing vegetation at the site, along with additional planted areas in the form of multiple voids and punctures in the floor plan on both the lower and upper levels, an inviting and inspiration-inducing space is created, further reinstated in the choice of warm tones and neutral materials which cement the feeling of “Home”.




Most Visited Articles




Subscribe

Get our latest article and updates delivered straight to your inbox.