The architectural language used to forge the Bapagrama Stone House’s structure not only adopts a rural pedagogy but also escalates into a distinctive form. The house sits in the subdivided premises of the existing ‘Bapagrama School,’
Proposed as a stay allocation for visiting faculties traveling from outside, we influenced the conceptual flow of the design as a memoir of an experience shared with my mother in Mysore, in a house that was spatially free of any walls. I was fascinated by the multiplicity of the functional space used by simple demarcations, into a kitchenette, study, and rooms. Translating this experience into a spatial expression, we derived an open-space concept to define the internal layout. The concept also brings out an underlying vernacular essence, implemented by the prevalence of traditional methods like central courtyards. The central courtyards are elemental references inferred from ‘Thottimane’ or ‘Tank Houses’
The thatch roof is profiled as an inverted pyramid that descends inwards towards the courtyard. Not only focused as the core concentration, the courtyard also doubly functions as a stormwater catchment. Delving into a limited palette of materials we have characterized the shell with ‘Burnstone’. The walls are secured with stone slabs spanning 14ft in height, 2ft in width and 4” thick.
Adding to the green quotient are the fragmented windows from recycled timber, the entrance door from re-engineered wood and mud-compacted surface red oxide flooring. Crafted by local artisans, the strong straight lines of stone and timber emerge into a homogeneity that harmonizes with the surroundings.
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