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Architecture

2021

Photographer : Prasanth Mohan , Running Studios

The project is situated in a riverine area at Aluva in the state of Kerala. The client is a Non- Residential-Indian family that visits their homeland annually. The location of the site holds special meaning to our client, who grew up in a riverfront house at the banks of Periyar. The location is reminiscent of his childhood memories.

This project is nicknamed ‘transformer house’ owing to the semi- prefab nature of construction. It is a mix of sharp industrial features and soft free-flowing spaces all wrapped together to provide our client with a combination of voluminous and intimate spaces.

They envisioned their house to entertain and host the many relatives and friends who visit. This meant a spacious living, dining and kitchen. The living space opens up to a private outdoor patio where the family holds barbeque parties. The dining space opens up to a semi-open courtyard, with a glass ceiling and vertical perforations. This sunlit space is often used to enjoy a quite morning and evening tea. The courtyard is visibly connected to the kitchen through a sliding window.

Aluva,Kerala,India

Architects	:	DesignLOOM
Area	:	3000 Sq.Ft
Year	:	2021
Website	:	https://designloom.in/

The voluminous space with a high ceiling, clerestory windows, and skylights contrast the more private, cosy, intimate spaces. This three-bedroom residence has a multipurpose upper living that is used as a TV room, workout space and can also be converted to bedroom space by using the convertible sofa. Ample storage spaces were an essential aspect of the design brief. The colour palette used includes warm tones of terracotta, with cool tones of cement finish grey, steel and glass against a neutral white. The black granite and kadappa stone finish provides a balancing contrast to the cool tones.

Since Kerala is a coastal state with high humidity and rising temperature, clay jali walls, double heights and perforated sky-lit courtyards were used to achieve uninterrupted airflow and ample natural light,. The staircase acts as the core of light and ventilation by providing additional air movement by discharging the rising hot air through a wind-powered industrial revolving ventilator. These openings and perforations were placed carefully on the east side, letting in morning rays throughout the building. These aspects have reduced the need for electric lights during the day and any need for air conditioning.

The use of prefabricated 12 x 3-meter glass fibre reinforced gypsum panels (GFRG) for the walls, with its vertical ribs filled with concrete, insulates the interior space from the heat outside. The gypsum used in the manufacturing of the panels is an industrial by-product that otherwise ended up in landfills polluting the environment. These innovative panels are a better insulator to heat than conventional wall materials like brick and concrete blocks. the smooth and straight wall surface achieved by GFRG panels allowed for avoiding plastering of walls. Using the GFRG panels for walls, the superstructure was completed in 100 days, saving time and cost. Collectively, the design vocabulary and construction material ensure considerable temperature reduction inside the building and adequate lighting and ventilation throughout.