Tree Hugger by 4site Architects

A Single residence in a 40’-0” X 60’-0” plot evolved from a rigorous inquiry into the particulars of location and program. Our client, Mr. P.V.Varghese, is a valued partner in our collaborative design process. As a response to his design brief, we came up with idea of “Tree hugger House”. “As an architect, one needs to design a built environment, rather than just being a shelter.” With the understanding of our clients' background (from Kerala-God’s own country), priorities, values and inspirations, likes and dislikes we, got to know our challenges. The first one was to create a contemporary residence with the values of Kerala architecture and interior spaces that would resonate with the client’s personality.

In a dense urban context, we embrace nature with our built environment to focus on the dichotomy of interior and exteriors. The Palm tree that divides the parking and pedestrian path at the lower level, acts as a visual treat from Master Bed and common balcony on first floor with its foliage flowing into the balcony. The choice of limited colors in the material palette, helps in drawing the focus towards the landscape and the wood used in the interiors. Wood was used as the key element that added “colour and texture” that brought in warmth and richness to the spatial organization. 

Landscape is the focal element in this project that knits the entire built and un-built together and highlights the liveliness in the neighborhood. The dynamics within the home change with respect to the seasonal changes the landscape elements undergo.

Our Client, is close to nature, and wanted his dream house with a close connection to nature as it reminded him of his home and childhood. So he asked us to “design a house around a tree.” Our challenge was to achieve the same ambience in an urban scenario. The large footprint of a traditional kerala home and its virtues had to be imbibed in a smaller urban footprint.

The concept was conceived as an abstraction of the traditional “Nadumuttam (central courtyard) concept” in most of the houses in Kerala, wherein the homes are composed around a focal landscape feature, usually a Tulsi plant. As a response to his design brief, we came up with idea of a ‘house that embraces trees’ we call it a ‘’Tree hugger, a contemporary urban residence with values of Kerala Architecture.’’