Vimal Laxmi Residence by Soumya & Jills Architects

The house is set in an old & familiar neighbourhood where the lady of the house grew up in. Familiarity of context, shared memories, and a flowering Kanikonna tree (cassia fistula); formed the canvas that informed the design decisions one was to take. While catering to the typical program of a 3-bedroom house, it was also essential that the architecture of the house, and its afterlife would maintain, & enliven the cordiality that the scene had been offering since many years. 

This conversation essentially started at the compound wall which relieves itself from its purpose of ‘guarding’, to ‘accommodating’ – a space with a thickness-friendly evening chats, playtime banter, resting after evening walks. Such a gesture creates a neighbourhood public space, which is much welcomed by people. This social engagement is connected to the house through the verandah, which has moments of pause, along which one slides into the core of the house. The core of the house developed on a transverse east west section - catching the breeze & the changing light, and a courtyard that connects the house together.  The courtyard is where pookalams (intricate and colourful arrangement of flowers laid on the floor) are put for Onam (festival of Kerala), but also where casual cross-legged chats happen on built in platforms. Walls that filter light and breeze, and the Kanikonna foliage make an interesting ever-changing chiaroscuro that defines the spatiality of the house. Motifs & cut outs inspired from the kanikonna, finds place in floor patterns, jalis & carvings. 

The ground floor has (apart from the living spaces) the kitchen, a bedroom and a family den. As one walks up the stair, scale gradually expands. The first floor accommodates bedrooms, a study, a laundry room and a terrace under the foliage of the tree. The family den accommodates all their superstars- figurines, CDs, books of Tintin, Friends, Avengers etcincluding a custom made (Andy Warhol pop inspired) painting of all their Malayalam movie superstars, by artist Hariprasad.

The house is a space that accommodates- activities, identities & quirkiness of all characters, while being rooted to fundamentals of context & climate and socially inclusive of the way it tries to engage with its surrounds.