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Architecture

04-09-2025

The Mala house – “Nostalgia” embodies that innate human need of staying connected to nature. The setting is commensurate with this desire: it sits ensconced within the tropical lushness of a rural area in Kerala’s Thrissur district, drawing its energy from the green milieu and the crisp, unpolluted air.

The site on which the 2700-square-foot home stands is bound by a road on the south. From here, the land gradually slopes towards the north. Mala takes advantage of this gradient, sitting gently on the incline such that from the road, only the roof and some part of the fenestration is visible. This reduces the visual scale of the built-form, helping it meld with the rustic surroundings.

The spatial articulation and formalization are birthed both in nostalgia and the simple, outdoor-oriented lifestyle of the people who call Mala their home. On the property, which has been with the family for several years, stands an ancestral home —tharavad in local parlance — now in ruins. But the client’s pleasant memories associated with a similar venerable structure — his grandparents’ home —were evergreen, and made a powerful driver when it came to making a new home for his parents. This became the inspiration for Mala. However, instead of appropriating the traditional typology mindlessly, the design response abstracts this brief to arrive at an articulation that, while being animated with a traditional spirit, is geared towards an easygoing, simple and wholesome modern lifestyle.

Thrissur,Kerala,India

Architects	:	Thomas Parambil Architects
Area	:	2700 sq. ft.
Year of Completion	:	2023
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/thomas_parambil_architects

Exterior view of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

Entrance of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

Verandah of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

Passage to living area of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

Open to sky courtyard of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

With its courtyards, long corridors, verandahs, a combination of high and low ceilings, the programme constantly refers to the anatomy of a nalukettu (traditional Kerala home) —but these vernacular elements are woven together to create a fresh and engaging environment. The roofline sees the pairing of flat-slab and pitched forms, giving rise to an interesting and dynamic form both visually and spatially. The built-form itself takes the shape of a C, with an open north face that allows the creation of a larger courtyard as well as facilitates the ingress of natural light into all the rooms. Surrounded by verdure and attended by soothing waterbody, a living room sits within this green heart.

Open to sky courtyard of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

Waterbody of The Mala house – “Nostalgia” by Thomas Parambil Architects

In deference to the region’s tropical climate, functionalities are set behind or linked by semi-open verandahs. The one to the west features a sculptural terracotta jaali brise soleil which, besides helping to take the edge off the harsh west light, creates a striking chiaroscuro that energizses the spatial quality. Collectively, the verandahs, the jaalis and the courtyards (created within the interstitial spaces of the built-form) make living at Mala more about the outdoors than the indoors.

Materiality amplifies the rootedness of this home. Laterite, found plentifully in the region, is used for the foundation and walls along with terracotta roof tiles. Inside terrazzo and timber continue the natural language determined by the architectural envelope.

Mala serves as a spatial memorial and tribute to the land and its traditions, but in a distinctly modern way.