The Artist's residence is a project where the fundamental ethos of the architect and client resonated in perfect balance to develop a project of its kind. Here, the space you live in becomes a canvas that lets you paint your ideas and helps to generate creativity. The delicate bridge between art and architecture is broken down, amalgamating both into a single functional entity.

The site is located in Kasaragod District, having an area of 10 cents. Though small, the site is enriched with various trees, birds, butterflies, laterite boulders and natural contours.  On the west lies valleys and hills from which a consistent wind rolls up the hills and fondles the site. 

The challenge was to build without disturbing the natural conditions on the 10 cents site, in effect causing very less damage to nature. The core of the house is a 15-year-old Wangana tree that resides in the double height central court. The breeze from the valley comes in through this space, passes through the water body, spreads out through the interiors. The Lower and upper studios open out completely towards the wangana tree, that outgrows through the circular skylight in the ceiling. The tree and the exposed laterite finish sets a very natural backdrop for the studios. Similarly, every tree in the site found its own role in the entirety of the design. Eventually, not even a single tree on site was cut down or disturbed from its position, except for a coconut tree which was replanted within the site.

The main entrance of the project leads you through a foldable metal door with circular bamboo cross sections onto the first block that hosts the living and dining areas. The living space with low height seating overlooks into the valley through a still waterbody with vertical garden on either side. The dining area is also a low height seating space, intended to promote a healthy life style by inducing the lotus asana into your everyday sitting posture. 
The second block sits on a lower contour but connected to the main block through a series of interactive steps along the contour, which functions as an informal dining area, children's study area, tv viewing space, and the artist's classroom. The residence has 2 bed spaces separated by a wardrobe wall. The bed spaces are flanked by a linear courtyard on one side and the exterior landscape on the other, allowing in ample amount of natural light and ventilation.

The sanctorum of the house has an existing alam tree. The first light after sunrise falls exactly into this space, lighting the faces of numerous forest gods painted on bamboo sections. The space serves as an area for peace and meditation. 
An interesting aspect of the house is its budget friendliness. The house has an overall built-up area of 2500 sq ft, constructed in a budget of less than 25 lakhs. Locally available building materials like laterite has been predominantly used for walls. Bamboo and steel is used for frames. Concrete is polished to give a rustic but glossy finish to the floors. The random strokes on the wall symbolises the freedom of an artist, his creativity which holds no bounds of space and time. 



ARTIST RESIDENCE

"What does a person really need? How can everything be organized to save as much space as possible? How can a comfortable atmosphere be created in such a small space without compromising on quality?" The answers to all these questions is the JOY HOUSE.                                                                                                                                               The plan has been developed considering , minimal living  requirements for different functions. Necessity of walls in dividing spaces has been torn down, the idea of privacy in a single household has been reinterpreted. This also helps in constant ventilation through the house since there are to partitions to act as a barrier. The materials are selected carefully, & sourced locally to help fit in the small budget of 7.5 lakhs while also enhancing the character of the structure. The roof extends to the ground and continues as a landscape feature while also acting as a shading envelope and creating a visual attraction. The versatility & multi use features of a space have been explored by modulating the  space and furniture  in multiple ways. The design focuses in redefining the perception of living spaces from the conventional ideas.

JOY HOME

Embracing the journey of a headmaster, the skin and bone residence resonates with a story of life and ethics. The client, Kodakkad Narayanan, currently a retired headmaster was honoured with national teacher’s award and many more for his revolutionary contribution in educating school kids. His approach in engaging kids with outdoor teaching, helping them relate to the environment, and encouraging them to grow and nurture plants, are a few insights into his outlook on teaching and life. The client, having a family of 4, envisioned a residence to suit his persona and chose to use architecture to voice out change in society. A man with such character becomes the main focus of inspiration for his own residence.

Beginning with an intent to relate and portray the client as a mere image of his own residence, the design demanded characters of simplicity and elegance. Considering these factors, the thought evolves from a typical house to that of one which breaks conventional symptoms. The design inculcates a calculated and innovative use of versatile materials that one can come across in their day-to-day life, such as coconut shells, broken floor tiles, bamboo stem residuals, jute products, exhaust fans, etc. These materials come together in different applications only to enhance the living experience of space, making it interesting and interactive.
                         
The core of the house consists of a living (airy double height space), dining (partially intimate zone looking into the internal garden), and yoga platform (personalised recreational space under the double height, looking into the garden), segregated by the three internal courtyards from the private zones, bedrooms, and kitchen (intimate zones). The difference in volumes of spaces enhanced by a double height entry to the living adds worldly dynamics to the house.
                         
The existing mango trees that are retained along with vegetation, form a part of the green stretch that incorporates the feeling of nature within the house, this stretch of internal landscape helps connect and naturally light up the fragmented central core with its visual charm of the garden. The front yard with pockets of greens celebrates the concept of farm-to-table cooking and enriches the harmonious interaction between outdoor and indoor spaces.
                        
Externally the structure stands as an example to reuse and recycle with grace and style keeping in close resemblance to the character of the client, the front double height facade and its identical counterpart  are held together with a frontage of exhaust fans which spin and interact with changing wind flow making the structure visually capitative, the main door is tucked hidden within the opening of the front double height facade, giving an impression as to one disappearing into the unknown. Overall, the structure narrates the story of one’s life and engulfs feelings of zestful behaviour in space, in an attempt to have a deeper impact on one’s feelings and senses through sustainable architecture.


SKIN AND BONE RESIDENCE

Location: Kanhangad                                                                                                

The client came with a blank canvas. The aim was to design a modest residence in the town. The main driving factor of the design was the irregularly shaped small site. Designing for the compact site was not seen as a constraint, but as an opportunity. It was key to design compact yet airy and comfortable spaces. Abundantly available and locally sourced laterite is employed largely in the structure. The properties of laterite and the patterns of jaali (lattice) help in ventilation and  keep the structure airy and cool.  The design successfully fulfils the requirement of a comfortable home while providing the client with pleasant architecture.

JAALI HOUSE

The residence is a getaway for the family of a client, an escape from their everyday lives. The structure is built on an expansive site with captivating views. The aim  was to design a residence that captures and compliments the beauty of the site, while maintaining the solitude and sanctity of the users.  Other than fulfilling the desires of the primary users, the house also acts as a timely respite for the workers of the land. To attain both the requirements, the house features an inverted roof that helps create openness and character  in the façade. A long verandah is designed to give a vision of subtle grandeur  and to open up the structure to the vastness of the site while also serving the purpose of being a mid-day respite for the workers.The structure uses locally abundant materials like laterite and mangalore tiles to create a visual contrast and deliver character to it. Overall the structure is designed in a way that gives it a subtle grandeur yet rooted while also being mindful of the materials being used for the structure.