KMK Family Villa – The Home of Legacy was designed for a close-knit joint family of seven. It creates a bridge between generations.
The site originally housed a 45-year-old contemporary home built by the client’s father. The existing structure held decades of family memories. As the family grew, they needed a larger, more modern residence. The key challenge was to preserve the soul of the ancestral site. The new home had to carry this legacy into a larger, contemporary structure. Tailored for a business family that loves to host, the design features distinct zones for official and personal guests. The result is a sophisticated home of versatile gathering spaces that celebrate and strengthen the family’s deep generational bonds.
A Kerala Family Villa Where the Old Home Finds a New Life | COR FORUM Architects
Editor’s Note: Some homes are built for the present, while others carry pieces of the past into the future. KMK Villa does exactly this, creating a new home on the site of an ancestral residence without losing the memories that made it special. The existing trees, familiar landscape, and spaces for gathering become a quiet connection between generations, while courtyards bring light, greenery, and family life into the heart of the home. Designed for a family that values togetherness and hosting, the residence allows private moments and shared celebrations to exist with equal ease. The result is a home that reminds us that legacy is not about preserving everything as it was, but about giving what matters a place in what comes next. ~ Yashika Bajaniya
This six-bedroom residence was inspired by the original family home. The design creates a soulful space rooted in the feeling of ‘home’. It blends contemporary aesthetics with vibrant details. Every element reflects the client’s ancestral roots and their affinity for modern living. Together, these choices give the new structure a warm and welcoming essence.
The facade maintains a sophisticated subtlety, punctuated by burgundy inverted arches and a vibrant green screen. A textured stone wall anchors the secondary entrance. Metallic spheres accent the wall and create a striking focal point along the building’s architectural silhouette.
The design team recognised the vast lawns and flora of the original parental home as the true keepers of family memories. They treated every existing tree as a non-negotiable anchor for the new layout. These trees became central elements of the design. They helped bridge the memories of the parental home with the new residence.
The pedestrian walkway winds through fig trees, leading to floating steps leading to the sit-out built around the old Sarvasughandhi (allspice) tree. Main gate opens to a focal waterbody with a deck seating with a Ficus tree which was one of the family’s favourite trees in their previous home and hence tried to place it with same importance.
The vast, shaded front yard terminates in a tranquil bubble fountain pool, serving as a versatile venue for the family’s celebrated Ghazal nights and festive family gatherings under the stars. Landscape is kept minimal and functional with mostly native plants and plants from client’s personal collection.
The public zone comprises the porch, sit-out, office, formal living, formal dining, prayer space, and powder room, all integrated with green pockets and skylights. The main door opens into a grand foyer, anchored by a burgundy fluted stone wall featuring a custom inverted-arch metallic décor. Adjacent to the foyer is a skylit courtyard that serves as a central connector, linking the prayer area and office on one side to the formal living room on the other.
Beyond the public foyer lies the private zone, where a series of integrated courtyards systematically dissolves the rigidboundaries of the built form. This approach allows the residence to function as a porous envelope rather than aclosed box, fostering a deep connection between the indoors and outdoors. Recognizing the family’s passion for hosting, the design centres around a primary central courtyard and an adjacent secondary court.
All private spaces—including the family living area, dining room, kitchen, and bedrooms—are oriented around these green voids. By retracting the sliding-folding doors on both sides of the corridor, these independent zones merge into an expansive, continuous venue capable of comfortably hosting guests for indoor celebrations.
The multiple courtyards function as the home’s lungs, channelling fresh air through the interiors and ensuring seamless visual connectivity between zones. These green voids serve as primary light wells, illuminating the entire residence with soft, natural light. Throughout the day, the shifting sun creates a dramatic play of light and shadow—shadows from the structural elements and foliage dance across the Jaisalmer marble and fluted stone walls, adding a layer of kinetic artistry, vibrancy, and a sense of calm positivity to the home.
Each of the six bedrooms is a custom-tailored environment:
Parents bedroom, Located near the office for convenience, this room features a soft pastel green palette. It offers views of the central courtyard and remains visually connected to almost all of the home’s personal zones. A built- in bay window overlooks the side yard, allowing the parents to enjoy their cherished collection of plants from the original home.
The sister’s bedroom is designed in a vibrant Indian style with a warm yellow palette, the room faces the main courtyard, allowing for plenty of natural light and a constant connection to the heart of the home.
The master bedroom features a simple yet colourful palette, designed to be both vibrant and relaxing. It includes a private courtyard and offers a direct view of the expansive front lawn, blending privacy with a sense of openness.
Located on the first floor, the kids’ bedroom features a playful blue and yellow theme. The room is designed for maximum flexibility during family gatherings, featuring bunk beds and expandable sl eeping spaces. It overlooks the central courtyard, living area, and kitchen, keeping the children connected to the home’s daily activity.
Guest bed room in the first floor is also designed simple in yellow theme overlooking the side yard garden and walkway.
The daughter’s Master Suite on the first floor is a dark, luxurious retreat with wavy blue walls, metallic accents, and a sweeping balcony overlooking the entire front yard.
Fact File
Designed by: COR FORUM Architects
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: KMK Villa
Location: Ayankalam, Malappuram, Kerala.
Plot Ares: 75 cents
Built up Area: 13000 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Sarath Raj M & Sreelakshmi CJ
Photograph Courtesy: marc.frames_
Client: Mr. Mehboob KM & Mrs. Faabi Mehboob
Style: Modern Eclectic
Firm’s Instagram Link: COR FORUM Architects
Firm’s Facebook Link: COR FORUM Architects
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