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  • Saba House Is A Wind-Catcher of Memories and Modernity | Project 51 A (h)

    The design started from an old house where a family of seven stood, one yet to be born. Hari & Sreelakshmi, Usha-Hari’s mother, Malathi, teacher, Hari’s grandmother, kids, Sankari, Paru, and yet to be born Sreebala. Four generations living in a 60-year-old house that had begun to show its age with dimly lit rooms, leaking walls, and a lack of facilities, still age has limited their house with its responsibilities, which made them think of a new house. Located in Pallickathodu, Kottayam, a 22-cent hilltop plot slopes 24 feet across. With a southern road, it gets constant airflow. Saba house follows the natural terrain without affecting movement.

    Editor’s Note: “More than a home, Saba is a breath of belonging. Designed for comfort, it emerges from the red land to hold the winds of Kottayam within its warm expanse. It’s where light filters softly, tales whisper softly, and four generations coexist in harmony, grounded by terrain, memory, and modernity.” ~ Anusha Sridhar

    Saba House Is A Wind-Catcher of Memories and Modernity | Project 51 A (h)

    saba house

    Spatial Design

    The old house’s dim, divided rooms kept residents apart. In the new design, all areas except bedrooms and toilets are open, shared spaces. The entry leads to the living, dining, and kitchen areas. Usha’s and the grandmother’s rooms are on the same level for easy access.

    saba house

    The kids’ space is six feet lower, with a study and bedroom below. The master bedroom is four feet above the living area, linked by a bridge. Openings from the kitchen and passage connect visually to the kids’ area. All bedrooms face north toward lush greenery; the grandmother’s room on the northwest overlooks her old home—an emotional anchor.

    saba house

    To enhance ventilation, wind catcher walls with perforated openings were placed on the southwest. A skylight between them brought daylight to common areas.

    saba house

    Door As The Star

    The 10-foot-high main door, designed to channel airflow, was shifted west for privacy and circulation. When openings are closed, a jack arch roof—comprising elongated brick vaults on beams—allows continuous airflow through side vents without compromising privacy.

    saba house

    saba house

    The designers used solid expanses of red for the walls to cut the wind stream, extending the color into the interiors and furnishings. They chose red for its contrasting yet complementary quality against the lush green surroundings, allowing the house to stand out from the rubber plantations that envelop both the site and the old house.

    saba house

    saba house

    The sole purpose of the house was to accommodate all the residents without compromising the light and air ventilation within the limits of the area and budget. Moreover, the applied color made the house a marker in the neighborhood.

    Upon entering the new house, grandmother Malathi Teacher felt a breeze she had never felt in her old house. She gave the house a name with the breeze she felt, which depicted a purpose the house holds, Saba.

    Accessibility

    Saba ensures accessibility, with elders’ rooms on the same level as the living space. The children’s rooms are on a lower level, six feet down, with their study area and bedroom further down the staircase. The master bedroom, above the kids’ space, is accessible via a bridge.

    Openings from the kitchen and a passage to the master bedroom create a visual connection with the children’s areas, integrating the space. Bedrooms face the north side, offering views of the landscape and rubber plantation, while the grandmother’s room faces the northwest, connecting emotionally with the old house she lived in.

    Fact File

    Designed by: Project 51 A (h)

    Project Type: Residential Architecture Design

    Project Name: Saba House

    Location: Pallickathodu, Kottayam, Kerala

    Year Built: 2024

    Project Size: 2540.28 Sq.ft

    Principal Architects: Ar. Nandagopal B & Ar. Shrilakshmi K

    Photograph Courtesy: Prasoon Suresh

    Source: Archdaily

    Firm’s Instagram Link: Project 51 A (h)

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