The House Flaunts Vernacular Style With Eco-Friendly Aspects | Studio 3twentyone
The design Intent:
Navapatra was a vision to revamp an existing house to amalgamate the quality outdoor space with the life indoors. Enveloped in the tropical greens, the house flaunts vernacular style with cutting edge eco-friendly aspects. Adhering to the principles of sustainable architecture, we followed a realistic and pragmatic design approach in retaining the existing structural and spatial core.
Visit: Studio 3twentyone
The extensions were carefully crafted so that it merged naturally with the original structure and it formed an integral part of the edifice. It is designed to allow filtered views enriched with the foliage across the house, further pushing the barriers of indoors and outdoors. Reflecting the essence of Kerala Vernacular Architecture, the courtyard improves the lighting and air quality of the rooms around it like that in a “Nalukettu”.
The patio extends into the flora around holding delightful sights. Conscious use of tones and textures of teak wood and greenery against the white plastered backdrop, which is enriched with the use of warm lights creating an enchanting indoor experience. The existing contours are complemented with the terraced landscaping without compromising on the dramatic natural setting. The abode wrapped and nourished in the scenery makes the picturesque house, just like a new leaf!
The challenges (while designing):
We were asked to reinterpret the existing 25 years old home situated atop the contour terrains of Kottayam. Amidst the tropical greens, the original built form with strong Kerala vernacular characters was sited. We decided to incorporate new life into the existing structure, retaining most of the structural core instead of demolishing it.
On the exteriors, natural contoured terrain was retained but was seldom used. So we made the existing contour lines advantageous to terraced landscapes. The landscape profile was made bold to highlight using warm lighting and natural stones that were inherited from the old house.
The courtyard was placed in the core of the house, with few enclosures. This was modified to enhance the natural illumination in the indoors by increasing the perforations.
Kitchen block, the outdoor bar and the toilets were added to the original structure maintaining the design language so as to blend with the existing house. Furthermore the spaces were reworked to increase the area and workability within the original periphery. The Fig tree on the south side was found a huge opportunity to capture the view of the foliage and drove us to create the cantilevered open bar extension. This space provides a well-lit and ventilated space meanwhile shaded from south to avoid the solar radiations, making it usable round the clock hours!
The stunning indoor landscaping enriched with the warm lights helped with the serene ambience. To keep up the Vernacular style with all the modern-day amenities, without making the blend of the 2 styles contradicting. Reusing spaces to ensure better daylighting and natural ventilation and reducing the load on the energy consumption.
The material palette: Stone, Teak, greenery and white plaster
FACT FILE:
Architecture Firm: Studio 3twentyone
Project Name: Navapatra ~ the new leaf
Client: Sajan Varghese, Mangalam Media
Category: Residential
Location: Kottayam
Floor area: 4800 sqft
Project Completion: June 2020
Principal Architects: Ar. Anupa Kurian
Design Team: Ar. Elizabeth Eapen, Ar. Ashwika George
Photo courtesy: Ar. Prashanth Mohan (Running studios)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio.3twentyone/
Layers don’t just sit here; they breathe, shift, and whisper through light. The Screen, set in the sun-drenched fabric of Solapur, Maharashtra, isn’t trying to scream luxury. It doesn’t need to. It moves quieter than that, more composed, more intentional, like a pause button carved into the chaos of the city. Spread across 4,125 sq. […]
This project is located in Ben Tre, Vietnam, and was completed in 2021. With a total area of 430m2, the project set within concrete vaults includes 3 bedrooms and one living room, each with a view of the nearby river. Concrete Vaults Form The Main Identity Of This Vietnamese Home | VTN Architects The ground […]
We conceive EMA not as a conventional architectural object, but as a living continuum of memory, ecology, and craft. Located in Malappuram, Kerala, the 1,700 sq. ft. residence, designed with thermal comfort draws from vernacular wisdom and the philosophy of the Kaavu—the sacred grove—where humans, nature, and other living beings coexist without hierarchy. Within this […]
Set within the lush landscapes of Bharanikavu in Kollam, Arcade – a single storey residence that blends tropical modern architecture with colonial and traditional elements. Designed for a businessman, his wife (a teacher) and their two daughters, this house showcases a shared interest for elegance rooted in familiarity. This Single Storey Home Sits Amidst Lush […]
Noah’s Ark is a contemporary residence designed as a calm and welcoming home with a clear planning. The client’s brief was to create a home that felt simple, warm, and timeless without becoming overly minimal or impersonal. Noah’s Ark responds by blending clear planning, honest materials, and personal elements, resulting in a house that is […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Nestled within a 30×40 ft plot is the compact house design in Banashankari 6th Stage, Bengaluru. This residence for the Ellappans, reimagines traditional Indian living in a contemporary, spatially dynamic form. Designed for a family of three- Mr. Ellappan, his wife, and their teenage son- the house expresses a deep connection to vernacular roots while […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]