Sited on the outskirts of a port city, Tuticorin, the 5000 sq.ft house offers solace reflecting the relentless shoreline. The house, The Billy O’ Tea,” is personified as a docked ship over the parcel, homing the residents to balance the synergy between the East Indian cultural background and the coast.
Editor’s Note: “This residence in Tuticorin is personified as a docked ship over the parcel. With a delicate balance between East Indian culture and the coast, the abode unveils magical realism. Each design element, from the rustic bricks and stunning Kota stone to the exquisite Udaipur pink marble and delicate fenestrations, is thoughtfully integrated to enhance the overall concept. This thoughtful blend crafts a holistic living experience, enveloping the residents in an enchanting fusion of tradition and coastal allure.”~ Simran Khare
This 5000 sq.ft House Offers a Solace Reflecting The relentless shoreline of Tuticorin | STO.M.P
The core intent of the 5000 sq.ft house cascades throughout the spaces, symbolising magical realism as an extension of its personality, delineated through seashell inlays on the rustic slabs, a flooring pattern impersonating the waves and the rippling water, and an amphitheatre personified as a rowing vessel with a seat for the oarsman.
The cladding bricks on the facade add antiquity to its rustic personification. The creepers are flowing jewels up as weeds to the abandoned vessel. The metal canopy with a water spout ensembles the overflow drain of the ship.
The amphitheatre, shut from its immediate atmosphere, evokes the mood of the sea with a boundless sky. Sailing into the space, we sang the shanty (a traditional folk song of sailors) reflected through the material, detailing, patterns, and elements that sowed exuberating rhythm and energy.
The brief resonates maximum alignment with the exterior, unveiling the need for multiple spillover areas to cater for the seasonal themed parties the family hosts, thus unwinding the spaces with seamless flow into one another through extending the lawn, the front yard, and an open-air theatre.
The site has an urban prairie over the north that contributes to the microclimate, enhancing the wind flow towards the plot.
The planning is straightforward, with four bays of alternating widths. The composite configuration punctuates the paths of movement with multiple exits and entries to a single node, providing pause, rest, and reorientation.
The heights of the floor plates are generous to dissipate heat. The courtyard is scooped out of the mass, which blurs the boundaries between the living and the den. All the private spaces are positioned around the core, with all their services allocated to the periphery.
Sprawling through, the kitchen extends to the front yard, quaint aesthetics of erstwhile. The court space exudes warmth and sophistication, acquitting the adjacent spaces with light and ventilation.
Sunlight envelopes the entire environ through the east-facing courtyard lighting up with palpable energy. Tall punctures positioned on all edges facilitate constant wind movement through the spaces.
The design intervention briefs the architectural narrative by creating a space where no detail is small or inconsequential. Sleek lines, bold hues, and an exquisite material palette with calcium-based stones, Kota, Udaipur pink marble, Indian Arna marble, Jaisalmer yellow marble, terrazzo on the floor, and fenestrations create a holistic living space that muses the mood and spectrum of sea-serene and mischievous. Sunlight shimmers on the windows and doors, featuring wood and Indian marble.
The Indian marble on the intricate wooden joineries glorifies the twilight. The shimmering Indian marble on the wooden joineries glorifies light and life.
Stacking over the habitable spaces of diverse functions, the living and the amphitheatre, aligned with a parallel thought, establish cohesiveness where their volumes mutually complement each other.
During rain, water cascades through the seaters, channelling the runoff into the floor drain. The amphitheatre accommodates different ergonomic flexibilities while screening movies and stargazing.
The house depicts a ship in remembrance of the city’s Horcrux. Manifesting “The Billy O’ Tea” to sail into the sea. Yes, it sails.
Fact File
Designed by: STO.M.P
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Billy O’Tea
Location: Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu
Year Built: 2023
Built-up Area: 5000 Sq.ft
Principal Architect: Vignesh Sekar
Project Architect: Karthik Vasuki
Team Design Credits: Karthik Vasuki, Shamini Vignesh & Abishek
Photograph Courtesy: studio.f8
Text: Abinaya Somasundharam
The Firm’s Website Link: STO.M.P
Firm’s Instagram Link: STO.M.P
Firm’s Facebook Link: STO.M.P
For Similar Project >>> This Aesthetic Courtyard House With Lush Landscape Design Offers A Calm Aura To The Users
“Even within the smallest green lies all the purity and freshness of Eden.” This idea became the seed for Eden Moss, a home nestled in an ecological environment and imagined as a breath of freshness, evoking the scent of mud after rain, and seamlessly intertwined with nature while still embracing comfort and contextual charm. Nestled […]
In Tiruppur’s industrial heartland, where the rhythm of textile mills sets the tone, the layered architecture in this Villa offers a quiet counterpoint. Shaped by stillness, proportion, and cultural memory, the home reflects the clients’ vision for a contemplative retreat. Set on a square plot within a gridded residential layout, the residence embraces architectural restraint […]
Nestled in what was once a coconut orchard, Sanctum serves as a sanctuary for a retired couple. Their daughter & a feline companion join them to offer a tranquil environment for everyday goings-on. The site is a 60’ x 90’ portion of land with six coconut trees. Two teak wood & silver oak trees, each […]
Tucked into the calm, tree-lined lanes of Nagarbhavi in Bangalore, Avani Residence rises as a poetic response to the chaos of the city, a vertical sanctuary where light dances, materials breathe, and space unfolds in gentle rhythms. Designed by Archemist Architects for a family of four, the residence is a nuanced interplay between constraint and […]
The designers envision Asterix Café as a flagship destination that challenges café design conventions. While coffee culture often associates with warm, pastel tones, Asterix dares to be different by embracing darkness as its defining aesthetic. Designed by UrbanNest Design Studio, the bespoke cafe is a bold experiment in creating a multi-functional, community centric space where […]
Adorn, a home filled with earthen design and the laughter of a family of four, nestles in the peaceful neighborhood of Selvapuram, Coimbatore. “On one side, it shares boundaries with cozy family homes; meanwhile, the other side opens to expansive fields dotted with tall trees.” The fresh air scented with greenery sets a calming atmosphere […]
Situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Anandvan residence beautifully embodies biophilic design, fostering a deep connection with nature through its thoughtful integration of outdoor and indoor spaces through open courtyards. Open Courtyards And A Biophilic Design Connect The Outdoors With The Indoors | R+R Architects Location The location and surroundings played a significant role in determining the […]
What if the simplest object in your home could turn into a design icon? Tectona Grandis Furniture and The Architects’ Diary come together to introduce the Chair Affair. This is India’s first-of-its-kind furniture design competition that dares architects and designers across India to rethink the most essential piece of furniture – the Chair. Beyond function, […]
In a calm and serene residential area of Mysore, a 10,000 sq. ft. site with mature mango and coconut trees set the stage for Eden Kindergarten school. One half of the land was already occupied by an existing block, while the other half was shaded by the canopy of old trees. Instead of altering this […]
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 […]