Paati-veedu in the Tamil language means grandmother’s home. The client wanted a traditional courtyard house after having lived in a multilevel home with limited light, ventilation, and disjointed spaces. The site is on a 40×60 ft (2400 sq. ft.) property with the north side facing the street.
Editor’s Note: “Rooted in nostalgia yet modern in spirit, this home reflects the essence of a traditional Tamil courtyard house. Blending old-world charm with contemporary sensibilities, it reimagines spaces with natural light, ventilation, and social warmth, creating a sanctuary that feels open yet intimate—a seamless blend of heritage and modernity.” ~Simran Khare
This House With a Traditional Courtyard Fuses Nostalgia with Modernism | Art & Architecture
Our brief required a humble, traditionally inspired, and secure home with natural light and ventilation, along with visual and physical connections between family spaces.
We designed a home that is open, secure and feels private. Trying not to impose the presence of this building, the horizontal grill lines on the façade alongside the extended floor slabs make the house appear floating and speak airy and light.
Inspired by traditional courtyard house from the region, we consolidated nostalgia with modernism. The Thinnai (in Tamil verandah looking to the street) was intentionally made to look inward to the courtyard for privacy and to function as a social space exclusively for the family.
Locally sourced kiln bricks were used for a screen wall that separates the parking lot and courtyard. A weave pattern was devised to let in the northeastern sunlight whilst providing privacy and security from the street.
The spaces were designed for their visiting grandchildren to socialise and bring in elements of nature physically or abstractly.
In Paati-veedu, we used abstract representations of the five elements. The brick arrangement on the east courtyard wall forms a rising sun to depict fire. Meanwhile, the blue oxide staircase symbolises water, and the red accents represent the earth. Open, flowing spaces with visual connections between the indoors and outdoors express space and air.
We restored four newel from a colonial-era staircase. Additionally, we also connected them to resemble twin columns, placing them on rubble rocks uncovered during excavation.
They work as handy support while climbing steps and deceive as a Chettinad column supporting the beam of the verandah’s clay-tiled sloping roof.
We piled rocks in the open corners to protect the exposed black I-section columns from corrosion caused by surface water runoff. This arrangement gives the illusion that the rocks support the living room and dining passage floors when viewed from outside.
From the inside, the courtyard is visible through the aluminium sliding glass windows in the kitchen, dining, and passage areas. The experience of natural light and shadow, its contrast, not only helps the courtyard serve air circulation and good views, but it also establishes a visual connection between spaces.
The Living room ceiling is left exposed, with north and east walls full-height glass sliding windows highlighting no visible roof beams. Moreover, they also contrast and balance with no opening south and west walls that shield from the afternoon sun.
With different levels of ceilings distinguishing the spaces, the filler slab ceiling using terracotta pots in the passage and stairwell breaks the monotony of space and cools the low-height ceiling.
The design intends blending natural elements with practical and economical ideologies that tastefully resonates within a space called home.
Fact File
Designed by: Art & Architecture
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Paati-Veedu
Location: Chennai
Year Built: 2023
Duration of the project: 9 Months
Project Size: 1806 Sq.ft
Project Cost: 65 Lakhs
Principal Architect: Chamraj Suresh Babu
Team Design Credits: Mukilan & Bagavathi Sree
Photograph Courtesy: Kaptured Studios
Products / Materials / Vendors: Finishes – Exposed concrete / Wallcovering / Cladding – Brick Construction Materials – Zuari Cement , ARS steel / Lighting – Havells / Sanitaryware – Parryware Windows – Jindal / Flooring – KAG tiles / Kitchen – Vijayam Creative Design Studio / Paint – Asian Paints Hardware – Ebco
Consultants for the Project: Civil – Vitham constructions Pvt. Ltd. / MEP & HVAC Consultants – Vitham constructions Pvt. Ltd. / Structure Engineers – Kannimar Consultants / Project Managers – Karthikeyan
Firm’s Website Link: Art & Architecture
Firm’s Instagram Link: Art & Architecture
For Similar Projects >> Baag-E-Fursat, A Place Of Tranquility & Peace And An Escape From The City’s Hustle Bustle
This North Facing villa opens towards the East to always soak in the cool and diffused light. Its orientation is mindful of the adjoining clubhouse and its expansive garden. The planning allows the villa’s private lawn to visually merge with it, creating a larger and cohesive space. With a connection to the open space at […]
An Urban Sanctuary Woven with Craft, Warmth, and Light Explicitly tucked into a quiet residential pocket, this home with a jaali facade is a thoughtfully layered expression of calm, character, and craftsmanship. Every surface and corner is rooted in intention — where light, material, and memory meet. The Jaali Design in this Layered Home Exudes […]
The design of the house prioritises connectivity to nature by incorporating green elements like vertical gardens or landscaped courtyards. This is achieved through various means, such as large windows framing scenic views, outdoor living spaces seamlessly merging with the surrounding landscape. The emphasis on connectivity to nature creates a serene and harmonious environment, fostering a […]
“Viraam,” a 4000 sq ft house design that embodies its literal translation: “a pause.” The vision is to create a sanctuary for relaxation, introspection, and to escape from the constant demands of daily life – an urban void for personal retreat. Editor’s Note: “Viraam is not just a house, it’s a pause. A place to […]
The facade of this Indian contemporary house design strikes a careful balance between solids and voids, with sculpted forms that reveal the inner workings of the space. The design plays with light and shadow, creating visual depth and intrigue from the exterior. The form resembles a cuboid that has been scooped out, while the outer […]
This 5 storey building takes inspiration from ancient haveli architecture. “Hailing from north India, the family held deep nostalgia for haveli, large residences with communal courtyards called chowks, projecting balconies called jharokhas and intricate brick or stone lattice screens called jaalis, vernacular to many western and northern regions of India,” said SJK Architects partner Vaishali […]
Set in the serene landscape of Nashik, the Dabholkar Residence by GDA is a home, embracing stone clad walls. Here, tradition and contemporary design exist in harmony. Designed to reflect the family’s deep connection to tradition and art while embracing the style of contemporary living, it is a space where architectural details, heritage furniture, artwork […]
This remodelling project aimed to revitalise a load-bearing house while respecting its original integrity and adapting it to contemporary needs. The design approach prioritised minimal structural intervention, allowing the existing framework to guide spatial reconfiguration. Careful consideration was given to preserving the load-bearing walls, which formed the backbone of the original construction. Openings were strategically […]
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 […]
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 […]