The site was near a paddy field, with the traditional “Kerala Roof Design” being the only feature crowding the horizon around it. Nisarga Art Hub is an initiative by a family of musicians to make a community residency where people can interact and congregate for art and cultural events.
Editor’s Note: “Reimagining the traditional Kerala sloping roof, Nisarga Art Hub stands as a sanctuary for artists—a place where creativity breathes freely under the open sky. The serene, natural amphitheater, cradled by the earth, exudes an air of liberation, capturing the true essence of the artist’s spirit. Periodic skylights punctuate the roof, flooding the space with gentle, natural light, while the open and interactive layout fosters an atmosphere where inspiration flows effortlessly, enhancing the creative energy that defines this haven.” ~Simran Khare
This Open Air Amphitheatre on a Kerala Roof Design is an Ideal Music Venue | Wallmakers
Even though these traditional roofs are famous for being the ideal insulators and temperature regulators, it’s a waning feature in contemporary architecture today. It’s simply because the darkness they bring is not suited to the modern man’s comfort and aesthetics.
Thus, they conceived the idea to break open the roof and accommodate skylights to stream in natural light.
The 35° angle of the roof seemed to perfectly match the 30° angle of an Open-Air Amphitheatre. Thus, the idea for the same skylights to become seating spaces for an audience was born.
A series of wooden planks can be set on the swimming pool, instantly transforming it into a stage for open-air concerts that accommodate 75-80 people.
The separate entry to the hub, ensuring that activities can happen parallelly above undisturbed, opens into a large living space overlooking the field.
The design conceives the interior spaces as open and flexible, where occupants primarily use the wooden floors for interacting with visitors and dining, reflecting the clients’ preference for the benefits of the ‘Padmasana’ position (Sitting Lotus Pose).
The walls built with our patented Shuttered Debris Wall Technique, made with construction debris collected from the neighboring town and soil from the site, are load-bearing, supporting even a 4-meter cantilevered recording studio on the first floor.
The west-facing side of the Hub had the guest rooms. Discarded racks collected from a scrapyard were repurposed into grills, protecting the rooms. This allowed for a curtain of creepers to shield it from the afternoon sun.
The strategically designed breaks in the roof allow light to stream in. Thus diffused by Jute Sack rolls, and permit the hot air to escape.
Reclaimed laterite blocks from demolished buildings form the verandah in front of the home. It is reminiscent of the old “Muttams” of traditional Kerala homes.
The building embodies music, where the pauses between the notes hold more significance than the notes themselves. Where the built architecture stops and the empty spaces in between speak volumes.
Fact File
Designed by: Wallmakers
Project Type: Residential Architecture Design
Project Name: Nisarga Art Hub
Location: Ernakulam, Kerala
Year: 2023
Built Up Area: 2557 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Vinu Daniel & Oshin Mariam Varughese
Junior Architects: Subhrodipta Ghosh & Rosh V. Saji
Photography Credits: Syam Sreesylam
Source: Archdaily
Firm’s Website Link: Wallmakers
Firm’s Facebook Link: Wallmakers
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