‘HRIDAYAM’: An integration of art, food, and culture that creates a dynamic and engaging built environment that enhances the human experience, celebrating different tastes and cultures. The project brief was to renovate a traditional 120-year-old tharavadu into a 100-seat restaurant area with an academy and library, without losing its historical significance. For this renovation architecture, we develop a design concept of breathing new life into old buildings to transform forgotten spaces into vibrant stories where history intervenes with traditional modernity.
Editor’s Note: Hridayam is a place that feels like a deep breath, calm, rooted, and alive. It carries the whispers of a 120-year-old tharavadu, where the past lingers in weathered walls and the present hums through shared meals and quiet corners. Under the shade of an old mango tree, time slows, stories unfold, and life simply flows. ~Isha Bora
This Renovation Architecture Integrates Art, Food, & Culture | ONFLOW Art And Architecture
We additionally added an external structure of outdoor dining space under a mango tree. Moreover, it exhibits an exquisite integration of nature and architecture.
A unique corner, as “Vayanashala” is provided by the reuse of old ladders. Thus, transforming them into unique and functional bookshelves that breathe new life. Moreover, it makes it a truly unique and inviting space for readers to explore. Traditional antique pieces are reused as decor items in the interiors to find rebirth in the creation of innovative designs.
The choice of earthy color palettes, rugged beauty of cement oxide, warmth of wood, earthiness of laterite, and character of reused old roof tiles create a unique and inviting atmosphere where guests can enjoy memorable meals in a charming, sustainable, and visually captivating environment.
The ‘Hridhayam’ project is a thoughtful architectural response to the monsoon climate, seamlessly blending traditional and sustainable design elements. The clay tile sloped roof efficiently channels rainwater, ensuring quick drainage and protecting the structure, while also providing thermal comfort.
The central courtyard enhances ventilation, reducing indoor humidity and serving as a natural rainwater catchment area. The use of laterite stone masonry, with its porous and weather-resistant properties, ensures durability in the face of heavy rainfall and high humidity.
The L-shaped planning promotes cross ventilation and creates semi-sheltered spaces, offering protection from the rains while maintaining a connection to the outdoors.
Retaining a mango tree provides natural shade and assists in managing water runoff, while the planned addition of a Ficus tree in the courtyard adds a central visual focus, improves soil stability, and enhances the microclimate. Together, these elements reflect a sensitive and adaptive approach to monsoon conditions.
Fact File
Designed by: ONFLOW Art And Architecture
Project Type: Restoration/Renovation
Project Name: HRIDAYAM
Location: Munduparamba, Malappuram, Kerala, India
Year Built: 2023
Duration of the project: 2022 – 2023
Built-up Area: 3800 Sq.ft
Principal Architects: Mohammed Junais T, Ar. Bismina Akbar, Ashar Ali & Anshid P
Photograph Courtesy: hamdan muhammed
Firm’s Instagram Link: ONFLOW Art And Architecture
Firm’s Facebook Link: ONFLOW Art And Architecture
For Similar Project>>> An Urbanist Luxury Restaurant Architecture and Design Exhibiting Bespoke Wellness
This contemporary courtyard house is designed within constraints that often give rise to the most creative solutions. This residence, nestled in a landlocked plot flanked by development on three sides, represents a unique architectural intervention that turns limitation into opportunity. The client’s vision was both unusual and ambitious: to create a twin house under one […]
This multi generational home is a testament to the ability of the design practice to blend aesthetic appeal with practical functionality. Keeping environmental sustainability and the welfare of the community at the forefront, Bhowal designed a home that was truly ahead of its time. His visionary approach and the Design Consortium’s expertise in providing a […]
In this modern luxury home, courtyards spill into living spaces, and the lines between inside and outside dissolve into a seamless whole. This 17,800 sq. ft. bungalow in Anand, by Hiren Patel Architects, blurs the boundaries between landscape, architecture, and interiors, creating a home where nature isn’t just the backdrop but an integral part of […]
Nestled in the foothills of the Shivalik range, the Himalayas is our latest project, Ekasham — a private residence refurbishment and redevelopment project, spread across an area of 2177 sqm. The monolithic home, through its volumes, composed of old and new structures, merges into a singular silhouette evoking the presence of a monolith from which […]
Ishaar is rooted in the belief that architecture should not just be seen, but deeply felt. Drawing from brutalist principles and natural tactility, the holiday villa is designed as a sensory retreat, where material, sound, light, and temperature shape the guest’s experience. Set amidst rural farmland, the villa dissolves into its landscape through a choreography […]
“Vishram Vaadi Nu Ghar” means a serene retreat amidst mango and chikoo farms, crafted to reflect the client’s vision in their mother tongue Gujarati. Vishram is a serene ground-touch structure offering breathtaking views of the Purna River and is a thoughtful example of countryside house design. Nestled amidst lush Amba and Chikoo Vaadi, the design […]
This single-story sustainable home in Ezhupunna blends traditional Kerala architecture with tropical, eco-friendly design. Inspired by the “kullakadavu” concept, a central pond encourages family interaction while enhancing the landscape. This Ezhupunna Home is Rooted in Eco-friendly Design | Judson Associates Architects & Interiors Despite being near lakes and beaches, adding a pond improves year-round moisture […]
In the heart of New Anjar, a small town tucked into the arid landscape of Kachchh, Gujarat, sits one of those modest houses designed with a quiet sense of clarity. Built for a Muslim family spanning three generations, the home isn’t trying to make a bold statement from its street-facing façade. Instead, it leans into […]
The house showcases a modern three-story residence exemplifying contemporary architectural design through its clean lines, geometric volumes, and a balanced interplay of materials. The facade skillfully combines textured tile cladding, smooth plaster, and contrasting color blocks in neutral shades of gray, black, and earthy rust, adding visual depth and dynamism. Expansive glass panels framed in […]
House of Silhouettes is located in Navratan, Udaipur. The plot is a corner one facing north and west 60’x40′ with a built-up area of 6500 sq.ft., designed in contemporary modern architecture as an independent house at three levels, including terrace. House of Silhouettes Reflects Contemporary Modern Architecture | Shaunak Singh and Associates This contemporary residence […]