Humming Tree is a multidisciplinary design firm where principals Mohammed Afnan and Arun Shekar, whose backgrounds are in interior design and architecture, lead a practice that considers all aspects of the built environment, from site plans to products. Intrigued by the juxtaposition of old and new, novel and familiar, subtle and dramatic, they guide the team in creating spaces with unexpected alchemy and creativity. At Humming Tree, the firm approaches work with the belief that spaces are accessories to the human experience and enrich the way we live. The studio aims to create work that leaves an emotional imprint, with a design approach that is instinctive, eclectic, and imaginative. Creativity is central to everything they do.
PROJECT IN FOCUS – Smaragdine
Location: Wayanad, Kerala
Typology: Hospitality
Year of completion: 2022
Design Concept: Tropical Modernism and a Wabi-sabi design vocabulary merged with minimalism
Material Palette: Locally sourced earthy and raw materials like stone, wood, and rubble masonry
What we heart: Celebrating local crafts, art, and indigenous influences and the seamless integration with the surrounding landscape
Smaragdine is a boutique resort designed by Humming Tree in Vythiri, Wayanad, that blends seamlessly with the surrounding emerald-hued spice plantations and dense forests. The design pays homage to Tropical Modernism and is rooted in the local context, using materials derived from the landscape itself. The narrative seeks inspiration from the verdant landscape, adopting a Wabi-sabi vocabulary and merging it with minimalism. The spaces connect indoors and outdoors, creating a dialogue with sweeping vistas and placid water bodies. The indigenous communities, crafts, and site have been paramount influences, with artisanal vignettes and sculptural additions like moss-sheathed branches and earthenware urns. The rooms are sanctuaries of comfort with floor-to-ceiling fenestrations offering panoramic views of nature.
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