This Kerala Home Displays an Interesting Mix of Traditional and Contemporary Architecture

Designed by architects Shabna Nikhil and Nikhil Mohan of Thought Parallels, this family home sits amid an expansive rubber plantation in Kerala, and makes the most of its verdant surroundings.

“The client’s brief was articulate. It was a five-bedroom house with well-defined spaces for the family and the guests. However, being located in over an acre of land, the client also wanted the house to be luxurious, a house in which to rest, spend the holidays, receive family and friends,” informs Shabna Nikhil of Thought Parallels. The architect duo’s initial approach was to understand the site, the client’s lifestyle and his requirements. “The location — a dense rubber plantation located in between the mountains of Malapurram — set the tone for the design. “We settled on the possibility of a modern tropical design with hints of traditional architecture,” informs Nikhil Mohan.

The architecture makes the most of the expansive plot, by spreading out luxuriously in to the landscape. “The family wanted a clear distinction between the guest and the family spaces. And this lead to the formation of two blocks — the guest and the family blocks,” informs Nikhil. A semi-private living area forms the connect between the two blocks. The guest block houses a living, a prayer room and a bedroom arranged in a linear form. “The presence of the prayer room prompted us to align the block along the traditional direction of pray, thus creating a tilt and breaking the initial parallel axis between the two blocks. That’s where the name — The Skew House — comes from.”

“The need for clearly separate private and guest spaces was the basis of our planning. So, we designed it as two buildings, a private block and a formal/guest block, connected by a wide foyer that became a semi-formal space in itself. The pathways from the gate can lead one to the formal block, or separately, to the private block directly. The greenery between the blocks grows into subtle but effective spatial separators. There’s a linear arrangement on spaces in either block, which ensures ample light and air for every room. Entering from a wide verandah, the guest block is divided on either side of a passage, the living room on one, and the prayer hall and guest bedroom on the other. The passage leads to the ‘bridge’ or wide foyer with a cosy semi-formal living space that leads further to the private block,” says Nikhil as he explains the bifurcation of spaces.

The minimal design language called for a simple material palette. The architects opted for steel, wood and exposed concrete as primary materials, and in certain instances, exposed brick and natural mosaic as well. The materiality is tactile, and it invites the visitors to not just engage with the space, but with the surfaces as well. The connecting space leads you to the family block where all the functional spaces are arranged linearly. Natural light is orchestrated well with generously-sized windows and open spaces as welcome interludes. The home looks out to the minimalistic horticulture outside; the rubber plantation and the mountains beyond. The liner arrangement of spaces is broken only by a steel and wood staircase which leads up to the first floor. We love the way the architects incorporated subtle details that transform regular objects/spaces to avant-garde designs. Take for instance, the staircase that has a steel railing with a traditional wood carving pattern cut in to it. Subtle, yet an impactful addition. The staircase leads up to a rooftop pool and the bedrooms.

“We used louvered, openable shutters to keep out the harsh glare and heat from the south,” informs Shabna. The louvered windows create a dramatic play of light and shadow all along the corridor and the bedroom walls. “The use of traditional Mangalore roof tile roof along with an inner lining of plywood helps in insulating the rooms from the harsh summer heat,” she adds.

The need for clearly separate private and guest spaces was the basis of our planning. So, we designed it as two buildings, a private block and a formal/guest block, connected by a wide foyer that became a semi-formal space in itself. The pathways from the gate can lead one to the formal block, or separately, to the private block directly. The greenery between the blocks grows into subtle but effective spatial separators.

The unobtrusive architecture respects its context, and makes the most of its location. Amplifying the positives and camouflaging the negatives with equal ease. The design language in itself is unique, it’s traditional without being common, it’s contemporary without being jarring. “On the whole, the house is like a hand stretched out in the landscape with fingers splayed apart, letting air, light and people flow between them,” concludes Shabna.