Project Name: Anu & Shanvin House
Project Type: Residential
Built up area: 4000 sqft
Year of Completion: 2016
Project Location: Chitoor, Kerala, India
Architecture Firm: Stirvi Architects, Kochi
Immersed into the picturesque tropics of a South Indian region, where perennial vegetations thrive in hot and humid weather conditions, is a uniquely designed shy Keralan country home. Although the structure renders a bold and contemporary built silhouette, its virtue exhibits a residence attempting to shun away from the limelight. It does so to safeguard a treasured arrangement of spaces that translates into a private sanctum for a tightly knit kin. They seek refuge to hide from the prying eyes of a traversing industrial workforce that frequent the vicinity on a regular basis, interrupting the chirping orchestra of crickets in the neighborhood. They walk in the direction of a cluster of small scale industries located in close proximity with the abode.
Having to shun away from a working populus does not translate into a compromised design scheme. It in fact turns into an honest reflection of its owner, his family and their lifestyle. With a background in steel fabrication, the landlord of the property envisioned a multipurpose place for the residential intervention. A house that would safeguard his kin and interest of prospective clientele to render successful contracts, within the frame of a veritable home-like silhouette. The virtue of the design was to be introverted and a hiding haven for its inhabitants from the onset of the project.
The contemporary build holds an edgy and minimalist composition of crisp horizontal and vertical lines, quite straightforward and easy to comprehend. The modest palette of tones that dress the superstructure showcase extensive neutral tones and hints of warm teak accents. The holistic building renders a terracing profile of cubular compartments that are accentuated aesthetically with aluminium exoskeletons. The cubes themselves frame a patterned choreography or vertical teak wood louvres that exhibit a veil-like effect, with the purpose to conceal. In imitation of ‘jaalis’ of old vernacular houses of the region, but furnished within a contemporary language. A repetition of the veil-like feature across the surfaces of the house not only adds a tasteful finesse to the otherwise subdued exhibition, but also enables the anatomy of the building to breathe seamlessly. The vertical louvres functionally double up as sun screens, protecting the interiors from the piercing rays of the South West and Western sunlight.
Narrow vertical slit fenestration that appears sparsely across the elevation, showcases an introvertish reserve, adhering to the holistic concept of the design.
The unconventionally introvertish construct from the outside, sashays a boldly extroverted presentation in its interior configurations. Since the inhabitants chose not to venture outdoors to safeguard their privacy, the design attempts to bring the outdoors to them instead. Each and every space in the house has some form of visual connect with the internal/ external gardens accommodated into the layouts within the compound. The pattern of spaces that encompass these internal tropical courts, lays great emphasis on all the communal spaces within the home.
One gets to experience the spatial flavor of the residential scheme at the entrance itself. In transit from an open-to-sky garden into a vertically intimate portico, the accentuated snug entry sets a dramatic tone that resonates across the spatial scheme of the house. On entering the doorway, the actual entrance foyer comes into view with an idyllic landscaped ‘Forecourt’ that encompasses it. From here on, the undulating layout is a showcase of vertically intimate spaces that suddenly breaks free at the elevated double height family lounge.
Virtually walking through the scheme, the formal living space is stitched to the family lounge monolithically via a vestibule that is closer in vertical scale to the human anthropometry. This instils an experience of surprise and identity as one meanders through the ever changing building anatomy. The double height family lounge connects with a study, kitchen and dining in an open layout format, in an attempt to unify them visually. All these spaces are juxtaposed next to two internally concealed tropical courts providing them with the best vantages of the calming scenery. The private spaces like the parents’ bed and bath, and services are appropriately tucked away from these spaces.
The double height family lounge is indeed the heart of the layout where all spaces of the ground floor converge, hinting towards frequent family gatherings. The tropical court emulates the traditionally vernacular court layouts of the local context, in a new and contemporary format. An aesthetically modern staircase that connects to a midlanding and first floor of the house from the lounge, is a sculptural exhibit of sharp lines and angles.
The midlanding accommodates a private music/movie room and lounge space. From this level the midlanding bifurcates into 2 flights of stairs to the first floor level which houses a kids bed & bath; master bed, bath, spill out concealed landscaped deck and court; and a kid’s study room.
The interior palette is a congregation of cold neutrals and warm wood textures, spruced up with fresh tropical greens that are inevitably part of all spaces. The neutrals manifest polished concrete floors and cement finished/white plastered walls. Artistic introductions of earthy wooden tones and bright accents of furniture upholstery, across the extensively neutral canvas, peps up the spaces with a refreshing touch.
The interiors come to life with a beautiful play of diffused natural light streaming in through the wooden louvered screens and narrow fenestration slits. Recessed lighting and custom designed light fixtures render the spaces with a tasteful elegance and edge.
The ‘Shanvin’ Home is a strategic dialogue of virtues within the local context, conceiving an uncompromised and modern design scheme. The challenging prerequisites did not hinder the artistry of its designers and their freedom to create. They were in fact able to circumvent and deliver a beautiful and most importantly a safe built environment, for its inhabitants to call their ‘HOME’.
