Climate Responsive Home Rooted In Cultural Context

Designed by: NO Architects Designers and Social Artists

Location: Kollam, India | Latitude: 8.8932° N |

This climate-responsive home is rooted in the cultural context of India. It is also climatically efficient and uses design strategies that respond to the hot, humid climate of Kollam.

Photo: Redz Photography

Inspiration

Manjadi – The House of the Bead Tree, got its name from the remarkable old Bead tree. The tree is also called ‘Manjadi’ and is located at the entrance.

“This leguminous tree with a rough textured bark, bright polished red seeds and vibrant green leaves inspired the project, from the inception of design.”

– NO Architects Designers and Social Artists

The house is built on a west-facing site. It is the result of an extensive design process that explored several iterations of the design.

Design Strategies

This home is climate responsive and has an open floor plan arrangement. The architect also created free-flowing spaces and connected volumes to overcome the limitations of a linear footprint.

“The green court and water garden added for passive cooling, acts as an open to sky, family space protected from the harsh tropical weather.”

– NO Architects Designers and Social Artists

Photo: Redz Photography

Photo: Redz Photography

In addition, an interplay of light, darkness and colours is used throughout the interior of the house.

The master bedroom on the first floor opens to a linear balcony with a slidable wooden partition. Therefore, this gave protection from the afternoon heat.

It also has a weathered steel jali located on the outer façade. A jali is a screen with an ornamental pattern and is common in Islamic architecture. This jali has an intricate water-cut pattern. It filters the twilight sun also and resembles a lantern at night, paying homage to the rich craft heritage of India.

Photo: Redz Photography

However, the kitchen is more practical than a traditional Asian kitchen in pastel shades.

Colour Palette

They used sharp contrast of earthen tones with different hues of blue. In addition, this was accentuated by a combination of warm and white lighting. Both the exteriors and interiors show hints of magical blue in varying shades.

Photo: Redz Photography

Landscaping

The landscape design for this house also introduces varying colours and textures to the native lush green flora of the tropics. Plants selected created a unique, sustainable combination. Therefore, they require minimal maintenance.

Cultural Reference

“Anyone who has spent their childhood roaming the green and verdant landscape of rural Kerala would have fond memories of collecting the seeds of Manjadi tree that resembles rubies. The wild beauty of these seeds, combined with their relative rarity made them coveted objects to kids.”

– NO Architects Designers and Social Artists

This tree also forms an integral part of the cultural landscape of India. For instance, many folktales and stories depict this.

The subtle addition of nature-inspired aesthetics has transformed a contemporary utilitarian house into a tropical living space with a unique Indian identity.

Conclusion

This house has a harmonious interplay of light, darkness, and colours. The cultural and nature-inspired aesthetics has transformed the Manjadi House into a captivating tropical home with a distinct Indian identity. It also uses its courtyard to respond to the tropical climate.

The fascinating use of materials and textures, along with the enchanting colour palette, adds to the cultural richness of the house.

In addition, incorporating the symbolic Manjadi tree causes every element to add depth and character to this unique architectural masterpiece.

Related articles:

• Explore other houses with courtyards in them.

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Photographer: Redz Photography
Architect: NO Architects Designers And Social Artists