Around 6,200 Toys Make Up a Veranda Wrapping This Home in India

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Project Details:

Location: Kerala, India

Architect: Wallmakers / @ar.vinudaniel

Footprint: 3,843 square feet

Photographer: Fernando Alda / @fernandoaldafotografo

Photographer: Syam Sreesylam / @syam.photographer

From the Architect: "Have you ever stepped on a Lego block? Everyone who has, even once, remembers the pain of it. This led us to ponder over two questions: How sturdy is this material? And how much of it is left in everyone’s houses after children discard them?

"Plastic has managed to snake its way into almost every aspect of our daily lives, including 90 percent of the world’s toys, which is a far cry from the old Indian childhoods of outdoor play and wooden toys. With global toy sales peaking at $107.4 billion in 2022, and toys being unsuitable for recycling due to their complex forms and chemical additives, 80 percent of all toys ever made have ended up in landfills, incinerators, or the ocean.

"When a project came up in Vadakara, North Kerala, India, where the consumption of toys is the most in the state, the idea was to have a circular home accessible from every side with a veranda supported by toys and old Mangalore tiles. The cantilevered veranda that is held up by corbelling toys ran all around the house that had no designated front or back elevations. There were three large trees in the cardinal directions of the home that dictated the position of the house along with the level difference on site to include a secluded basement floor with a library and bedroom. The residence is conceived with the idea of a "house within a house" where the large living space will always be frequented by neighbors and community members. The Japanese-inspired shoji screens become translucent partitions providing light and visual connectivity for the private half.

"The central courtyard and the composite CSEB- Toy Jaali wall (compressed stabilized earth blocks made from soil from the site), acts like a perforated external skin, with mesh in the interior, allowing constant cross ventilation and better insulation. But most importantly, the kids in the neighborhood are always frequenting the house to look and point out their old toys. By using around 6,200 discarded toys, the house  manages to preserve the childhood of our generation forever on its walls."