Circular Skylights Let the Landscape Grow Through This Concrete Home in India
Nufail Shabana Architects designs a family home in Kerala that is softened with greenery and natural materials.
Nufail Shabana Architects designs a family home in Kerala that is softened with greenery and natural materials.
When an Indian businessman decided to build a new family home in Chembad, Kerala, he approached Nufail Shabana Architects to design a lush retreat. It was important for the home to meet his family’s needs—including a connection to his parents on the neighboring property—while celebrating a crafted approach to materiality that would introduce warmth. It was also essential to passively reduce heat buildup within the home wherever possible.
The site is located in Chembad, Kerala, just four kilometers from the main town, and is landscaped with lush, tropical plants that create a sense of retreat. The industrial concrete form is softened by the greenery and tactile natural materials, including bamboo screens.
Justin Sebastian
"The design intent revolves around the crisp and clear lines used throughout the house in the elevation and interior spaces," says architect Shabana Rasheed. "We also wanted to create a cozy feeling in the interior."
The circular openings in the concrete slabs allow plants to grow through the building, strengthening the home’s connection with the site. As the plants grow, the light will become filtered.
Justin Sebastian
The site is an irregular plot of land that adjoins the client’s parents’ house, and the home has been designed to be accessible to the entire family. The main entrance is through an outdoor "sit-out" on a timber deck beneath an 11-meter-long cantilevered concrete expanse that is punctuated with dramatic circular openings that allow for ventilation and natural light.
A "sit-out" extends the living space outdoors. The long, narrow plan of this space intentionally extends the linear footprint of the home.
Justin Sebastian
See the full story on Dwell.com: Circular Skylights Let the Landscape Grow Through This Concrete Home in India
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