This Mud Home in India Looks Like Something Out of "Star Wars"

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Project Details:

Location: Mettupalayam, India

Architect: Earthscape Studio / @_earthscape_studio_

Footprint: 1,450 square feet

Photographer: Studio IKSHA / @iksha.in

From the Architect: "This home is located in the midst of mountain ranges. It has an 180-degree view of them with a deep valley in front. The site has a natural rock bed and we did not want to disturb it. Also, the site already had a 20-foot-deep land cut when we visited for the first time. We used that landform to create the structure with a view toward the valley.

"The spaces are focused toward the valley with an open courtyard in the middle, which helps bring in natural light and create ventilation. The main character of the site is heavy wind. The main challenge was to capture the view while tempering gusts. Hence, we proposed a gabion wall where the rocks are placed according to the anthropometric activities inside the spaces. All the rocks used in the gabion wall were collected from the site.

"The home’s walls are poured earth. The mud used was collected on-site, which facilitated the construction process. The floor finish is made of green oxide, which helps keep the interiors cool. During summer, the area gets very hot. Oxide flooring and an open courtyard help maintain cool temperatures inside the spaces. The body of water between the room and the gabion wall will help in reducing the hot air temperature when it travels from outside to in.

"The wood used throughout the building was collected from scraps and reused to create the doors, bar table, arm chairs, bar stool, and kitchen cabinets. The site’s natural landforms were not disturbed. The building is camouflaged with the surroundings. The materials used in the building meets the maximum level of sustainability."