长安谢里的房子丨Frank Jose Architecture

Firm： Frank Jose Architecture

Type： Residential › Private House Landscape + Planning › Private Garden

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2023

SIZE： 3000 sqft - 5000 sqft

BUDGET： $100K - 500K

Situated in a tropical area with bustling traffic on one side and serene green paddy fields at the other, the site benefits from both accessibility and privacy. The brief was to design a Vaastu-compliant traditional house with modern amenities, covering a total area of 3000 square feet. The house resonated with Tropical Modernism, which emerged organically through various iterations, resulting in an authentic design with the context. Traditional features are incorporated that effectively harness passive ventilation and natural light, promoting natural energy efficiency.

In the context of Kerala, where the unique requirements of tropical climates must be considered, there is a need for a design style that seamlessly blends the principles of tropical architecture. To address this, the design incorporates large windows, an open floor plan, and strategically placed openings to facilitate fresh air flow throughout the house. These design elements ensure that the house remains cool and comfortable even in hot and humid weather conditions. Special attention was given to reducing reliance on air conditioning and enhancing the house's overall energy efficiency.

The house is designed with three separate roof units, creating the visual impression of a three-story structure from the facade. However, it is actually a two-story house. This play of heights was done to achieve a proportional design in relation to the large site and the frontage from MC Road. It maximizes the utilization of the available space, giving the house a proportional look in terms of height and width. The roof over the terrace serves multiple functions, including providing shade for the dry balcony, reducing the impact of scorching heat, ensuring privacy, and offering an elevated view from the facade.

A deliberate play of lines is evident throughout the house as a prominent design feature. Examples include the exterior vertical wooden louvers over the full-span windows, which provide shaded light from the north-facing sunlight. The pattern of flat roof tiles, the ceiling overhangs that run across the house, the horizontal lines of the texture paint that add visual

interest, the Kadappa stone used as plinth cladding, and the consistent use of natural stone paving contribute to the cohesive interplay of lines.

Upon entering the house, one is welcomed by a spacious living room that offers a sense of calmness through natural ventilation and double-height space. A floating staircase featuring a beautiful teak finish partially screens the dining area for privacy. The teak handrails are designed to eliminate vertical studs and utilize toughened glass, creating a floating effect. The semi-open kitchen is strategically placed adjacent to the dining area for convenience and accessibility. The bedrooms are positioned away from the living area to ensure privacy. The stairs lead to the floor above, where beautiful chandeliers hang in the double-height space, enhanced by a skylight above, creating a visual effect reminiscent of rainfall. The bridge connecting the bedrooms serves as a design feature, offering a view through the full-span windows towards the balcony and the facade.

Great attention was given to every aspect of the house's design, from the site design to the building details. This includes the provision of various courtyards in and around the house, particularly the pebble pool that utilizes the space between the car porch and the house. This design feature gives the house a sense of detachment at the ground level while remaining connected through the balcony on the floor above. The design of windows, doors, tiles, and lighting were all meticulously considered to complement the modernity of this tropical house, creating a harmonious whole.