Climate-Responsive And Geographically Sensitive, The Contour House In Kerela Is A Haven In The Hills
“This house is not just about architecture, it is about how you see people and life. That is the kind of experience this house gives.” — Sachin Sathyan
On the side of a mountain, on the outskirts of Kochi, sits the unusual Contour House. Architect Sachin Sathyan has many projects under his cap, but in Kerela, this house is the one that people have come to recognise him by.
Fashioned as a family house for a client who is one of the area’s industrialists, Contour House is affixed on a plot of 70 cents (30,492 sq. ft.) with an interesting topography. In an insightful and candid conversation with Buildofy, Sathyan tells more as he shows us around the house.
FACT FILE
Location | Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam, Kerala |
Plot Area | 30,492 sq. ft. |
Built-Up Area | 6,297 sq. ft. |
Number of Bedrooms | 5 |
Completion Year | 2020 |
Vastu Compliance | Yes |
TOPOGRAPHY RESPONSIVE PLANNING
According to Sathyan, the contours make it one of the dream sites for any architect to design upon. The mass of the house has been segregated into three separate blocks. The spaces in between have been given over to shape into courtyards.
The blocks are interconnected with each other by a fluid slab that follows the shape of the site’s contour and projects outwards to form the roof of the verandah area.
In a bid to break away from the symmetry, the three blocks all have gable roofs of varying heights that impart an element of spatial surprise.
LEVELLING UP
The house has been designed across two levels. Upon entering the residence through the verandah, one steps onto the first level, which comprises the living space and three bedrooms. The spaces in the interiors have a fluid nature. For example, the living space consists of the formal living room and the informal living space which are not mutually separated physically. A free-standing staircase leads the way upwards to a small, private, infinity pool. Know in detail about the structural planning required for the pool in the complete home-tour video on Buildofy.
The second level makes up the kitchen space, dining and the space for two other bedrooms. A set of steps and a gradual ramp help with the navigation between these two levels.
Of the bedrooms, the master bedroom and one other bedroom have both been designed with a dressing room and a washroom area. The lower level also has a prayer space. The verandah, which makes up the entrance, extends out to roof the car park.
POCKETFUL OF GREENS
Between the C-shaped kitchen space on the upper level and the living space on the previous level, sits the main courtyard. Natural stones line up the facade of the courtyard, with kota stones making up the flooring. There is a small pool housing fish, and a homely cascade of rippling streams of water, creating a serene ambience.
MATERIALITY
The complete living space has a flooring base of the same finish in natural Merbau teak wood that has a reddish tint. This is to give this free-flowing space an added layer of homogeneity. The free-standing staircase in the living room is also finished with polished wood. The sofas in these spaces are grey, with partitions dotted with Islamic motifs as a homage to the cultural beliefs of the family, positioned strategically across this space. The colour palette for the remaining furniture is hand-picked to compliment the wooden finishes, which stick to being pale and light.
The flooring for all the bedrooms is made of kota stone sourced from Rajasthan. The wardrobes in these spaces are sleek and modern with laminated wood and glass shutters.
The windows throughout the house are chosen to be uPVC windows to keep the views as unobtrusive as possible with no grills in between. The doors have all been crafted out of natural teak wood.
A striking element that makes up the façade is the MS Sheets that layer the gables. The same Islamic motifs from the interiors make an appearance here as well to give the surface a character.
The Contour House juxtapositions the introverted private spaces with the extroverted green pockets of landscape to create a spacious, relaxed and open house. It was an idea that is fresh and new and naturally took some convincing to establish the client's faith. However, Sathyan believes that the final result majestically makes up for the challenge that this house had been.
For more unique home designs and other detailed home tours of houses in Kerela, visit Buildofy.