This minimalist home in Kerala uses light as an ornament

Surrounded by lush greenery, a family home in Kerala offers a lesson in how to let the sunshine through

In Maranchery, a small town in Kerala's Malappuram district, a family home is harnessing light and space to create visual impact. Built for a family of three, the property spread over 5227 sq ft was built on a few interesting guiding principles.
The brief for the architect—Fazil Moidunny, lead architect of Architecture.Seed—was straightforward: the client wanted a simple, 2000 sq ft, three-bedroom-home on a limited budget. The charming property is surrounded by vast open fields, with plenty of “kaatum velichavum.” The Malayalam phrase refers to air and light, and the design was created to enhance this elemental feature to build a serene home. Additionally, the structure needed to ensure two things: unobstructed wind flow and a connection to the nature around.
Moidunny explains that this was achieved by designing two ‘nodes’: “Two nodes—a primary node and a secondary node—were purposefully designed in the form of courtyards along the direction of the wind. The primary node is the internal courtyard and the secondary node is the external veranda with the sit-out courtyard.”

External Veranda And Internal Courtyard

The external veranda serves a dual purpose in this home. It is a space to gather for the family and helps channel the wind towards the home’s interior. A lone Bucida tree shades the veranda entrance while the exposed concrete bench along the sit-out corner adds to the rustic charm of the space.
Through the external veranda, the wind flows into the internal courtyard that was imagined as the 'lungs' of the house. 'Jalli' screens were added to make the space more 'breathable'. Apart from adding to the aesthetic value, these screens also aid ventilation by bringing in cool breeze and letting out the warm breeze. The internal courtyard can be easily accessed from all the rooms of the house making it the perfect communal spot.

Living Room

The veranda looks into the living room—a cosy yet airy space with ample ventilation. The decor of the room is fairly minimal with the spatial architecture taking centrestage. The 15-ft high ceilings add to the charm of the design.

Dining Room

One part of the internal courtyard houses the double height dining space. Exposed cantilevered concrete steps are an eye-catching addition here. A statement ochre wall along the staircase wall adds a pop of colour to the otherwise monochromatic palette. The skylight above the staircase filters in abundant light adding to the warmth of the room.