A contemporary vacation home in rural Puducherry

Architecture_Interspace’s design for this second home ensures that nature is framed from every corner of the house.

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Yash R Jain; courtesy Architecture_Interspace

The site

House on a Farm is a vacation home designed by Architecture_Interspace, and is set in a quaint little village, Kurumbagaram, near the port town of Karaikal in southern Tamilnadu. Intended to be a get-away from the hustle of urban life, the house is nestled amongst the shade of sandalwood trees, fruit orchards and paddy fields. This ancestral half acre land is a haven for birds and squirrels.

The design intent

The notion is to create a place that makes the residents feel connected with not only the surrounding nature but also their inner souls. The design philosophy is a mix between rustic themes based on the idea of living with nature and contemporary finishes to enable comfortable work from home weekends. The core idea of the built environment is to bring back the rural way of life that the ancestors had and extend that to present day culture and context.

The architectural plan

The architecture captures the emotions and energies of the land, and evokes the simplicity of rural life using timeless design and materials. The building footprint is kept at 1,500 sq ft to minimise impact on local vegetation and for an efficient microclimate. The house is set far back from the street allowing to create a beautifully landscaped buffer breathing space that gives only a sneak peek of the residence.

Based on the primary aspects of vastu, the built form consists of two cuboids hosting the living and cooking spaces with bedrooms separated for privacy. The connecting transition space is the dining area which forms the heart of the house. The dining area overlooks the open court on one side and the outdoor deck and plunge pool on the other side. It acts as the central focal point of the house — in essence and in plan. The outdoor deck doubles up as family gathering space during festive occasions. The infinity plunge pool overlooks the fruit orchards and the 100-year-old artesian well from which it draws water.

The semi-outdoor spaces and open courts are a contemporary take on traditional courtyards. They regulate the microclimate and create a dialogue between the indoor and outdoor environment. They are not limited in design as each space offers the complete vertical field of view from the land to sky which is very important in evoking calmness of the mind.

The landscape has been recreated using locally available fruit and vegetable bearing plants and shade providing trees that complement the already existing flora. The resulting architecture and landscape help the user experience the Zen mode of farm life adapted to present day culture.

The material palette

Locally sourced Corten-effect steel boxes near Karaikal port break the monotony of the concrete and highlight the windows of the structure. The plinth of the entire house is tucked inside to give the building a raised look off the ground, thus reducing the heaviness of concrete and creating a sense of tranquility in and around the place.

For the interiors, a simple colour palette of black and white was chosen with earthy wood as accent. Lime-based polished grey oxide walls and black vitrified tile flooring set a monochrome and minimal background with bright coloured furniture and decor acting as contrast.