We were approached to design a cafe in a quiet place near to TKM College, Kollam. Being alumnus of the institute, our quest was to make sure that the design reflects and responds to the student life and the vernacular architecture of the region. Furthermore the small site with its typical shape and a tight budget led to a flexible structure almost completely made of reused materials, and also responding to the context. Restricting the palette to reused wood and old tiles was an important decision, as this helped us in creating the rustic mood and to reduce costs. Walls were constructed by stacking old tiles following a vernacular construction technique of the area. Recycled wood and bamboo were used to complete the structure. The wooden bench seating and the tables were designed in such a way as to make maximum use of the available space. Layers of tropical landscape were also added to the structure to enhance the spatial experience.
The chiseled house was one of our earliest renovation projects. The original house was constructed 13 years back and had used heavy ornamentation in its architectural expression. The layout had disjointed functions and lacked ventilation. We redesigned the house with a minimal architectural vocabulary based on the functional requirements. The skewed roof form is the outcome of a design process based on functional requirements and structural integrity. Layers of bamboo and other tropical planting, at different strategic points bring about passive cooling, and adds greenery to the house.
