In the last few years, an inclination towards the local—contexts, materials and techniques—and hence towards environmentally sensitive architecture has pervaded the conscience of Indian architects. Following an underlying interest in sustainability and a desire to engage with traditional architecture and vernacular techniques, such projects are inherently concerned with the exacting costs of building anew. True to this ideology of applying idioms of vernacular practice into contemporary design, Tamil Nadu-based Earthscape Studio showcases a considered approach to climate, topography and environmentally-friendly techniques in their work. This mastery is best rendered in the studio's experimentations with materiality. In previous projects, the Indian architecture practice has worked with materials taken from the site itself, as with the Infinite Rise and a sculptural rendition of local brick and terracotta tiles with the Wendy House. As it seems, the hope with each design is to sublimate architecture into the context it arises from.

This deep concern with the natural landscape and the contexts within which architecture is conceived seems to be a driving ethos for the studio, as further evidenced by their recent residential design, Into the Wild. Constructed from ferrocement with thappi plaster on the outside and mud plaster on the inside, the architecture disregards columns or beams, allowing fluid movement in the interior volumes. The 'self-sustaining' undulating structure is located in rural Tamil Nadu, with lush views of the mountains and evergreen palms and coconut trees. Speaking about the distinctive form of the private residence arranged around a generous courtyard, the studio tells STIR, "The form is a structural element that we call fold architecture. The reason behind using this structure was to avoid columns and beams so that it would be a self-sustaining structure. This helped to reduce the amount of concrete and carbon emission."

The crucial metrics of sustainability for the project are further expanded on in the design team's insistence on ensuring that the project focuses 25 per cent on construction and 75 per cent on nature, responding and preserving the landscape around. The reliance on construction that reduces the impact on the ground, and hence carbon emissions, is another recurrent thread in the emerging architects' body of work. The residential architecture itself, fluid in form to emphasise the supple qualities of earthen architecture, is distinctly abstracted. The simple reason for adopting this sculptural approach, according to the designers, is to create something of a statement on an otherwise plain site.

Dubbing the sinuous form of the building 'fold architecture', the surprising volumes within create interesting vantage points for the residents. Entering into the building from a long, narrow corridor, one suddenly discovers the spacious courtyard around which the other interior spaces are arranged. From this open space, one can navigate into the different rooms in the house, each planned to maintain a sense of privacy and, at the same time, openness. The architects note that the folds and curves of the structure are meant to be akin to "entering a cave".

Adding to the cave-like interiors, the red and brown hues of the building's structure imbue the spaces with a certain understated-ness that is enhanced by the natural light filtering through the vents and the courtyard design. From the exterior, these protruding vents resembling mushrooms sprouting from the ground add to the design’s whimsy, facilitate natural light and enable hot air to escape the interior spaces. Moreover, to enhance the effect of the fantastical architecture, all the furniture for the farmhouse was in-built. As they enumerate in the official release, the bed, bar counter, pantry and seating have all been custom-designed and finished to create a feeling of opulence. "We believe that interiors are not about purchasing and arranging inside a space", the architects elaborate. The focus on passive cooling techniques for the project means that the design employs traditional lime plasters, reducing temperatures by about three degrees inside the home.

Speaking about their particular attention to detail, especially relevant in architecture as imaginative as Into the Wild, the architects mention that everything for the project was pre-planned, including services, to ensure there were no complications on site. Further explaining the challenges and limitations of executing a project of this nature, the team tells STIR, "Since we are working with curved forms, the architect should be there at the site all the time and monitor the process at each stage of construction [which is something we enjoy]. We also love to customise our own furniture from the site's scrap materials."

To this end, the doors, cabinets and benches in the house’s interior design were crafted from wood salvaged from the site. Even the stone elements, such as a door and a bench, were carved at the site from local stone. Elaborating on their use of the earthen plasters to adorn the surfaces of the home, the architects mention, "Mud is not a material palette. The beautiful thing in earthen architecture is not only about using the materials but also about the artisans."

This is evident in how materiality is a prime concern for the studio's overall practice and how this materiality is employed to ensure a more mindful design. Moving away from mentor Vinu Daniel's experimentations in vernacular architecture and form, Petchimuthu Kennedy, the lead architect of the practice, assimilates the earth, craftsmanship and nature into a forbearing design. It demonstrates not only the implications of building upon ground that is only growing scarcer, but also revels in ways to do it well.

Project Details

Name: Into the Wild
Location: Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
Design Team: Petchimuthu Kennedy (lead architect), Shivani Saran S K, Niha Ann Baby, Sowmiya Arul
Area: 1450 sq ft
Year of Completion: 2024