“There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy O' Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)”

A cover of the folk song Wellerman from New Zealand, released by Scottish song artist Nathan Evans in 2021 and which went on to become a virat hit, is amongst the references that inspired Madurai-based architecture studio STO.M.P (Studio for Modernism & Practical Aesthetics) to conceive a residential design that embodies a marine spirit. Named after the ship referenced in the song, the Billy O’Tea house is a villa situated on the outskirts of the port city Thoothukudi or Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, India.

Just like the sea shanty song illustrates the merciless bedraggling of a ship in the midst of a storm, the design and conception of this private residence, too, witnessed initial setbacks that latently led to its final design comprising various nautical references. "We felt a fascinating connection. The viral sea shanty Wellerman does evoke a sense of community and togetherness, much like how the villa's design aims to create spaces that bring people together," shares Vignesh Sekar, principal architect on the project. "Incorporating elements inspired by such themes can definitely enhance the sense of camaraderie and shared experience in a space," he adds, enunciating upon this intangible aspect that guided the conception of the Billy O'Tea house.

The Indian architecture studio designed this coastal house like a docked ship, albeit with the foundational and functional entities of a residential construction intact. “The house images a ship in remembrance of the city’s Horcrux. Manifesting The Billy O’ Tea to sail into the sea. YES, IT SAILS,” the design team exclaim, before extending the desire for the visit of a Wellerman with sugar and tea and rum, referencing the song. The contemporary residence is characterised by a hull-inspired amphitheatre, wave-like facade, seashell embellishments on the roof, surmountable voids for the coastal wind to blow in, and window openings next to the courtyard that help recreate the experience of being seated on a ship deck whilst facing the sea breeze and witnessing spanning views of the endless water body.

The 5,000-square-foot villa was initially conceptualised by architects Vignesh Sekar and Shamini Vignesh in a different mien. However, the initial design, conceived during summers, could not be executed on ground during the prevailing monsoons. With a surge in rainfall, both the site and its surrounding plots became swamped with stagnant water. As the architects waited for the site to dry up in order to begin the excavation, they also took this time to grasp a disguised messaging in the abundant water that had made its presence known on the residential building’s site.

This led to the current design that was inspired by its context and conditions and that offers solace, reflecting the city’s endless shoreline. “As a practice, context is something we always draw inspiration from. Tuticorin is referred to as the Sea Gateway of Tamil Nadu and is known for its pearl fisheries and shipbuilding industries. That intrigued the thoughts of personifying the house as a docked ship through its components, materiality and spaces,” the Indian architects share. In addition to the nautical features abundantly visible on the building, the structure also integrates regional architectural and structural elements.

Further, since the city experiences a hot semi-arid climate, the architects undertook a climate-sensitive design approach with the integration of courtyards and lounges and the placement of service areas and washrooms in peripheral zones so as to shield the habitable spaces from direct sunlight. The kitchen extends into the front yard and the courtyards puncturing the building mass facilitate the inflow of diffused light and improve ventilation. Some punctures positioned on the edges of the structure facilitates wind movement though the space. The dining area, characterised by a sloping roof and ample openings that are further connected to the courtyard, remains illuminated during most days and evenings.

The four bedrooms, split across the ground floor and first floor, are surrounded by the lawn, lounges, corridors, courtyards, living areas and dining spaces, balconies and the amphitheatre, all of which serve as spillover areas for its residents and for seasonal parties. With an urban prairie plot on the northern side of the site, the microclimate within the residence is further enhanced with improved windflow through the house via its various entries and exits.

Keeping in line with the intention of honouring the environment, the architects minimised the waste on site by utilising reclaimed and sustainable materials to build nearly 50 per cent of the house. While the staircase was built using discarded coastal wood, a 15-year-old fallen Burma teak tree was used for joinery.

The highlight of Billy O’Tea is its amphitheatre, imaginatively conceived as a space that references a rowing vessel with seats for oarsmen. Functionally, it serves as a theatre space, positioned on the first floor. The strategic placement of the amphitheatre on a corner of the building that receives the most sunlight also means that the seats help mitigate heat gain during summers. During monsoons, rainfall easily cascades off the steps to be directed towards the pond on the ground floor, washing the Buddha statue placed within it. Due to the construction of the amphitheatre on the first floor, just above the double-heighted living room, the latter is characterised by a sloping roof. With an open ceiling and its isolated placement within the house, the amphitheatre remains shut off from its immediate surroundings whilst opening up the possibility of experiencing the flowing breeze, a view of the boundless sky and the unfettered bouncing of raindrops off its stepped surface. “It evokes the idea of being at sea where the sky is the only point of reference,” shares Sekar.

The main entrance to the site from the adjacent road, references the paddipura, an arched gateway popular in Kerala architecture and intended as a perch for passers-by in the event of rainfall. Conceived as a flat roofed entryway that is accessible via granite steps, it hosts a small shaded space, accessible from the outside, before the placement of the main gate which is made using reclaimed wood planks. 

Keeping in line with their intention to reinterpret nautical features, the team at STO.M.P opted for an exposed brick facade which, on the upper portion, was sculpted to emulate sea waves. “The creepers flowing jewels up as weeds to the abandoned vessel,” reads an excerpt from the press release. The brick walls, on the other hand, are touched up in marble plaster and supported with visible metal columns and handrails on the upper floor that are evocative of a steamship. The floors are covered in slabs of Kota, Kadappa and yellow Jaisalmer marble that are imprinted with patterns redolent of tilting ocean tides. Further, the roof is emblazoned with seashells.

This treatment of each space and entity in a manner such that it is imbued with thalassic references, renders the initial concept conceived by STO.M.P absolute. Its street facing facade, with an open-to-sky area and a semi-shaded terrace on the first floor, reminds one of the spanning deck of a ship. The amphitheatre, on the other hand, features as a landmark entity within the residence, suitable for hosting gatherings as well as for serving as a meditative spot that shuts off the urban babbles and helps establish a connection with natural forces.

Project Details

Name: Billy O’Tea
Location: Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India
Client: Swati and Sumit
Architect: STO.M.P
Lead Architect: Vignesh Sekar
Project Architect: Karthik Vasuki
Design Team: Karthik Vasuki, Shamini Vignesh, Abishek
Structural Engineers: Archetype
MEP Consultants: Aperture
Interior Contractor: Pankaj
Area: 5000 sqft
Year of Completion: 2023