Rooted in a sense of appreciation for vernacular design, lately, Indian architects have been experimenting with local—contexts, materials, and techniques—in the pursuit of sensitive architecture. An underlying concern for sustainability permeates these experiments, with these being particularly prominent for construction based in sensitive contexts. Indian architecture is seeing a turn towards the conscious, towards a revival of traditional techniques moulded for contemporary design. A considered approach to climate, topography and sustainable materials prefigures this turn. Buildings that adopt such ideology do not simply call back to age-old techniques and forms but update these to create a vocabulary deeply rooted in the past as well as the present.

A case in point is the work of Earthscape Studio, a Tamil Nadu-based practice. A previous project, The Wendy House, showcased a dovetailing of the vernacular and contemporary through a sculptural form constructed with locally produced bricks, once widely used for the Madras terrace roof technique. Their design for The Infinite Rise, a farmhouse in Coimbatore, continues this exploration of contextual techniques and materials in residential architecture.

A gabion wall with stones collected from around the site makes it appear as if the house is rising out of the mountain ledge it sits on. Located amid the Nilgiris, the private residence enjoys views of the lush valley through a design that consciously dialogues with its surroundings. Taking care not to disturb the land it is built on, the architects constructed the spacious home on a 6m deep land cut, using its irregular form to give shape to the design.

A semi-circular volume with spaces oriented towards the valley makes up the house, where the perforated wall and an open courtyard suffuse the interiors with soft natural light. With a strong wind flow through the site making it a challenge to ensure expansive views of the natural landscape, the choice of gabion wall becomes a way to experiment with an unconventional construction technique and adds visual intrigue to the project.

The wall wraps around the residential architecture, with a waterbody offering a sense of buffer from the outside and becoming a passive cooling device. Vernacular construction techniques inform the structure: with poured earth and green oxide flooring employed for cooling the interiors passively. The interest in passive design stems from a concern for local architectural techniques and a desire to lower embodied and operational carbon for the project while simultaneously lowering the costs. In that vein, a lot of the materials used for the project were sourced locally, such as the rocks for the gabion wall, mud, and scrap wood for the furnishings.

A simple residence with an earth-toned colour palette, every element in the design heightens one’s connection to nature. While the use of green oxide in the interior design creates a contrast to the terracotta tones, it adds richness to the spaces. The drive up to the house through the lush greenery, and the entry to the home make it feel like entering a cave within the rugged mountains, an experience heightened by the mud walls and sombre interiors. Inside, each space is centred around a courtyard which features a shallow pond. Radiating out from it, the spaces all look out to the valley, each enjoying the quietness of the courtyard design and fleeting glimpses of the valley landscape through the gabion wall.

As the architects mention, the choice of the gabion wall is not a mere service to sustainability but serves an aesthetic purpose by concealing and revealing the surroundings. While the house feels rooted in tradition, the common dining area opens out onto a deck with an infinity pool, adding a touch of the contemporary to the otherwise rustic sensibilities of the architecture.

The lead architect, Petchimuthu Kennedy has previously referred to the lead architect of Wallmakers, Vinu Daniel as a mentor. Echoing Daniel’s ethos of low-cost innovation, Kennedy’s experimentation with material and forms makes the construction process and the final product appealing and eco-conscious. 

Offering a connection to the natural world, the farmhouse allows its residents to celebrate the natural world from a comfortable vantage point and speaks to the beauty of the Nilgiri landscape, a place that feels removed from time.

Project Details

Name: The Infinite Rise
Year of completion: 2023
Built Area: 1800 sq. ftx
Lead Architect: Petchimuthu Kennedy
Team: Petchimuthu Kennedy, Shivani Saran S K, Ayyasamy, Ragavendran.