Roy Antony Architects Create a Contemporary and Harmonious Wonder in South-Central Kerala

Alankar Residence by Roy Antony Architects

What the architects have attempted in Alankar Residence is a harmonious reconciliation of the diverse set of design factors that are part of any architectural project, in a process that is conceived as akin to “knitting“.

It is thanks to such a conception and realization of architecture that Alankar Residence satisfies the needs and interests of the client and speaks to the contemporary Kerala socio-cultural and urban reality, while at the same time aspires to manifesting its noblest ideals.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY:

Roy Antony Architects believe in an Architecture appropriée that evolves from the particularities of its own physical context, the client’s brief and our design choices. The essential process of architectural making, simultaneously organic and intentional, informed by our professional experience and inspired by deep intuitions and clear insights, thus proceeds in a harmonious weaving together of these above-mentioned factors. The process is never formulaic or algorithmic, and its outcome, attested by our own experience, is always wondrous, not only to behold but, more importantly, also to dwell in.

Picture Courtesy: Roy Antony Architects

DESIGN CONCERNS:

Alankar Residence plays with spatial volumes to create areas for living, work and leisure. Given the desire of the client-family to be somewhat reclusive, these spaces are predominantly introverted, focusing around an internal open-to-sky pool. Already, the pool and the reflection of light on the water together effect a play of chiaroscuro (light and shadow/darkness) in the covered spaces around, which is further accentuated by a system of diverse fenestration: louvers, grills and glass- and wood-shuttered windows. The boundary wall is at a height of 3.0M from the road level, and is provided with a number of well-placed apertures which ensure a visual continuity between the street and the enclosed front-yard and the facade of the building.

The inverted-sloped tiled-roof pavilion that covers the terrace, a dominant element in the architectural composition deriving from the tropical-monsoon climatic conditions of Kerala has not yet been constructed. Still, the building, as it stands presently, is “complete” in a sense; if the client constructs this pavilion one day, it will render the building simply “more complete”.

Picture Courtesy: Roy Antony Architects

LOCATION:

The site is located in a residential neighbourhood,4km from the Changanassery town-centre, in Kerala ,India. The total site area is 4107 sqm and the building area is 456.17 sqm. The site is flat and elevation from the road by a height of 1.2m.

Alankar consist of two floors in which the Ground Floor includes a Formal Living, Family Space, Dining Area, Kitchen, Work Area, Prayer Area, 2 Bed Rooms, Pool and Deck spaces. The First Floor consist of a Family Area, Balcony space and 2 Bed Room spaces. As we enter the house, we are greeted into the double heighted Formal Living Area which faces the Pool.

Picture Courtesy: Roy Antony Architects

The careful use of diverse materials and finishes for walls and floors such as cement plastering, unplastering brick cladding, wood, glazed cement tiles with geometric pattern and brushed granite extend the visual effect of light- darkness interplay to the tactile realm as well, thus offering the inhabitants a rich sensorial experience of building.

Project: Alankar Residence

Location: w, Kerala

Design House: Roy Antony Architects

Design Team: Ar. Sainath Kadavil, Ar. Vaishnavi, Ar. Aswathy Shajan, Ar. Shyam Prasad, Ar. Jinju Ann Johnson.

Photography: Syam Sreesylam

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