Casa M by 1leapingfrog Studio is the ideal holiday home in Chennai. Located along the East Coast Road by the sea side, the beach house functions as a haven from the bustle of city life. Read what the studio had to say about the space below:
A conscious decision was made to build on just one-third of the site area; the remaining was used to blur the line between built and unbuilt, carving out spaces for recreation and leisure in the outdoors.
The building responds sensitively to local climate by harnessing the prevalent North East sea breeze through careful planning. The walk up to the house from the gate is a prolonged one, setting the pace, weaving through pockets of landscape, building excitement with glimpses of what’s to come through openings and planned movement. This movement culminates at the entry court, a bright space for casual conversation. Characterized by a tiled roof and skylights through which the sun lights up the accent ochre wall, it creates the perfect spot to indulge in your morning chai and newspaper.
The family spaces on the ground floor are framed by a vaulted roof, bringing in a feeling of lightness through balanced proportions. The living and dining areas open toward the landscape and pool area, the cobalt walls drawing the eye out to the open stage nestled in the greenery.
The bedroom block sits on short columns over the walls, imparting lightness to the mass floating over the lower structure. The two bedrooms on the upper floor are defined by the butterfly roof that lets in light making a small space feel airy and vast. The raised block faces the sea and frames the ocean view.
Intrinsic to the design is the large garden to the north and north-east and several smaller parcels of landscape that help buffer various spaces from the surroundings. On the other hand, the interiors are where a blend of quirky, eclectic themes and colours meet contemporary spaces. The spaces have been crafted in the form of outdoor and indoor spaces to entertain large groups of guests and host events, and are complemented by simple and practical spaces that cater to everyday life, all woven together in this sea side home.
