INDIA DESIGN ID 2024: FEB 7-12, 2024, NSIC GROUNDS, OKHLA, NEW DELHI
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INDIA DESIGN ID 2024 | 15-18 FEB, 2024 | NSIC GROUNDS, OKHLA, NEW DELHI

Home > Laal Kothi by MSS Design is an exemplary illustration of contemporary, vernacular and sustainable architecture

Laal Kothi by MSS Design is an exemplary illustration of contemporary, vernacular and sustainable architecture

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Fact File
Location: Goa
Principal Architect: Amit Sukhthankar
Photography by: Harshan Thomson

 

Laal Kothi by MSS Design has been designed on a bucolic Goan hillside overlooking the Zuari river, framed by an idyllic arrangement of palm groves, under which the enchanting site of a fishing community (with its wooden canoes, smoke billowing out of thatched roofs, and tintinnabulations of the village temple) creates a mesmerising ambience. Featuring a vernacular material palette of laterite, black igneous rock, and local teak with a red colour scheme inspired by the local soil, the design intent references the Sanskrit concept of “Swayambhu,” where objects are regarded as divine by being one with, or conceived by, nature itself. Apart from the central mango tree around which the space was conceived and landscaped gardens on the upper levels, the home also features its organic farm with 130 different species of flora, is powered by photovoltaic cells on the roof, and even has a well!

Architect Amit Sukhthankar was determined to ensure that every aspect of construction which took place did not disrupt the beautifully balanced energy of the locale in any way. “The very first ideas emerged when the visibly unhealthy-looking mango tree located in the middle of the plot miraculously revived itself, as though finding a new purpose in life. This was certainly a good omen, which immediately placed the tree among the central ideas for the house. “It was meticulously surveyed, and its branches were mapped to ensure that none of it had to be cropped to accommodate the structure,” he explained. The spatial composition spans two levels, with living, dining, and kitchen spaces on the upper level (accessible from the road) and private spaces located below. A retaining wall composed of exposed laterite has been used to raise the spaces adjoining the living room, facilitating the presence of accessible landscaped gardens above. “The living and dining hall is proportioned on the lines of the traditional Goan “sal,” with a high wooden ceiling, exposed steel trusses, and tall windows connecting with the view,” says Sukhthankar.

Pocketed sliding doors (facilitated by thick, detailed walls) and glass partitions on the flanks aid a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. A wide verandah on the south side acts as a protective transition to the riverside view. It is lined with wooden columns and serves as a vantage point for the gardens and the river beyond. The passage ceiling is punctured with skylights, which create a beautiful sciagraphy on the floor as the light filters through the mango tree. A charcoal painting by artist Harshada Kerkar in the lobby and living room, a library unit that also serves as a partition, and three en-suite bedrooms and a study on the lower floor (each with abutting verandahs, courtyards, and gardens) are other noteworthy elements. When asked about the choice of material and colour palettes, the architect said, “The material used was largely local. The laterite and black igneous rock excavated from the site were used for the construction of walls and pavements, respectively.

The house was kept almost monochrome with the use of red, which was the colour of the soil itself. Coloured concrete flooring further unified the overall scheme into a monolithic whole—as if the house had emerged from the ground. Local varieties of timber, such as shivan and teak, were utilised in false ceilings and other woodwork. In India, fascinating stories are told of man-made objects that get regarded as divine by being one with nature. They are often called “Swayambhu,” meaning self-manifested. It is an interesting concept to correlate nature directly with its final product—man is almost only incidental. The sense of belonging to the context from which the object emerged is at its core. Our design was a conscious effort to respect this correlation so that architecture becomes truly meaningful and sacred,” concluded Sukhthankar.

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