The House Within the Grid _ LIJO RENY architects

The House Within the Grid | LIJO RENY architects

HOUSES, HOUSES INTERIORS•ANDATHODE, INDIA
Architects: LIJO RENY architects
Area : 811 m²
Year : 2019
Photographs :Praveen Mohandas
Manufacturers : BoConcept, Hansgrohe, Hafele, Legrand, Ligne Roset,
Muuto, NATUZZI, Nitco Limited, Osram, Toto, Alfriday, Art, Berger

Paints, Better Life, Blue Loft, Corvi, Defurn, EBCO, Englander,

Fanzart, +16
Lead Architects : Reny Lijo, Lijo Jos
Structural : Ummer P Hydru
Door, Wardrobes And Other Carpentory Work : Karpento, P.A. Mani and

1000 kitchen
Landscape : Unique Garden Decor, Naveen and Ragesh
Lighting : Zion, Thrivandrum
Interiors : LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape Concept : LIJO.RENY.architects
Civil : Mohamed Pattabi, Siddeque, Siju
Painting : Purushotham
Architects : LIJO.RENY.architects, Thrissur, Kerala
Client : Dr. Shammer and Family
Electrical And Plumbing : Prof ismail Anodiyil
Supervisor : Ummer, Manu Mani
Flooring : K.N. Chandran
Home Automation : Arcnet, Sapians Automation, Smak Enterprises
Swimming Pool : French Pools
Glass Supplier And Installation : Crystal-Thrissur and Suresh
Steel Fabrication : Star Steels
Metal Doors : Chemmanur Metals
Solar Panels : Wukud Power
Soft Furnishing : Art Legend- Calicut
Water Treatment : Greenteck
Site : 2114.32 sqm. (0.52 acres)
Electrical : Prof ismail Anodiyil
Plumbing : Prof ismail Anodiyil
City : Andathode
Country : India

Located in a leafy neighborhood, ‘The House within the Grid’ sits on
a slightly elevated plot accessed by a silent road.Designed for a
doctor couple and their 4 children, based in Sharjah, this house was
meant as a place for relaxation, rejuvenation and bonding during
their frequent visits to Kerala. The sprawling house and its many
rooms were designed to accommodate and entertain the family as well
as several relatives and friends who may join them during such
occasions. Eventually, as this house was meant to become their
permanent home, it was designed as one than just a holiday home.

The house is composed of 2 distinct parallel bays connected in
between. Each of these bays consists of a set of defined functional
areas and a linear circulation spine that dissolves into the parent
room wherever possible. A mix of primary and secondary functions,
with its two different room widths, creates a visible repetitive
spatial pattern throughout the house. This project was an exercise
in exploiting the spatial possibilities offered by the surprisingly
flexible modular grid. Juxtaposing the rigorous but serene geometry
of the house with the incoherent landscape of its site, a distinct
spatial language evolved to become a subtle stage for the
contemplative daily activities.

One enters the house through a shaded sit-out area, trapped in an
external courtyard, which connects itself to the formal sit-out to

the left and the office space to the right.The single storied bay on
the eastern side of the site, composed of undulating volumes, houses
the public and semiprivate zone, such as the visitor’s lounge,
formal living, common prayer area, dining, powder rooms, etc.
towards the front and more private zone, like the kitchen, work
area, kitchen court, utility, etc. towards the back. The double
storied volume on the western side of the site houses the six
bedrooms along with their attached toilets and a compact office
space with a patio overlooking a shallow pool. This bay extends
towards the north to house an open and a closed car porch, both
accessible from the paved front yard.

The two main bays were detached from each other to offer the bedroom
block its much needed privacy. However, connecting these two bays,
while strictly adhering to the grid configuration of the house, is a
family/ space each on either of the floors. The staircase was
positioned in this zone to make the circulation far more efficient.

This central space, while creating an access between the main bays,
becomes a casual lounging area encouraging communication between the family members.

Two large courtyards trapped between the parallel bays to enhance
the ventilation and the circulation in the project. The entry court

towards the north acts as an extension of the sit-out. While the
larger court towards the south, an extension of the ground floor
family space and the dining, with a dining patio and a swimming pool
becomes the much needed spill out space. The dense vegetation
outside these courtyards contrasts with the sparse regimented
landscape,placed within the grids of the house, to create an
enjoyable medley.