Kalarigram House, Auroville: A Courtyard-Centered Vernacular Residence by Badoloka of Auroville

Located on the quiet outskirts of Auroville, Kalarigram House is a thoughtfully crafted residential project by Badoloka that seamlessly blends traditional Indian vernacular architecture with contemporary spatial living. Designed in 2022 for a Kalari martial arts master, his family, and visiting guests, the house forms part of a larger campus that includes a Kalari training school and a treatment center, demanding a sensitive balance between openness, privacy, and multifunctional use.

Spanning approximately 5,000 square feet, the residence responds directly to its active surroundings. With daily movement from students, practitioners, and visitors, the architects adopted an inward-looking architectural strategy, organizing the house around a central courtyard. This courtyard acts as the spatial and social heart of the home, providing privacy from the exterior while fostering internal connectivity, climatic comfort, and community interaction.

The courtyard-centric plan enables a fluid relationship between indoor and semi-open spaces. Informal living zones surrounding the courtyard adapt effortlessly to a range of uses, from everyday family life to art performances, music sessions, workshops, and communal gatherings. Beyond its social role, the courtyard enhances natural daylighting and passive ventilation, creating a comfortable microclimate suited to Auroville’s warm and humid conditions.

Formally enclosed spaces are intentionally limited to the eight bedrooms, ensuring acoustic and visual privacy. In contrast, the living room, dining area, and kitchenette remain open and interconnected, reinforcing a sense of openness and shared living. Since most heavy cooking activities occur in a separate kitchen block on the campus, the in-house kitchenette supports lighter, everyday use while maintaining spatial continuity. 

A defining architectural element of Kalarigram House is its brick jali façade, particularly along the bedroom bay windows. These perforated brick screens filter harsh sunlight, promote cross-ventilation, and ensure privacy from nearby activities. At the same time, they cast dynamic patterns of light and shadow across interior surfaces, enriching the spatial experience. The jalis form the home’s distinctive exterior identity, merging cultural heritage with modern architectural expression.

An informal open terrace crowns the residence, accessible both internally and via an external spiral staircase. Designed as a social platform for evening gatherings, the terrace leads to an attic level sheltered by a traditional clay tile roof. This attic functions as a flexible workshop and gathering space while also acting as a thermal and rain barrier, protecting the bedrooms below from excessive heat and monsoon weather.

Structurally, the house adopts an experimental hybrid system. Traditional stone columns define the courtyard edges, while reinforced concrete beams and slabs provide structural stability. The remaining structure relies on locally sourced load-bearing bricks, originally classified as manufacturing rejects due to their surface irregularities. Rather than concealing these imperfections, the architects embraced them, allowing the exposed brickwork to define the home’s raw, tactile aesthetic. Complemented by exposed cement plaster, cast iron details, and warm wood finishes, the material palette delivers a timeless architectural language rooted in sustainability and locality.

Kalarigram House stands as a compelling example of sustainable residential architecture in India, demonstrating how vernacular materials, passive design strategies, and contemporary living needs can coexist harmoniously. It reflects a deep respect for place, culture, and climate, offering a serene yet dynamic living environment within the vibrant context of Auroville.

  All photographs are works of  Studio Frameify