Villa Vernacular - Kerala

Our current situation has completely changed our way of life. Isolation is, in my opinion, a disruption of everyday functioning. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a significant proportion of people have been forced to move their profession home. The problem is mixing of eating, rest, sleeping, work zones with each other. Before the pandemic, the start of working time was also a change in the zone of functioning. Arriving at the place of the performed activity, the person was focused on commencing his tasks and professional duties. When work is performed in the current place of rest or eating, everyday functioning may be significantly impeded. A person in isolation does not rest because he has the impression of being constantly at work, which causes mental fatigue and thus lowering the mood and effects of work. Long-term malaise can even lead to depression, which is not helped by the lack of contact with other people that we are so used to as a society. The whole situation seems to perfectly show how important it is for people to divide the interior into zones. This is something that should be included in the design process. The house that meets these conditions is a villa located on a plot of land in Kerala, the Indian region. It provides, for a period of six months, place to work and harmonious cohabitation with members of family. During this time, the household members will be in isolation and perform their professions on the premises of the building. 

Villa.

Villa is a type of residential house intended for the most affluent part of society. It is closely related to the environment. The design should take into account the appearance of separate bedrooms and private bathrooms. 

Family model.

The family model consists of parents - who jointly run an architectural studio and their two children: a son - a sculpture student, and a daughter - a painting student. Their professions require much more from the workplace than a desk and a computer. You need more space to work freely and to accommodate all work-related accessories such as easels, paintings, sculptures, etc. For this reason, I assumed at the very beginning that the household should have separate rooms for work only. Separating these rooms will allow the family to detach from disturbing stimuli during worktime. This also eliminate the problem of mixing between the rest and work zones. 

Concept.

The inspiration in my project was insulation itself and how I understand it. Based on my opinion and experiences related to the pandemic, I understand it as a state in which a person is lost, sad, overwhelmed. It is accompanied by a heavy atmosphere. Another inspiration is the region in which the villa is to be located. After analyzing the local traditional architecture, I decided not to be directly inspired by it. I was inspired by the surroundings itself, the atmosphere there, the colors and materials popular in this region. Kerala's economy is mainly based on agriculture. They mainly grow rice, tea and spices such as vanilla, pepper and cinnamon, which inspired me when choosing the color scheme. The tropical climate and the fog occurring in this region give the surroundings a mystery. The main material in the project is concrete, which was supposed to emphasize the harsh and heavy atmosphere. There is also wood and copper taken from the traditional Kerala architecture. The goal was to create a dark, mysterious, mystical interior that overwhelms and causes some anxiety and a feeling of being lost. The building is supposed to resemble unable to be reached bunker isolated from the world. 

Project.

As you head towards the building you can not see the entrance. This is to emphasize the mystery and inaccessibility of the building. Only after getting closer you can find the entrance. After entering the interior, you cannot see the representative zone of the villa, and the corridors leading further into the rooms. Dark mysterious hallway are supposed to resemble a labyrinth. They lead to the private bedrooms of the household members and their workshops, which are located in the adjacent rooms. Parents have a common studio due to the shared business. The bathrooms have been placed next to each other to limit the number of risers. In the center there are common relaxation area - living room, a kitchenette and a dining area. The model of the chairs used is Kos from the manufacturer Nurt. Living room already stands out from the corridor, you cannot see the entrance, but the light emanating from it coming out into the hall invites you towards it. There is  more optimistic atmosphere than in the rest of the building. It is well lit thanks to the presence of a skylight in the roof. It is a place for spending time together, which in a pandemic is an important element, the lack of which makes everyday functioning difficult. The interiors are minimalist with no unnecessary additions. The atmosphere is to be built with the help of the shaping of the walls and the light entering the interior. 

Summary.

To sum up, the project of a villa located in Kerala was inspired by insulation, its negative impact on people, and the climate and surroundings prevailing in a selected region of India. Cut off from the rest of the world, the villa evokes anxiety and seems inaccessible. Interior is mysterious, but at the same time invites to you like an undiscovered tomb waiting to be explored.