The Vision
This penthouse overlooking Kochi's backwaters demanded a design that brought the water's serenity indoors. The client — a young couple who had returned from London — wanted a home that felt unmistakably Kerala yet entirely contemporary.
Design Approach
We anchored the palette in three materials: polished concrete floors for their cool, monsoon-ready texture; Nilambur teak for warmth and heritage; and Kannur laterite as accent walls that glow in the afternoon light. Every junction between materials was treated as a moment of craft — brass inlays, hand-finished plaster, and flush teak panels with no visible hardware.
The Kitchen
A modular kitchen with an integrated traditional adukkala corner behind the main island, clad in handmade terracotta tiles sourced from Thrissur. The best Kerala fish curries still need the memory of firewood — this corner honours that.
Climate Solutions
Deep overhangs with hidden gutters, marine-grade teak treatment throughout, and cross-ventilation paths that run through a series of screened openings inspired by traditional jaali work. The result reduces AC usage by nearly 50% during pre-monsoon months.
