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Karthikeyan N The Wood House (Yercaud)
A weekend getaway house always holds a special place in the owner's heart. It is the second home that is meant to be relaxing and peaceful. The brief given by the client was that the house should be flexible enough to serve a single family and also larger gatherings. He was keen on having an unusual weekend home with cost effective solutions. The location of the house made the client urge on having a cozy wood home feel to the space. The wood house replicates the scenic beauty around it in a serene way. The house is located in Yercaud and played a major role in the design. The flora and fauna seen outside, is drawn inside through the openings, graphically. Customized art work covered the walls of the house.
FIRM NAME WeBe Design Lab PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS Karthikeyan N EDUCATION/AFFILIATION B.Arch, School of Architecture & Planning, Anna University, Chennai
PRODUCTS/VENDORS Paint: Asian Paints CP Fittings / Sanitaryware: Roca, Jaquar Furniture: Elements Kitchen: Faber Electrical: Hybec, Legrand CONSULTANTS/CONTRACTORS
BUILT UP AREA 2000 sq.ft. TEAM SIZE 20 people CONTACT No: 8/3, 5th Street, Nandanam Extension, Chennai 600035 INDIA T +91 044 2434 1833 E architects@webdesignlab.com W www.webdesignlab.com
Structural: Green Field Shelters Civil: Green Field Shelters Landscape: Green Field Shelters
terrestrial The spaces were reorganized in such a way that the public court is placed along the entrance and the private court at the rear side. The public and the private courts, connected through the doorway, merged to form a flexible living space. Horizontal lines are introduced on the wall to break the verticality. A contrast was achieved between the ceiling-wall and wall-floor in terms of material, finishes, textures and colors. The ceiling plays a vital role in creating the mood of the spaces. In the common areas, the ceiling has been treated with a light color to perceive the space larger than actual. While in the private spaces, ceiling is treated with a darker shade so that the space feels cozier, compact and meditative.
Top Left: View of the entrance Top Centre: Passage to the guest room Top Right: View of the master room from living space Bottom Left: View of the living, dining and kitchen
“Effective use of local material further adds on to the intended ambience. Waste wood has been used for the exterior wall to maintain the warmth. Internal walls have been left with the cement plastering to retain the cool air during hot days.�
Top Left: View of the master bedroom seating Top Right: View of the master bedroom Bottom Left: View of the TV unit in the background from the dining space Bottom Right: View of the foyer
darkness meets delight
In addition to the design, the same essence is used for lighting. The perforated pattern above the dining, which was captured at site during construction, plays a dual role, as a part of the ceiling during the day and as a huge light fixture at night. Similarly, the lamp in the master bedroom generates wild patterns intensifying the essence of the forest like nature. On the whole, the user relates to the space as a traditional wood house in a minimalist way.
FLOOR PLAN
FLOOR PLAN 1. ENTRANCE 2. COURT SPACE 3. FOYER 4. LIVING SPACE 5. DINING 6. KITCHEN 7. PATIO 8. BEDROOM 9. SIT-OUT SPACE 10. TOILET 11. GREEN SPACE 12. PARKING 13. OPEN SHOWER
the challenges Structure was designed by idea works, Cochin. We re-organized the existing structure based on client's requirements. The only challenge was to work with locally available materials and with local labour.
the influences “As the name goes 'The wood house' it had to be inspired from nature. Every single element of Wood was studied to build a house with the cozy wooden feel. The design philosophy didn't compromise on anything and delivered the best getaway house.� - Karthikeyan N
TEXT CREDITS Karthikeyan N Sangeeta Patrick
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS Maniyarasan R
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