Occupying a compact 4-cent plot, this family home redefines spatial efficiency, focusing on the synergy between built and open areas. Designed for a family of three, the emphasis on "building less" is evident in the slimmed-down program and strategically placed terrace gardens that provide respiration space and counterbalance the limited footprint.
Nestled amidst paddy fields on two sides, the plot's positioning at the layout's end ensures both security and unobstructed entry. Opting out of a compound wall promotes accessibility, while the front yard accommodates two cars, an almond tree, and a visually permeable screen wall for privacy.
The transition from exterior to interior is marked by a lily pond, serving as a welcoming threshold. The ground floor seamlessly integrates living, dining, and kitchen into a single, open space. A discreetly placed staircase allows unhurried settlement in the living area, while a guest room with an attached toilet prioritizes seclusion.
The first floor, featuring a unified volume with a bed space opening onto a terrace garden, employs a narrow staircase treated with perforated metal sheeting. The second-floor studio, a standout feature, boasts coconut wood construction with a steel roof, providing panoramic paddy field views.
Constructed with a lightweight hollow brick frame, the house uses prefabricated coconut wood on the third floor for insulation. Inbuilt furniture enhances space management, preserving a minimalist, raw aesthetic with exposed concrete, bricks, and locally sourced coconut and recycled wood.
Named Lily, this unique dwelling challenges conventional norms, connecting intimate spaces to small terrace gardens for vegetable cultivation. The interplay of textures—brick, cement, and coconut wood—creates a poetic ambiance. The house experiments with the divinity of light, symbolized by oil-lit lamps at the entrance, transcending visual aesthetics to immerse inhabitants in an experiential architecture