△ Entrance
This vacation home is situated on a slightly elevated, leaf-shaped plot connected to the outside by a quiet road. Designed for a couple and their four children in Sharjah, it serves as a peaceful retreat for family relaxation, rejuvenation, and fun during their frequent visits to Kerala. The vine-like layout, with multiple rooms, can comfortably accommodate the family, along with relatives and friends who may stay with them. Importantly, the house is designed not only as a vacation villa but also as a permanent residence.
△ Entrance
△ Courtyard
The house consists of two parallel volumes connected centrally, each housing a series of fixed functional spaces and a linear circulation axis integrated into the rooms wherever possible. Primary and secondary functions are interwoven, with varying room widths creating a consistent, repetitive spatial rhythm throughout the building. This project explores the spatial potential of modular grids, achieving remarkable plasticity. The home’s solid, geometric form contrasts with the site’s chaotic natural landscape, producing a unique spatial language that serves as a tranquil setting for daily meditation.
Outdoor seating area
Outdoor seating area and small garden
Outdoor seating area and small garden
△ Left outdoor seating area
△ Left side pool
△ Formal Reception Room
△ Corridor
△ Prayer Room
Entry to the house is through a shaded outdoor seating area leading to a courtyard. This courtyard connects the formal outdoor seating on the left with the office space on the right. The single-layered wavy structure on the east side houses public and semi-private areas such as the visitor lounge, formal living room, prayer area, dining room, and washroom at the front, with kitchen, workspace, kitchen courtyard, and utility rooms towards the back. The double-layered building on the west side contains six bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a large office, and a terrace overlooking a shallow pool. Extending northward, this volume accommodates both open and closed car porches accessible from the paved front yard.
△ Kitchen breakfast area
△ Second floor family living room
The two main volumes are separated to ensure privacy for the bedrooms. However, a family area connects both volumes on each floor, strictly following the grid layout. The staircase is located in this central space, optimizing circulation efficiency. This communal area not only links the volumes but also serves as a leisure space that fosters family interaction.
△ Office area
△ Right side pool
△ Corridor
△ Bedroom area
△ Bedroom
△ Toilet
Two large courtyards lie between the parallel volumes to enhance ventilation and airflow throughout the home. The entrance courtyard facing north extends the outdoor seating area, while the larger southern courtyard connects to the ground floor family space and dining room. This courtyard also features a pool and an outdoor dining area that serve as essential overflow spaces. The dense vegetation outside contrasts beautifully with the home’s sparse, orderly grid landscape, creating a compelling blend of natural and architectural elements.
△ Aerial view of swimming pool
△ Pool leisure area
△ Corridor alongside the swimming pool
Outdoor water pool
The architectural layout strategically balances privacy for family members while leveraging the building’s orientation to capture seasonal dominant winds. This design encourages natural airflow through the interior, promoting continuous convective ventilation to keep the indoor spaces fresh and cool. The wavy volumes and cantilevered panels create shaded areas that block intense tropical sunlight. These floating roofs also efficiently collect rainwater, channeling it through custom stainless steel pipes into a dedicated rainwater collection chamber. Solar panels mounted on the expansive roofs generate energy, enabling the house to operate self-sufficiently and remain off the grid.
△ Courtyard night view
△ Courtyard night view
△ Night view of swimming pool
Design Drawings
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Roof plan
△ North elevation view
Project Information
Project Type: Independent Residence, Villa Interior
Location: Andathode, India
Architectural Firm: LIJO.RENY.architects
Area: 811 m²
Project Year: 2019
Photographer: Praveen Mohandas
Suppliers: Toto, Alfriday, Art, Berger Paints, Better Life, Blue Loft, BoConcept, Corvi, Defurn, EBCO, Englander, Fanzart, Finura Kitchens, Gebrit, Greece, Hafele, Hansgrohe, Havells, Home Centre, Kajaria, +16
Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects, Thrissur, Kerala
Lead Architects: Reny Lijo, Lijo Jos
Client: Dr. Shammer and Family
Interior Design: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape Concept: LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Engineer: Ummer P Hydru
Electrical and Plumbing: Prof. Ismail Anodiyil
Supervisors: Ummer, Manu Mani
Municipal Engineers: Mohamed Pattabi, Siddeque, Siju
Groundwork: K.N. Chandran
Painting: Purushotham
Wall Construction: Karpento, P.A. Mani, and 1000 Kitchen
Lighting Design: Zion, Thrivandrum
Room Automation: Arcnet, Sapians Automation, Smak Enterprises
Landscape Design: Unique Garden Decor, Naveen and Ragesh
Swimming Pool: French Pools
Glass Supplier: Crystal Thurisur and Suresh
Steel Structure: Star Steels
Metal Doors: Chemmanur Metals
Solar Panels: Wukud Power
Soft Decoration: Art Legend – Calicut
Water Conservation System: Greentek
Site Area: 2,114.32 m² (0.52 acres)
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