The Kalarigram House by Badoloka Architects is a unique residential design located on the outskirts of Auroville, catering to a Kalari master, his family, and guests attending martial arts training and treatments. The house, covering an area of 5,000 sq.ft, was designed to blend traditional and local vernacular architectural elements with modern living standards, creating a versatile space for both residential and communal activities.
Project Name: Kalarigram
Studio Name: Badoloka Architects
Area: 5,000 sq.ft
Year: 2022
Lead Architect: Praveen Ram
Photographs: Studio Frameify
The design of Kalarigram House emphasizes a seamless integration of cultural heritage with contemporary living, creating an adaptable and aesthetically striking environment. The space fosters both privacy and community, with careful attention to climate responsiveness and cultural context. The result is a harmonious home that serves as a retreat, performance space, and community hub all in one.
Key Design Features:
Inward-Oriented Layout: To ensure privacy amidst the active surrounding environment, including a Kalari school and a treatment center, the house is oriented inward, focusing on a central courtyard. This courtyard is the heart of the home, facilitating natural light, ventilation, and providing a flexible space for various informal activities like art performances and workshops.
Functional Zoning: The house distinguishes between formal and informal spaces. The eight bedrooms are enclosed for privacy, while communal areas such as the living room, dining area, and kitchenette are open and arranged around the central courtyard. This layout promotes interaction among the residents and guests, maintaining a connection to the outdoors and the central space.
Courtyard as a Microclimate Regulator: The central courtyard not only serves as an aesthetic focal point but also plays an important role in regulating the house’s microclimate, keeping it cool and comfortable. Its open nature ensures the spaces surrounding it are well-lit and ventilated.
Distinctive Brick Jalis: The bedrooms feature large bay windows screened with brick jalis, which are traditional perforated brickwork elements that offer privacy while allowing natural airflow. These jalis help cool the house during hot summers, provide intricate light patterns, and create a unique aesthetic character for the house’s exterior.
Informal Terrace and Versatile Attic Space: The top floor of the house includes an informal terrace, accessed both internally and via an external spiral staircase, where evening gatherings and parties can take place. Above, an attic with clay tile roofing serves as a multipurpose space for workshops and gatherings, while also acting as a barrier against rainwater and intense sunlight.
Experimental Structural Elements: The architecture combines traditional and modern techniques, with stone pillars supporting a concrete and beam framework, and locally sourced bricks used for the load-bearing walls. The bricks feature unique surface patterns, which were initially considered a manufacturing defect but were embraced as a distinctive characteristic. Exposed cement plaster, cast iron, and wood finishes further reinforce the raw, timeless aesthetic of the house.
