Wallmakers is an architecture firm based in Kerala, India. Led by Vinu Daniel, the studio has devoted itself to the cause of using mud and waste to make structures that are both utilitarian and alluring.
1. Pirouette House, Trivandrum | Wallmakers
The Pirouette House in Trivandrum is an ode to the stellar practice of Laurie Baker through its use of fired bricks. Beautiful spaces are created through the geometry and patterns created by the walls that seem to pirouette around the house, seemingly alive.
Rattrap bonds increase the overall thermal efficiency of the house while cutting down on the total volume of bricks used.
The house has introverted planning because it is at the centre of the city and all its spaces open into a funnelling central courtyard. The slanting walls support the Ferro-cement shell roof.
Each staggered wall has been tailor-made to suit the issue of deficiency in space that this residence posed, aiming to create larger volumes and a feeling of privacy.
2. Jackfruit Garden Residence, Vengol
The Jackfruit Garden Residence was completed in Vengola, India, in 2021 for Mr Riaz. The concept for the Jackfruit Garden residence, as suggested by the name, revolves around the retention of a huge Jackfruit tree growing in one corner of the site.
A compound wall was created around the tree that twists upward to join the Ferro-cement roof of the house. This creates a small intimate space that has been turned into a Japanese Zen garden through beautiful landscaping that provides shade and privacy.
They chose to reuse discarded scraps instead of using fresh material for the house. The grillwork for the large windows was designed by piecing together discarded pipes from the scrapyard. The same pipes weave in and back to become chandeliers in the different rooms.
3. St. George Orthodox Church, Mattancherry
St. George Orthodox Church is situated in Mattancherry, Kerala. Commissioned by the head of the Christian sect of Kerala, the church is built on the foundations of the first church of Christians in Kerala, set in A.D.1615. They used domes, vaults, and arches that were inspired by the early symbols of eastern Christianity. The structure made use of 700 beer bottles as an alternative to typical glass windows which also cut down on cost.
4. Pavillion for Kochi- Muziris Biennale
The Biennale Pavilion was designed for the Kochi- Muziris Biennale in 2014 as a space for the talks and workshops to be held. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is an international exhibition of contemporary art that is held in the city of Kochi in Kerala, India.
The form was inspired by an umbrella that folds like origami to become the stage area. The roof was constructed using jute sack concrete that settles in catenary curves. The roof also unfolds to become the extra seats that lead to the roof.
Like a lot of works of the them, the jaali on the front facade was a tribute to Ar. Laurie Baker gives the impression of cracks spreading out.
5. Kurien Phillip Residence, Thazhakkara | Wallmakers
The Kurien Philip Residence is located in Thazhakara, Kerala. Fed-up with the concrete matchboxes being built in the vicinity, the client wished for something new that responded to the local climate and eco-friendliness. A vault was created to shelter the residence from the tropical sun.
They tried to recreate the essence of architect Eladio Dieste using Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks without reinforcing the vault structure.
This created triangular openings in the structure that allowed the wind to enter the house without hindering the privacy of the residents.
6. Shikhara, Pothencode
The Shikhara is a residence in Pothencode, situated in one of the highest hilltops in Trivandrum. The site is located on the west-facing side of the hill and thus, needed to be shielded from the harsh west sun. A ‘hand’ to be used as a shield was reimagined as a slanting wall giving birth to the concept of the residence—Shikhara (Peak).
The wall was made from materials procured from the site itself. The patented technique of Shuttered Debris Wall was used here which involves mixing cement, soil and waste materials of various sizes (coarse aggregate) ranging from 10mm – 70mm skilfully to give a strong wall.
Perforated aluminium coin sheets were used in the opening in the western facade to let in air and light that allowed for cross ventilation.
7. IHA, Mananthala
The site was in a low-lying region of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and thus the main concern was not to create an ecological imbalance in the region. This residence in Mannanthala, Kerala was designed to break the conventions.
The architects used bamboo reinforced with steel on the exteriors to create the residence’s focal point, which also doubled as a serene, sheltered space for sitting and relaxation. The interior of the residence is done with bamboo and rustic furniture to complement the wild and adventurous theme of the house.
8. Chirath, Pala
“Chirath” ( meaning traditional lamp in Malayalam) is the name Mr Ramanujan Basha gave to his house at Pala, Kerala. The design of the house is inspired by the local traditional architecture but adapted to the new-age thinking of the client.
The client did not want the sloped roof that is prevalent in traditional houses as it brought in an atmosphere of darkness in the house. So, the roof was split up to let in light into the interiors.
Visual connection was maintained with the pond on the outside of the building to blur the lines between the interior and the exterior. The walls of the house were constructed using the patented Shuttered Debris Wall method.
9. Tease Me Cafe, Kottayam | Wallmakers
The Tease Me Cafe is located in the heart of the city of Kottayam in Kerala. The main challenge in renovating the cafe was maximising the small interior space to create secluded spaces for the customers without feeling cramped. The Wallmakers had to come up with a material that was thin enough but could be used as a partition without ruining the aesthetics of the cafe interiors.
The solution arose in the form of clothes hung from the ceiling that gave privacy but was also aesthetically pleasing. The waste clothes were coated with a layer of Ferro-cement and grey oxide to solidify and flow down from the ceiling to become organic seating for the diners.
The same idea was used to further personalize the washbasins and the toilet.
10. Biju Mathew Residence, Pathanamthitta
Mr Biju Mathew’s residence, also known as the Debris House, is located in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. The area of the house was maximised to accommodate the family and done in the most feasible way to meet the client’s dreams.
The house used recycled materials that were chosen with much care to overcome the economic and site constraints. The walls were built from the materials leftover from earlier buildings unearthed on the site. The curvilinear wall that forms the courtyard becoming the central focal point of the house was also built with debris.
Discarded metre-boxes from a local scrapyard were used for the window grills that create playful shadows on the wall throughout the day.
Half-cut coconut shells are used as fillers in the concrete roof to reduce both concrete and conducting heat.
11. Interiors for Awadh Hamza
The Wallmakers were commissioned by Awadh Hamza and his wife to create sustainable and unique interiors for their apartment in Pattom, Kerala. The challenge was to create interiors that were architecturally aware.
Most of the furniture was created from timber that was destroyed after a cyclone hit Pondicherry in 2004 to create organically shaped furniture. The pendant light above the dining is a replica of the rock used for the dining table. The rock was recreated using hand-made paper.
The timber flooring for the apartment was pieced together with care from waste pieces available from timber saw-mills from all over the state.
12. Weekend Home, Kakkathuruth | Wallmakers
Located in the picturesque backwaters of Kakkathuruthu, Kerala, this residence was designed for Mr Asif Ahmed as his weekend home. The site is only accessible through a ferry boat from across the river. As the water was saline in nature, a mixture of red oxide with a waterproofing agent was applied to the rammed earth walls to prevent any adverse effects.
Reference:
- WALLMAKERS. 2021. WALLMAKERS. [online] Available at: <https://www.wallmakers.org/> [Accessed 17 June 2021].