Ranganathan has built his dream abode on the banks of the Puthenthodu, a tributary of the Meenachil River, at Karappuzha, just two kilometers away from the Kottayam town. The house stands on a 6.25 cents plot, which is prone to flooding during the monsoons. So, the surface of the plot was raised up to four feet and leveled before beginning the construction of the house. The pile foundation had to be used as the soil here is not firm enough.
The contemporary style house, in 1520 sq ft, has a sit-out, living and dining areas, four bedrooms, a common bathroom, a prayer area and a semi modular kitchen with an adjacent work area. To keep a check on the expenses, the construction of the house wasn’t assigned to builders. Instead, the owner supplied the construction materials and opted for a labor contract.
Though Ranganathan had to roam around, quite a bit, looking for quality materials on reasonable prices, he is happy that all the materials used for building the house are of high quality. A beautiful blend of sloped and flat roof is the highlight of the exteriors. Light blue hue adorns the exteriors while a pleasant light yellow color makes the interiors look spectacular.
Vitrified tiles in ivory color are paved on the floor. The kitchen cupboards and the wardrobes in the bedrooms are done in aluminum fabrication. The lights are directly installed without attaching the false ceiling. The pergola in the dining area brings lots of pleasant sunshine into the house. The stair way stands out for its steel and glass hand railings, with beautiful etching work on it. The same eye catching design feature is repeated on the balcony as well.
The construction of the house was stalled for a month due to the floods in August last year. However, the house survived the floods and was completed soon after.
Project Facts
Location – Karappuzha, Kottayam
Area – 1520 SFT
Plot – 6.25 cents
Owners – Ranganathan, Induraj and Reshma
Architect – Kurian Mathew
