A Miyawaki forest and eco-friendly features keep this Alappuzha house cool, breezy

Kerala had experienced one of the hottest summers this year with the temperatures soaring to unbearable levels. Most concrete houses in the state had become hot kilns during heatwave conditions due to some undesirable trends in the construction industry. Meanwhile, Peter’s incredibly beautiful house at the coastal hamlet of Kattoor in Alappuzha, Kerala is a haven of greenery that fills the interiors with cool ambience.

While most people cut down the trees on the plot before constructing a house, Peter decided to plant more trees. Peter followed the Miyawaki method of afforestation with dense and mixed planting of native trees and groves in small patches. The landscape too has been designed amazingly with lots of plants and garden area. The house is designed by noted architect Ramesh who is also Peter’s close friend. So, the fabulous house stands as a symbol of friendship too. Moreover, Peter says that this special relationship reduced the stress of constructing a new house.

The structure has been built in an eco-friendly mode with minimal use of concrete. The multi-layered GI truss roof makes the elevation look classy. Besides, a layer of ceiling tiles too has been added beneath the roof. The house dons unique looks from different sides. Meanwhile, the car porch is built away from the structure, without interrupting the elegance of the elevation.

Laterite stones have been used to build the outer walls. Concrete plastering has been done away with. This reduced the construction costs. Meanwhile, cement blocks are used for the walls inside the house. Usually, people buy high-quality laterite stones from Kannur for house construction. However, Peter went to Vaikom and Thalayolaparambu to examine the quality of the laterite stones himself before buying them. This helped significantly reduce the expenses. Even though the house is two-storey, the structure looks compact and simple like a single-storey.

Designed in 1700 sqft, this amazing abode has a sit-out, living and dining areas, kitchen and two bedrooms on the ground floor. Meanwhile, there is one more bedroom and a balcony on the upper floor.

The sit-out has been designed to enjoy the scintillating charm of the Miyawaki forest. The glass windows too open to the delightful views of greenery.
The coloured glass on the wall beside the staircase looks classy. The interiors are minimal without any extravagant furnishing or bright colours. The bedrooms too are simple with attached bathrooms and storage space.

The compact kitchen has everything within the hand’s reach. The cabinets are done in plywood finish.
The construction of this splendid house, including the structure and furnishing, was completed on a budget of Rs 38 lakh.

Project Facts
Location – Kattoor, Alappuzha
Area – 1700 SFT
Owner – Peter Lawrence
Design – Studio Archiflex, Alappuzha