The Vacation House
Nestled in the verdant hills of Wayanad, Humming Tree creates a traditional Kerala home with high ceilings, pristine verandahs, wooden traditional furniture, pickle jars in ceramic, clay ware designed by the firm, all materials that are an ode to tropical sensibilities.
When we see interiors designed by architects, we tend to classify the designer, from what is seen as their final product. So, if it is a contemporary office space with minimal décor, we classify the architect/designer as a minimalist. When we were consumed by the yellow office space that a young designer duo had created, we were quick to categorize the firm, Humming Tree as a contemporary if fashion-conscious space design studio. Then comes another spectacular product from the same studio and we are at odds with our earlier nomenclature. The architects have played to the clients’ request while using their sensibilities in piecing together a story that is very much the end-users’ or the clients.
“Mohammed Afnan and I are truly inspired by Geoffrey Bawa’s work, but our practice doesn’t stick to one palate. We have works that resonate with a lot of styles and that’s what makes our practice distinguishing,” says Arun Shekar, Artistic Director of Humming Tree.
The brief for this traditional house wrapped in bright green foliage on the hills of Wayanad, the rain-kissed hill station in God’s own country, Kerala, was simple; the client wanted a holiday home where they could spend some quality time once they returned from Dubai.
“They insisted on a home where they could feel closer to nature,” says Arun, and once the objective was clear, the methods followed needed the duo’s signature touch, “We tried to convince them of using contextual materials which would have less carbon footprint on the environment we live in, using materials like clay, terracotta, reused, reclaimed wood and artifacts.”
With its amazing climate and range of hills Wayanad in Kerala, is truly fascinating for the architectural landscape. Designing in tune with the region, the holiday home includes colonnaded verandas, courtyards, high ceilings, and breezy folding doors, features that cater to the humid, tropical weather and the torrential downpour that might occur anytime through the day or night.
A handsome Kerala teak door adorns the entrance; the famous trunk less elephant sitting beyond the landscape is an antique. The owner purchased the door and artifacts from an old manor house near Mattancheri, Kochi, the haven for such treasures. The benches were custom-made by Humming Tree’s carpenters. The tall floor stand mirror was a gift from a dear friend; the photo frames on the wall are from Mysore. A wooden deewan along with three-legged high stools sits opposite a durable carved wooden coffee table with brass hinges; a Wabi-Sabi style rustic pot, acid finish glass vase, and vintage Moghul painting, the cement flooring —completes the scene.
In the dining room, a custom dining table by Humming Tree is paired with three-legged chairs, sourced from Mattancheri-the art hub of Kerala, and a bench. Hanging clay pendants were designed by Humming Tree and produced by LIGHTS with the help of local clay makers in Kerala. The console table highlights the art. Due to the smart positioning of the courtyards, the house remains remarkably cool during the day. The house, comprising of a metal structure and-clay tiled roof, an elevated roof terrace, and courtyards—seamlessly blends the outdoor and indoor space.
Behind the dining is a carpet of greens and tall trees going deep into a forest. Humming Tree has always had a soft spot for clayware –the two designers having designed a clay series: LGBTQ Revelations – which gives a finishing touch to the interiors.
The rich burgundy custom fabric art made from recycled vintage cloth. Ceramic pickle jars once used to store dried fish/pickle were picked from antique dealers during the house’s construction. This gives the whole space an old-world charm and the art just smoothens the entire space due to the rich fabric texture. The custom chair was restored from an old furniture market in south Kerala.
Custom bedside table with decors and flowers help soften the bedroom’s sharp linearity in the master suite, where the bed is topped with linens from Zara Home and flanked by vintage nightstands. The cot is also sourced from Mattencheri, the rugs are by Stories, and the pendant light is by LIGHT Calicut. A bed is topped in a mustard throw from Zara, explain the architects.
“Sustainability, meaningful and contextual designs have become the new luxury. We as designers have evolved over the years, we really had to somehow voice and embody these aspects in our designs. We tried to use contextual materials available near to the site as much as possible. With access to natural light and lush green patches, we wanted to focus on all these natural resources. Encouraging local artisans, sourcing, and customizing pieces adds in lot of character to the space,” says Afnan.
This home was planned as the clients’ second home they wanted the space to embody a comforting, tropical modernism aesthetics that would be relaxing with the holiday-vibe of the space
The house is made up of laterite stones and bricks local to the context so the design is appropriate to the climate of the region. The double heights and courtyards ease cross-ventilation, so several openings, doors, and windows were added with clay roofing which also helps to regulate the micro-climate.
“Organic bees-wax, local mixtures of lime have been used to coat the interior walls and exterior wooden surfaces,” says Arun.
“Rather than preferring to use AC, we engaged several high walls infused with top hung windows to let the hot hair pass to create natural ventilation that would keep the interior cool. The central hallway of this home is anchored by a local indoor tree growing toward the sky creates a sense of space.
“The motive was to figure out how to make these beautiful objects that matter, voicing up-cycling, sustainability, which would become a conversation starter, bringing back memories from the past,” says Arun.
Name of practice: HUMMING TREE
Name of founders/principals: MOHAMMED AFNAN & ARUN SHEKAR
House- 3700 Sq.ft built-up area in around 10 acres of plot size on the hills of Waynad, Kerala.
Photography: Justin Sebastian
