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Architecture

2018

‘Maithrakam’ combines the Malayalam words ‘Maithri’ (friendship) and ‘Akam’ (interior). In essence, this 40 m2 tiny home in Thrissur is just that – a space that celebrates the owners’ friendship with people, place and the land itself. Created for a retired couple, Maithrakam evokes the owners’ belief in nature, art, and sustainable living.

Maithrakam is a dreamer’s vision for a space that inspires creativity, incites social consciousness, and invokes memories of a bygone era of unpretentious sustainability. Built on the owner’s ancestral property, the home is a source of artistic inspiration and nostalgia. An ardent supporter of amateur drama, photography, local arts and artists, the client envisioned this space as a haven for discussions and reflections with like-minded friends while also doubling as a backdrop for drama performances.

The open floor plan allows for free transformation of the space for different occasions and user groups. The deck overlooks the lily pond facing the green site, a source of relaxation and inspiration for the clients. Diffused day-lighting and cross ventilation brings a natural charm to the cool interior spaces. Every architectural element becomes a blank canvas for artistic expression and exhibition – a celebration of colour, texture and pattern.

Set in a lush patch of urban green on the edge of the city, Maithrakam is also a statement for eco-consciousness in architecture. The tiny home leaves most of the land untouched, where the clients practice organic farming. The simple landscape design pays homage to native plant varieties, peppered by sculptures by local artist friends. Squirrels, butterflies and songbirds abound as Maithrakam is a home for them too.

From recycled materials to sundried earth blocks made on site, almost everything here follows the “cradle to cradle” philosophy. Earth excavated from the site is the main building material. Natural stabilizers were introduced to the sun-dried adobe blocks. Laterite stone for the foundation is from a demolished local tile factory – once a source of work for many in the region. The roof tiles, wooden doors, windows, columns, and rafters were sourced from other demolished traditional homes. Yet, all of it can be repurposed or returned to earth in time. This home thus leaves a mark without leaving a mark – a memoir etched not in stone but in ephemeral earth.