Friday, January 20, 2017

REVISIT MEMORIES #1 - A TRAINEE STORY — SURESH RESIDENCE, BLUE BEACH ROAD.









Written by Preeti Shibu, Photo Credits by NirmalKumar S Jayaraman , Trainee Architects- Murali architects chennai
It was a bright and cheerful morning on Thursday, when a small group of us from MURALI ARCHITECTS, Chennai set out along the ECR to Neelankarai. The occasion was definitely special - a revisit to one of our completed residences, designed for Mr. & Mrs. SURESH and family on Blue Beach Road.
Being an intern at Murali Architects, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of our Revisit. This was my very first time visiting a completed project and it was a rewarding experience, seeing how the spaces within this home were so uniquely responsive to the tastes of its homeowners, dignified and steeped in rich tradition, just as they are.
The shaded walkway drew us inwards, with tall bamboo shoots on both sides, and soft light streaming in through the bamboo pergola overhead. The local granite used to accentuate the pathway struck a rich contrast to this.
Through low windows to one side, we could see the large and spacious living room, with dashes of color calling out attention to the curios and memorabilia that the family so lovingly cherished. As we reached the thinnai, we could hear the faint strains of Carnatic music, playing from the puja.
We were warmly welcomed by the lady of the house, Mrs. Malini Suresh, who graciously allowed us to experience their home, even amidst their busy schedule. We realised that the design of their home started as a response to their respect for tradition and passion for Bharatanatyam- their daughter is an exponent of this dance form.
The classic foyer with its marble clad walls lead to the living rooms, and a remarkable puja room with a glass pavilion, leading out to a small shrine, where the family worships together,
The color palette of the interiors was set by the tone of earthy marble, wood and cool white walls, with glass being used to create the maximum transparency and openness within the house.
We got the distinct feeling that one would not need lighting for the most part of the day, as the sunlight streamed in through shaded openings and the windows that faced the landscape courtyards.
The play of levels was another interesting facet of this home, where the stairs at mid-landing drew us out into a lush green terrace garden, where one could enjoy nature and fresh air, without being watched, behind the screen walls with playful punctures that framed views of the distance.
The bedrooms got the privacy and quiet they needed, connected by a wooden deck, from where one could see the double height living spaces on both sides. The bedrooms were softly lit, with infusions of colour, echoing the tones of the rest of the home.
As we bid the family goodbye and walked back through the bamboo gateway, we had a common thought in our minds- how comforting it must feel to have a patch of heaven on earth, in an abode that rang true to its very soul...
A big THANKYOU to our kind clients Suresh Devarajan, Mrs. Malini Suresh, Sowjanya Suresh & Ram Smaran Suresh for their gracious welcome and overwhelming support!
DESIGN TEAM: Murali Murugan Seethapathi Pb F Swaminathan Sadham Hussain Nanda Sreenivasan Ravindran
Picture Credits: Fazal Hussain NirmalKumar S Jayaraman

REVISIT#2- Dr.Arunachalam Family Residence- Nungambakkam, Chennai.








“An architect is– necessarily- a great poet. He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day and his age.”
-Frank Lloyd Wright
We continued along the Revisit Trail, towards Nungambakkam, a busy part of Chennai, to chronicle the home of Dr. Arunachalam & Dr. Vinutha Arunachalam.
The client, belonging to Chettinadu, wanted to combine the traditional cultural living to contemporary spaces, and thus was born the concept that drove the design of this eloquent, sprawling home.
The client also wanted to recycle and incorporate elements from his ancestral property and that of his relatives, to create his home in the heart of Chennai. The 1½ ground property was thoughtfully zoned to create comfort and privacy for its residents.
At the entry, a set of steps led to the basement, with parking space for 2 cars, and 2 rooms that form a clinic that accommodates our doctor couple’s medical practice.
Moving on, we arrived at the ground floor of the home with its large central courtyard and swimming pool for their adorable toddler. The spacious formal living room was furnished with teakwood and we were pleasantly surprised as the marble floor was suddenly replaced by glass, revealing the Koi fish pond beneath.
The central courtyard linked all the levels of their home, with a large double height void that made the house permeable to light and fresh air. We stood, awestruck at the scale of the space, with its rustic stone cladding from Mahabalipuram and a majestic Buddha mural, also in stone. The courtyard was fitted with a retractable roof that prevented the rainwater from entering the home, while also creating soft shading within.
The stained glass windows and grandfather clocks that chimed at different intervals, gave an ethereal quality to the experience of the space.
Traditional windows, doors and wooden ceiling that earlier belonged to Dr. Arunachalam’s ancestral property were integrated into contemporary design.
The play of levels was evident as we climbed up the stairs, the midlanding of which led to their son’s bedroom and a home theatre, with dramatic lighting and dusky wooden walls that transported us to the culture of Chettinad.
The bedrooms were on the first floor, with large glass windows that had views out to the vertical garden screen walls, which made us feel like we were amidst nature.
Our last stop was at the terrace, with its lush growth of greenery, where one could recline on the thinnai facing the garden. The clients usually invite their friends over on the weekends, to enjoy a quiet evening, relaxing after the busy schedules, amidst the lush greenery that made the home stand out like an OASIS within the city.
A big THANKYOU to our clients Dr. Arunachalam & Dr.Vinutha Arunachalam and their lovely family for their support!
DESIGN TEAM: Murali Murugan Seethapathi Pb Sadham Hussain Mathik Hikmath Rajashekar
Photo Credits: @NirmalKumar S Jayaraman Prabhu

Friday, July 29, 2016

Manoj Bhavan - Chennai/Trichy highway venture













The long boring highway stretches, the countless, dreary hoardings and signboards announcing "Kumbakonam Coffee Welcomes You ", lack of even the most basic hygiene in public utility facilities, (especially for women), the dark den, dimly-lit and shady joints.
"Oh God, we have missed it...”, -too difficult to turn around in that high speed corridor…
The numerous accidents happen due the false confidence "Another 45 minutes drive -we will be there".
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All these have made us (the clients and our young team of architects) think.

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Our story begins in a small town named ‘MADURANTHANGAM’, with an elderly gentleman who had started his life on a bicycle selling tea in his early years, with a big heart and even bigger dreams of one day…catering to the entire world!
His two young sons Manoj and Vinoj Padmakaran, and a good number of well wishers to support them from their hometown in Madurangatham wanted to make a decent Dining Facility along the national highway to Trichy from Chennai.

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MANOJ BHAVAN –The High Way Restaurant is thus, the result of their 50 years’ struggle and perseverance and we were happy to be part of this story.

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The use of strong geometry and bold planes to attract and arrest the attention of fast-moving highway vehicles from a distance, through the play of varying silhouette, material, texture, color and form is the basis of the concept…
We felt that the comforting landscape and the sculpture-like mass will invite the tired traveler in, offer a pause period and a time of bonding, and rejuvenate their senses, before they restart their journey.
Image Gallery:
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