How to Draw upon Indian Traditions: Brick House

SPACE April 2023 (No. 665)​​

How to Draw upon Indian Traditions

Akshay Heranjal co-principals, The Purple Ink Studio ×​ Park Jiyoun​​​

Park Jiyoun (Park): The Brick House is a fourstorey house with a basement floor built in the city centre of Mangalore, India. The house has an interior-focused form that is closed off to the outside but open towards the sky. What guided your interpretation of the site? 

Akshay Heranjal (Heranjal): A corner plot nestled between neighbouring buildings, the only view from the plot was of the sparsely spaced existing trees of the neighbour’s plot. Considering various factors like privacy and visual buffers, an inward-looking plan was formulated and designed across several layers. Deriving spatial characteristics from a ‘thotti mane (Indian courtyard house)’ the varied courtyards cross on multiple levels and volumes. They respond to the changing qualities of the sky, the light filtering through the brick screens or even allow a soft breeze to pass through. The staggering of courtyards also allow all of the residents to enjoy an extended space outside the private areas or for others to open into it. 

Park: The lower part of the building is made of concrete and the upper part of the building is made of bricks. Why did you decide against using one material? 

Heranjal : The intention was to scale the building down, which would allow the concrete to be read as a base on which the bricks can build up. The approach allowed us to create patterns on the concrete, plaster and brick to further scale down our design aims. 

Park: The geometrical feature visible from both spaces indoors and outdoors is eye-catching. How do the shapes and functions of the Brick House mutually interact? 

Heranjal: The house is designed ‘outside-in’; the materiality of the façade is reflected in the interiors, and one flies through this harmony between spaces. The interiors were very much planned alongside the façade, making it true to its form. The angled windows are planned around the wind and sun studies also ensuring the connection with the outside while also providing necessary screening from the adjoining developments. The sun-lit staircase connecting all the levels is sculptural and experiential in its sensitivity to each elevation. 

Park: While light must be drawn in for better visibility, it must also be blocked out to ensure insulation from the tropical heat. How did you moderate the light levels and shadows? 

Heranjal: All the openings, the courts and decks, open out through a Jaalis (Indian grid screen) which filters the light and creates a visual boundary. All the windows open into a deck or a Jaali as one observes fragmented moments of the outsides. The sun filtering through the skylights, placed strategically, provides ample light for the semi-private areas. There is an evident play of light observed across all the courts. The patterns add to the dynamism of the spaces and illuminate the geometry of the latticed bricks. 

Park: You mentioned that the walls used throughout Brick House’s interior and exterior are suited to the tropical climate. What makes this wall so special? 

Heranjal: The building skin is also constructed in several layers akin to the composition of sediment, keeping the inner layers cool and insulted. All the rooms have triple-layered walls, while laterite (reddish brown soil rich in use for building materials in India) masonry is sandwiched between the jaali from the outside and cladding from the inside. 

Park: The Brick House is distinctive in that it combines traditional Indian architecture with contemporary design. Aside from the use of laterite as the material for bricks, you also incorporated jaali in the façade pattern to act as an awning and the Indian courtyard concept thotti mane. What are the unique properties of the thotti mane and how were they employed in Brick House? 

Heranjal: We as a country are truly blessed to have such a unique landscape, climate, and regional stories influencing many forms of art in every area. The courtyards as an architectural feature not only act as a nostalgic element but also facilitate a stacking effect in ventilation enhancing thermal comfort. While using the properties of a courtyard house, smaller pockets were created at intermediate levels introducing the same experiential quality of a courtyard but also allow moments of privacy and solace. The connecting staircase between these courts also creates an inter-court dialogue. The angular windows opening into the courts or a double-heighted cladded wall provided a canvas enhancing the volume of the space. 

Park: If there are other traditional architectural elements used aside from the abovementioned laterite, jaali, and thotti mane, please introduce them here. 

Heranjal: The Mangalore region is wellknown for its inimitable landscape, dotted with heritage sites throughout the old parts of the town. Red-oxide (also known as ‘bengala’ because it is rich in ingredients from Bengal, India) flooring and lime-plaster-finished walls keep the house refreshingly cool and were the dominant elements observed. Taking inspiration from these features, we explored varied plaster finishes on the walls (none were painted), creating patterns in plaster using different tools or adding natural pigments to play around with the tonality. Another significant element observed throughout the interiors is the wicker (a method of weaving materials such as rattan) in furniture and panelling. The wicker patterns are significant to each region, which uphold a sense of culture and tradition.

Park: Elements of craftsmanship can be found in the various patterns in brick-layering and plaster board. You mentioned that these elements highlight Indian artisanship. 

Heranjal: Brick, as a tranditional material, has not only stood the test of time but is also a testament to our commitment to future generations. The experiential qualities of brick were a key part of our early client conversations. We loved his passion for tranditional materials and an eye for detail. These very conversations lead us to explore the very many different kinds of bricks. In the façade, the bricks have been layered course by course as every single one of them had a different angle, making it a truly handcrafted surface. In fact, Indiaʼs rich culture is widely observed through its craftsmanship. This is also expressed in the construction methodology and by the sheer handling of different materials available in the region. We cannot place a greater emphasis on the use of local materials in the region and intend to continue exploring them in various forms.

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