- Project name: THE TROPICAL BEACH HOUSE, ECR
- Project by: Inventarchitects ,Chennai and coimbatore
- Principal architects :Vivekkumar,Nandadevi
- Project team: Ar.Vivekkumar,Ar.Deepak,Ar.Karthika,Ar.Swetha
- Year of completion: 2022
- Site area: 18800 sq ft (1747 sq m)
- Built up area: 14736 sq ft (1369 sq m)
- Photographs: Radhakrishnan -orangepix studio
The tropical beach house, a contemporary residence, is located on the posh East Coast Road in Chennai. The project’s vision was to bring about a visual connection to water at different levels.
Schematically, there is an intentional demarcation between the public and private spaces, in the planning. The ground floor mostly has semi-public spaces such as the foyer, visitor's lounge, Pooja space, and a guest room, and the upper floor has 3 private bedrooms, a family room, a dining area, and a kitchen with a direct view of the beach.
Tropical courtyards provided on the north and south sides, facilitate natural light and ventilation across the family living. The family living is designed in a way that ensures visual and holistic connectivity of the Swimming pool area along the eastern side thus interlinking the glass bridge and sea throughout the dining area.
An axis is formed in the direction of the beach, thus breaking the monotony in the form to create multiple viewpoints for the user from the inside. The lush green lawn and the large swimming pool become the foreground reflecting the built form at all times. The central dining area holds the floating glass courtyard at one side and a large balcony on the east. It connects the solid volumes on the exteriors and becomes a transparent connect to its interiors. The balcony space becomes an interactive gathering area with views of the sea and the pool as well.
One of the house’s most striking features is the double-height visual courtyard, The floating court in the first-floor level lets the user feel the floor at the ground level with its rustic Moroccan tiles finish and the designed wooden ceiling as its roof. It links the house at various levels. The monolithic staggered granite stairs act as a statement element.
The Pooja space is essentially a sub-volume located between the visitor`s lounge, the guest bedroom, and the gym. It is located in the center with water bodies on either side of it offering a pleasing ambience as you enter the house.
The upper level the central spine of the house opens up into a spacious lobby area leading to the family living space, an open bar, and a dining space that overlooks the ocean. The glass bridge which is provided over the visual courtyard space spills out into the dining area. The western part of the house becomes a double height family living with a balcony. The double height space allows the hot air to rise up keeping the interiors cool.
The house spontaneously responds to its environment by preferring to linger upon magnificent vistas, from strategically placed rooms rather than having conventionally divided spaces. The bedrooms on the first floor are designed as a projection from the main massing to ensure privacy for the user whilst having a beach view as well.
The façade is finished with stone clads and HPL with a muted palette of browns reflecting the colors of the sand, blending it with the tropical environment.
