CHAYAM By STUDIO HAD

 

A dwelling born from canvas, culture, and limerence CHAYAM began not as a house, but as a canvas—an abstract exploration of human emotion, memory, and coexistence with nature. The project translates an artistic narrative into built form, where architecture becomes a medium to express limerence, socio-cultural grounding, and emotional belonging.

• NAME OF THE PROJECT : CHAYAM 
• NAME OF THE STUDIO : STUDIO HAD 
• NAME OF THE ARCHITECT : Ar.SARATH CHANDRA PRASAD 
• EMAIL : sarathprasadarchitect@gmail.com 
• PROJECT LOCATION : MANJERI COMPLETION 
• AREA : 455 SQFT LAND AREA : 33.5 CENTS

Chayam is a modest yet thoughtfully crafted 1BHK residential project located in Manjeri, Kerala, designed to celebrate simplicity, climate responsiveness, and everyday living. Conceived as a compact home rooted in its context, the project responds sensitively to the tropical climate, local materials, and the lifestyle of its inhabitants. Greater importance was given to the landscape as an integral design element, rather than a decorative afterthought. Bore pits were carefully created to reshape the originally flat terrain, introducing subtle undulations across the site. These contours help define outdoor spaces while enhancing natural water movement. A water retention basin was incorporated to collect and store rainwater, supporting groundwater recharge and reducing surface runoff. This system is complemented by a reed bed filtration setup, allowing natural treatment of greywater and reinforcing the project's sustainable approach.

The landscape is treated as a primary design element. Bore pits were introduced to transform the flat site into gentle undulations, integrating a water retention basin and reed bed filtration for natural water management. Carefully placed vegetation enhances microclimate, supports sustainability, and strengthens the connection between the house and its surroundings.

This project reflects a belief that an architect's role extends beyond form-making into understanding human vulnerability, memory, and attachment. CHAYAM stands as an attempt to show how deeply architecture can go: from canvas to concept, from structure to soul.