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Working pro bono for a single mother and her two children, No Architects creates an experimental home with a vaulted roof, permeable walls, and custom furniture.
On a compact plot in the Eravipuram neighborhood of Kollam, Kerala, India, an unusual home by No Architects presents a radical new vision for social housing. Designed for a single mother and her two children, the 700-square-foot home features a vaulted roof inset with brick jaali (latticed screens), a landscaped border, and a warm, earthen palette—offering a sense of light and space rarely found in houses of this scale and typology.
Koodu is built on a plot measuring two cents—a cent is a unit of land measurement, commonly used in parts of South India, equivalent to 1/100th of an acre. Half of the site is occupied by the built form, including its landscaped border. One major challenge was the location of the home, 100 meters from the main road. This meant that everything had to be carried to site by hand, which added to the construction cost.
Photo by Harikrishnan Sasidharan
Built as a pro bono project, Koodu—which translates to "Nest"—was realized through a combination of government funding, donated materials, and, most importantly, No Architects’ commitment to making good design accessible to all.
"This project was done on a very small plot—around two cents [871 square feet] in total," says Neenu Elizabeth, who cofounded No Architects with Harikrishnan Sasidharan. "The house itself has a footprint of just one cent. It’s really an example of small-space living." Despite these limitations, the client needed three bedrooms, a living area, dining space, and a kitchen.
The custom dining table is made of salvaged stone slabs and bent TMT bars. No Architects drew up the design and it was crafted by a local artisan. The sofa and built-in bench were also made from leftover materials, resulting in the playfully mismatched upholstery.
Photo by Harikrishnan Sasidharan
"The living and dining area opens up to the landscaped outdoors," says the client. "It’s our favorite part of the house, where my mother and our relatives can gather in the evenings to chitchat." The living area also includes a prayer space.
Photo by Harikrishnan Sasidharan
See the full story on Dwell.com: In India, a Daring New Tiny House Shows What Social Housing Can Be
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Read More
By: Mandi Keighran
Title: In India, a Daring New Tiny House Shows What Social Housing Can Be
Sourced From: www.dwell.com/article/koodu-weaving-a-nest-no-architects-affordable-brick-house-kerala-india-f4d33068
Published Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:42:17 GMT
