Houses are evolving objects, within the walls of which are housing histories built by intangible memories. In Kerala, ancestral or Tharavada the architecture was built for large multi-generational families, on vast tracts of land, with laterite, jackwood (Angels) and teak wrapped with generous porches for visitors and rooms for slow living. With most families moving into the city today, there are both pushes and pulls – do you move house or keep and upgrade for modern conveniences? In 2011, Delhi-based architect Pradeep Sachdeva moved his 300-year-old Meda house from Mepral village in Kerala to his agricultural farm in Gurugram. Elsewhere, the Stapati architectural practice adopted this style of architecture in coastal Goa, a small slice of Kerala with laterite colonnades and stone floors, borrowing from vernacular architecture. This style is easily adaptable because it responds to the climate – pitched roofs to accommodate the erratic monsoons – as it is built with local materials that are both sustainable and culturally ingrained. We speak to architects across South India working at the intersection of restoration and adaptive reuse about how Tharavada architecture can evolve to meet the needs of families today.
Vote for Adaptive Reuse: Benny Kuriakose and Associates, Chennai
In terms of functionality and materiality, Benny Kuriakosa believes that a seismic shift in lifestyle has called for change. “We used to have a dish or an outdoor place to wash our feet before entering; today we don’t have such customs in most places. This change in practice is reflected in the design. The need for brighter spaces requires large windows. Now people understand the historical value of houses, and instead of demolishing, the emphasis is on preservation.”
Benny Kuriakose
The durability of these buildings is undeniable; they existed for more than 200-300 years. So is restoration better than new construction based on traditional principles? “From a carbon footprint point of view, it’s definitely better to keep houses and add features rather than discard them. From a materiality point of view, the skills to work with exposed laterite are declining, the cost of wood is prohibitive, very few craftsmen work with oxides, while some use reclaimed teak, so economics is a big factor,” says Kuriyakose, who has designed houses in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh including relocation of houses and their reconstruction at Dakshina Chitra Museum, Muttukadu.
Adding comfort: Masons Ink Studio, Bangalore
Heritage architect Sridevi Changali of Masons Ink Studio, Bengaluru responds to context, geography and materiality. “I am from Kerala and my personal experience with this style of architecture. We have so much to learn from the materials used – clay, bamboo, stone, rice husk additives and fish slime solutions to improve binding. Due to the tropical climate, the central space was flooded with light and the geometry, although different from the linearity of Chettinad houses, allowed for natural ventilation and separation of private and of public space,” she explains.
(LR) Sridevi Changali and Rosie Paul
Acknowledging the old and embracing the new results in glass windows replacing the original shutter-style windows, air conditioning and modern conveniences in line with local material wisdom. “Regarding the ‘limit of discomfort’, the human body can adapt to a temperature of 20°C to 27°C with a relative humidity of 40% to 60%, but now our body is no longer teetering on the edge, we need our comfort and the design allows it,” Changali says. In terms of the carbon footprint of construction, ”adaptive reuse is the way to go” — openness to heritage adaptation, reducing the ecosystem impact of new construction.
Updated drainage and waterproofing: Mindscape Architects, Kanjirappally, Kerala
“By blending spatial wisdom with adaptive engineering, renewable energy and environmentally conscious practices, Kerala’s architectural heritage can continue to flourish as a living tradition that serves both today and the future,” says Ar. MM Jose, Principal Architect, Mindscape Architects, Kanjirappally. It emphasizes sustainability, climate resilience and a comfortable blend of tried and tested principles and modern science.
ar. MM Jose
“Rethinking is not about replacing tradition, but applying modern sustainability to ancient wisdom. Heavier rains, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events require more structural resilience, improved waterproofing, and innovative materials,” Jose said. With the recent restoration of a 250-year heritage ‘ettukettu tharavaduAt Thycattussery, natural elements played a role in the design’s informed biophilic sensibility. Jose says: “It’s no longer a question of conservation, but of smart adaptation. These changes require upgrading drainage systems, improved roof waterproofing, better materials resistant to termites and moisture, and structural strengthening to withstand more frequent climate changes.” Modern materials ensure the safety of the structure, while traditional elements such as clay tiles, jaali walls, deep verandahs and laterite or timber finishes preserve the environmental characteristics and cultural identity that define Kerala’s architectural heritage.
Modernization with modern elements: Stapati, Kozhikode, Kerala
With a practice established in 1989, Tony Joseph, founder and chief architect of Stapati, Kozhikode, has seen the transition of Tharavada architecture as families across the state gradually moved from multi-generational joint families to smaller nuclear units, and their changing needs were now reflected in their living spaces.
(LR) P. Mohandas, KA Rajesh, Tony Joseph, George Simon, M. Harish, Anupama and Poonam Noofal. | Photo author: sahad photography
“Before, everything was autonomous. The women stayed in the tarawada. There were no adjoining bathrooms. In terms of ventilation and lighting, the windows were smaller and lower. The layout of the open spaces was not linear, so the comfort was only in the yard, but the air did not pass through the house equally. Today, when we design for cross ventilation and maximum air flow, we create large windows,” says Joseph. Large glass doors and windows form a channel between the interior and exterior spaces, connecting with the natural world. Although older houses don’t have large spans for floor-to-ceiling windows, Joseph says: “We can learn from old principles, but not just repeat without reimagining. We also encourage families to keep larger houses and convert them into holiday spaces, or you can upgrade old houses with modern elements such as air conditioning.”
New Age Aesthetics: Thought Parallels, Kozhikode, Kerala
Shabna Nikhil, Thought Parallels, Kozhikode, Kerala, designing homes for privacy but leaving room for heritage, believes that new materials from the local environment add depth to new homes. “We started complementing the teak wood with local coconut wood, especially for the roof. We saw the benefits and wisdom of pitched roofs that work much better than our current preoccupation with flat concrete roofs. We use natural stones like Kota and oxide floors and keep the quintessential Kerala wood veranda bench which is a feature of our hospitality culture.”
Shabna Nikhil and Nikhil Mohan
Together with her partner Nikhil Menon, Shabna creates homes for families who want to tie their nostalgia to a traditional physical space surrounded by nature. “Landscape designers are creating green spaces that provide privacy, taking into account the water table and elevation of the site,” adds Shabna, who says 6 out of 10 new clients choose to combine the wisdom of old design with a new-age aesthetic.
Identify the main features
Structure of Nalukettu: General layout, a four-hall structure with a central courtyard.
Courtyard (nadumuttam): A central open space, important for ventilation and light, is a defining feature.
Verandas: built in to provide shade and protection from the elements surrounding the building.
Shells: Wooden seating along the veranda, allowing for interaction with nature.
Padippura: Gate (padippura) marks the entrance to the Tharavad, often decorated with traditional elements.
Local material advantage
Tharavadu, or ancestral houses, were built with rooms surrounding a central courtyard. They were a reflection of the status of the residents, four- and eight-room houses (naalukettu or ettakettu), for the more affluent. Each community varied in arrangement, but the use of local materials – laterite and lime for construction, oxide floors, sloping tiled roofs – all made for the hot summers, chaos of the monsoons and intense humidity that hangs over the tropical state.
Freelance writer based in Chennai.
