Vinu Daniel

What were your first memories of architecture? Was there a moment of epiphany where you thought you had found your calling? 

Architecture was not the career path I thought I’d choose. Growing up, I aspired to be a musician. However, I was expected to pursue something more mainstream, like engineering or medicine. Eventually, I decided to join the university to study architecture because it seemed like a field where I could express myself. Over the initial years at university, I grew despondent due to some teaching philosophies and values that I did not completely agree with. Meeting the legendary architect Laurie Baker during my fourth year at university incidentally became the turning point, leading me to consider architecture from different perspectives. From him, I learned how architecture and nature can co-exist. 

Over the course of your practice, have there been recurring references? Are there drawings, objects, textures, scapes, or materials that you revisit

Organic shapes and forms are something I find intriguing, something that is usually incorporated into our projects. Every project has its own interpretation of forms, different materials, and textures. Most of our references come from the site’s immediate context and its users. 

Please tell us a little more about the philosophy behind the design of your project, IHA Residence. How long did the entirety of the project take from inception to execution? What were the biggest challenges you faced, and what would you deem as its most significant feat? 

IHA took around three years from the start to its completion. The clients wanted a quiet abode in the busy city of Trivandrum. The idea was to do exactly that while ensuring minimum impact on its context. IHA was built over a swamp that was also house to two snakes. We prioritized retaining as much of the swamp’s natural environment as possible while ensuring the safety of the residents. From our perspective, the swamp, the snake, all of it, forms the beautiful ecosystem that IHA is a part of, so instead of changing it entirely, the idea was to make it better.

The residence was also designed to capture a sense of serenity and warmth, with some minimalistic characteristics, but also to portray adventurous and wild aspects. All this while tackling some issues that the site presented, like water-logging. This was a challenge since rainfall is very prevalent in Kerala, and it was crucial to ensure the residence’s design does not hinder the flow of water but percolates into the ground. As a solution, we created a pond at the site’s lowest point where the water can be retained while complementing the design’s context.