Excerpt: The Farmhouse at Balkash by ROOMOOR blends vernacular design with a deep sense of nostalgia and community. Inspired by traditional Indian pitched-roof houses and central courtyards, it fosters a connection to nature, culture, and childhood memories. The layout encourages movement and exploration while supporting agricultural life, reflecting the village’s simplicity and enduring values.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Balkash is a small rural village of approximately 200 families located in the northern city limits of Surat. The village settlement originates around a lake, with two linear streets lined by rows of traditional pitched-roof tropical houses leading to the surrounding farmlands. Proximity to the sea and a high groundwater table allow for the cultivation of crops such as sugarcane, paddy, and coconut plantations. The people here lead an austere life with simplistic ideals and an affinity to nature.
Our patron, who owns a textile mill at Surat, has employed many people from Balkash over the last decades. A long-standing bond based on trust and community ties encouraged him to acquire farmland in the village. During our initial meeting, he fondly recalled his childhood in his native village home before migrating from the Saurashtra region in western Gujarat to Surat. The farmhouse serves a dual purpose: it supports agricultural activities and aims to connect his grandchildren with their roots and the nostalgia of rural life and values.
The site lies at the junction between the village settlement and the farmlands. Our studies of the pitched roofs and cross-ventilation strategies of the village’s vernacular architecture informed a design incorporating shaded semi-covered verandahs on both sides of the enclosed band of rooms. A central courtyard with a tree symbolizes the beginning of the house, and a circum-ambulatory pathway connects the surrounding rooms. It reflects the climatic responsiveness and cultural traditions passed down through generations.
An archetypical courtyard home consists of multiple layered spatial compositions that enhance privacy toward the center. The central area represents a microcosm of the outside world, bridging the Earth and the sky. In search of a space to gather children, their instinctive curiosity and dynamic movement shaped our design ideas. The dual purpose of the farmhouse now faces the challenge of balancing static and dynamic elements. All enclosed rooms feature two doors, allowing for multiple entry and exit points, which fosters openness and exploration. The addition of courtyards at the edges encourages free movement and a flowing spatial character. This layout fosters unexpected encounters at each turn, liberating the traditional typology from its symmetrically structured layout.
The concentric orbits stemming from the square-shaped courtyard extend into the landscape. An elevated water tank tower reflects the skyward expanse and shades the courtyard from maximum southwestern solar radiation. The lightly lifted horizontal roof provides shade for all spaces, while the rooms are illuminated by soothing diffused light from top-light windows, reminiscent of the old village houses.
The paved forecourt acts as a grain-drying yard during the two harvest seasons. The plinth features a river-polished red Mandana stone floor, supported by galvanized box-section columns that hold up the terracotta tile roof on metal rafters. The lightweight structure rests on 120 cm deep pile foundations and has the potential to adapt to future changes. The doors, windows, and other pieces of furniture are crafted from reclaimed teak wood sourced from nearby regions and designed in repetitive-sized modules to allow for future repurposing.
The village community uses two-thirds of the land for farming. Fruit plantations attract various species of birds, inspiring curiosity for nature in young minds. The journey of the home at Balkash comes full circle, connecting childhood nostalgia and strengthening family ties of the future. In the evenings as one sits on the verandah the distant sound of religious hymns from the village temple creates a serene atmosphere as the sun sets over the vast fields.
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