APPRAISAL CRITICALIDENTITI ADVERTISING RENOVATION ARCHITECTS: MEISTER VARMA ARCHITECTS CATEGORY: MIXED USE PROGRAMME: ADVERTISING OFFICE (18 PAX), MEETING ROOMS, STORE AND ACCOUNTS, LIVING+DINING, KITCHEN + UTILITY, MASTER BEDROOM, GUEST BEDROOM LOCATION: KOCHI, KERALA SITE AREA: 278SQM BUILT UP AREA: 334S0M The building was to cater for an office of 20 employees in addition to an expanding joint family It also needed a look distinct from its neighbours hinting at its mixed-use avatar. It had an inside out approach carving out the interior to match the space require ments of each floor.LOCATION The relatively compact site lies in a residential area in Kaloor, Kochi, Kerala. Nearby Junction Main Entrance Influential factors South to the site exists a canal The site is situated in a dense urban residential area with buildings to its east, west and south. So there is a need to design with respect to privacy. The existing structure was an archetype of a build-to-rent style prevalent throughout Kerala with low daylight and even lesser character. They were design with cramped room sizes resulting from a halt-baked interpretation of Vastu.CONCEPT Mode! of reinvigoration for existing urban housing stock incorporating a variety of spaces and functions. Design to include green spaces. Elevation <@®® Design to incorporate = more daylight into the boiling : Requirements The renovation had to be dramatic to match its energetic occupants. The building was to cater for an office of 20 employees in addition fo an expanding joint family. It also needed a look distinct from its neighbours hinting atts mixed-use avatar Provide privacy to the occupantsDemolition Planveranda & guestpecoam 2Setout soe Zeuteeraom cae elcome Rofice a ater GROUND FLOOR iar Fiomoce FIRST FLOOR Sant TepomeeboceaeZivegianing ‘Ss. maverbecoom gues bedioom bon ‘SECOND FLOOR ®D SPATIAL ORGANIZATION PUBLIC SEMI PRIVATE fmm PRIVATE For the apartment, the public spaces are provided east and west to the building. The private spaces are provided south to the building. the public space overlaps the private space in the east to provide privacy trom the adjacent residential buildings. The semi private spaces form the center of the buildingCIRCULATIO above we Il VERTICAL CIRCULATION lm BALCONY ENTRANCE There are separate entrance to the office and apartments, One Which leads to the office and the other to the staircase leading tothe floors above. The separate entrance to the apartment provides privacy to the occupants. The porch acts as the transitional space to the building. The walls are a raw grey in contrast to the striking red colour which provides an inviting character to the public space.OFFICE The open porch provides maximmum daylight in the ground floor. The creepers provide privacy as well as lets in diffused light to the office space. This space provides a lively open space where people can connect to the nature withiut losing their privacy. Ferrous oxide walls feature as prominent elements on each floor with builtin lighting features. The walls show the raw feature of the material and provides a dynamic feature to the office space interiors which are in stark contrast to the facade colour. wiszamacsastanaly ‘Ambient artificial lighting are provid fed. Aditional green ‘elements could have been provided for the interiors to contradict the bland. ness of the grey walls.PRIVACY The coment latice to the feast gives visual privacy from close neighbours and filters light to the living spaces, They provide the natural sunlight and ventilation for the spaces. a oe) Fh dd ht The lattice work is inspired trom Indian architecture and, provides a connection to our culture. “The walls allow controlled light and air into the interior and also providing a play of light and shadow throught the latice wort. ‘They aesthetic element to the facade and also being functionally important to the building These walls increase the surface area and mass of the facade and also increases the velocity of the wind due to ‘smaller opening thereby cooling the interiors.FACADE COLOUR: A red ochre wall deriving its colour from the company logo wraps around the building setting it apart from its residential surrounding, The red colour provided dynamism rellectedcted by the occupants, The angular placement ofthe inbuilt planters which have vertical kitchen gardens used to grow creepers and herbs, provides the facade an aesthetic element, They also act, as an additional mass to the building and reduce the heat gain, The facade Is a stark contrast tothe residential building surrounding it It becomes unique and catches the eye of the beholder easily. It helps in establishing the building as mixed use. : ut FRONT ELEVATIONBALCONY The second floor was demolished to provide a double height for the balcony. This helped to open the space more and solve the problem of congestion. ‘The double height of the balcony acts as a light well ‘They provide light to the adjoining room with difused light due to the lattice work. It helps in ventilation and forms a transparency to the outside. The natural light will provide energy officient methods = of lights with very less dependence on artificial lighting Since the balcony acts as a transitional space direct sunlight does not hit the interiors making the interiors coo! during harsh sunlight TRAVERSE SECTIONINTERIOR The material such as Ferrous oxide walls, artificial lighting ‘change character the interiots. The spaces are more open and allow more air and light inside, ‘The second floor apartment has open kitchen floor plan. This make the space more open and provides vviow towards the rest of the space. nia LONGITUDINAL SECTION