THE NEW NORMAL

WORKATION RETREAT

THESIS
2020-21

Submitted by
KRATI RAJORIYA

Guided by
AR. IMRAN DESHMUKH

S.E.C.M.s’ C.O.A. Jalgaon

❑ The New Normal ?

The grinding monotony of a nine-to-five job can be

enough to make anyone dream of sandy beaches, ski
chalets or meandering along faraway thoroughfares.
But while the desire to escape may be without limit, an
individual’s holiday allowance is not.
The ‘Workcation’ has grown in popularity over the past
few years, with many firms encouraging staff to
combine some of their leisure time with small tasks from
the working week
Work from home has taken on a new meaning in recent times,
what with everyone stuck inside their homes and slogging
away at the same corner they’ve set up as a home office for
weeks on end.
Now that remote working is the new normal, why not glam
it up a notch?

The innovative concept of ‘workations’ seems to

WORKATION
appear more alluring by the day.
The idea of a Workcation is relatively new and has only
been made possible by the rise of digital technology.
=
Unlike the concept of a digital nomad – someone whose
job is independent of location, allowing them to work
wherever they want – Workcations are aimed at full-time
“WORK” +
employees who simply elected to operate remotely for
short periods, either as a personal choice or because their
employer has decided it would be in the long-term
“VACATION”
interests of the firm. Time away from the desk, it seems, is
not only advantageous for employees: it provides
productivity benefits for employers, too.
Reason For Selecting This Topic

• It has been observed that the contemporary travellers being bored by the sedentary lifestyle and
mounting work pressure are yearning for leisurely activities along with work balance and they are
more eager in having new and unique experiences.
• Homestays helps in promoting Work from Home culture of the country which, also helps in the adoption
of the work environment. Usually these are built outside the city in a village, forests etc..
• This provide a regional advantage by employing a large section of the local community. There are
many parts of the backwaters in Kerala which are yet to be explored and not known to the world.
• India is a country where tourism industry is the fastest growing industry. It holds a major stake in
employment and revenue generation. So it becomes crucial to ponder and study the impact of
hospitality industry in current and future economy.
AIM
• To design a homestay at Thrissur, Kerala in a manner to serve the purpose of combining work with a change
of scene, and have a semi holiday in the process.

OBJECTIVE
• To study and analyse the topography, environmental factors, micro climate of the region, soil
characteristics, landscape etc. and design a homestay by incorporating all these factors.
• To integrate design purpose between the indoor spaces as well as outdoor spaces by enabling physical
environment coupled with services and activities.
• To provide a peaceful and pollution free environment in its prevailing form so that the guests/corporates can
enjoy the beauty and harmony of that place while working.

• To cater to the primary necessities of food and shelter but also to the secondary and tertiary necessities

of the guests by providing proper comfort and luxury combining with work environment.
SCOPE

• The pandemic (and lockdowns) have resulted in several changes in the way we live. For instance, many
people don't have to attend office every day any more. Many are working from home. Some are choosing
a change of pace, and working from homestays.
• The use of local materials of that region helps in designing an eco-friendly stay and can also accentuate the
aesthetics and comfort of working.
• Use of local materials for construction helps in providing jobs for the local artisans.
• It’s been a while that working professionals have been locked up in their homes. After spending a year long
within the same four walls, they now wish for a change of space, and a break from household chores.
• It helps in improving the tourism of that area, creativity and improving mental health of working
professionals.

LIMITATION

• Restrictions to the site and the buildings as it falls under coastal regulation zone.
❑ Statistic
❑ Tourism in Kerala

Kerala Tourism positions itself as a global destination for tourism based on the
advantage of the local resources, thereby attracting investment and resulting in
sustainable development for the people of Kerala.
An equable climate, a long shoreline with serene beaches, tranquil stretches of
emerald backwaters, lush hill stations and exotic wildlife, waterfalls, sprawling
plantations and paddy fields, ayurvedic health holidays, enchanting art forms,
magical festivals, historical and cultural monuments, exotic cuisine - make
Kerala a unique experience for all.

• Backwaters in Kerala
Kerala was ranked as one of the "50 destinations of a lifetime"
by National Geographic Traveller in a special collector’s issue
released just before the turn of the millennium, with houseboat
and backwater resort tourism.

Arrival of Domestic and Foreign Tourist

▪ Kettuvallams (House Boats)

▪ Chettuva Backwater
SITE BRIEF
❑ ABOUT SITE
• The site is located at Manalur in Thrissur district- the Cultural Capital of Kerala.
• It is the home land of the world famous Thrissur Pooram Feastival.

❑ LOCATION
• The site is located on an island.
• The site is facing Enamavu Lake on the Northern side and Karuvannur River along western part of
the site which is a part of Chettuva Backwaters.

• Situated in the most serene part of the place, is enveloped with natural beauty, with river through
the western edge, lake on the Northern side and free from all the chaos and busy life of the city.
• The calm and quiet ambience of the site is an ideal place to rest and relax.
❑ Linkage
• Airport: Nedubassery International Airport, Kochi is just 66 Kms away from the site.
• Rail: Thrissur railway station is just 18Km away from the site.
• Road: Nearest bus stand is 2.2Km away from site.

❑ Near by Places:
The Site is located in the Manalur village, at the cross roads of the numerous Tourist and pilgrimage sites in
and around Thrissur. Some of these sites are:
• Vadakkunnathan Temple: This temple is a classic example of architectural style of Kerala and has
monumental towers on all four sides. It is 16km far from the site.
• Shakthan Thampuran Palace: It is situated in City of Thrissur in Kerala state, India, which is 14Km
away from the site. It is named as Vadakkekara Palace, was reconstructed in Kerala-Dutch style in
1795 by Ramavarma Thampuran of the erstwhile Princely State of Cochin, 
• The largest Mangrove forest of Kerala is located in these water at Chettuva, which is located 10Km
away from the site.
• There are many beaches near the site namely, Snehatheeram, Vadanapally, Nattikka.
8. TOPOGRAPHY
• The site is a flat land with lagoons and canals inside.
• The Northern side of the site is the Enamavu lake which is having tidal effect is the main attraction of
the site. The lake is lively and it rejuvenates lots of positive energy to the guests. Site is filled with
coconut trees
• Vistas and Views:-
• The Northern side of the site is the Enamavu Lake, which is always filled with water throughout the
year. This creates an enchanting vista through the tree trunks.
• At the boundary of the site there are strip of trees which creates an avenue like area. There are
good vistas through the fauna of the site, since the site is having plenty of tees.
❑ Connectivity And Micro Analysis

Chennai to Thrissur - 614 km

Bengaluru to Thrissur - 473km
Mysore to Thrissur - 260km
Madurai to Thrissur - 280km
NATIONAL HIGHWAY 17 STATE HIGHWAY 75 ACCESS ROAD TOWARDS SITE SITE
TOTAL AREA- 46335.841 SQM

AREA AFTER SET BACK- 18244.32 SQM

F.A.R - 0.33

MAX BUILT UP ALLOWED- 15290.82 SQM

N
❑ Environmental Analysis

WIND FROM
THE LAKE

SOUTH-WEST
WIND
Plan showing wind direction

Plan showing sun path during summer Plan showing sun path during winter
❑ Design Techniques
Tropical climates are generally characterised by hot, wet summers, high levels of humidity and
little change between day and night temperatures. Movement of air is an important strategy
for cooling people down, because the body has more difficulty cooling itself with sweat in
humid climates. The most important passive design strategy in the tropics is to open up houses
as much as possible, even during the heat of the day, to achieve maximum cross ventilation
and convective air flow.

Considerations:
i. The use of lightweight materials for the walls and roof is recommended because they do
not store much heat and shed heat quickly, even with small changes in temperatures.
ii. Providing windows and openings in internal walls to encourage air flow between rooms
and through the house but do not compromise privacy.
iii. Providing covered external living areas that are positioned to catch the prevailing breezes
in both the wet and dry seasons.
iv. Providing a screened ‘sleep out’ style veranda positioned to catch the night-time summer
breezes
 v. Using lightweight materials such as a steel or timber stud frame with metal, timber or fibre
cement claddings
vi. Insulating the western walls.
vii. Choosing windows that catch the breeze and can be left open in wet conditions, such as
louvres, casements or awning windows
viii. Using opaque glass in windows to reduce the use of curtains which block breezes
ix. Putting high level windows or vents in all rooms, to let out the hot air and draw in cooler air
x. Using grass and ground covers around the house rather than concrete and sealed surfaces
that will absorb heat and re-radiate it into the house

• Site Concept:
• Visually open spaces
• Courtyards as spaces of interactions
• Use of Jaali to reduce heat gain
• User friendly welcoming spaces for all age groups with amalgamation of
traditional and contemporary style
• The use of local materials of that region helps in designing an eco-friendly
stay and can also accentuate the aesthetics and comfort of working.