It was an exciting affair to visit Akkarai Residence because I was new to the office and its atmosphere, had never gone on a site visit and had heard about the project a couple of times from almost everyone in the office. Deviating a little away from the heart of the city and moving on towards a calmer and greener site in close proximity to the sea, along the east coast road, our thoughts were filled with the much-anticipated project which had undergone a tremendous makeover for the past five years.
As the car turned towards the road and moved further, the tiled sloping roof structure, which was under construction, was visible between the skyline and the few trees surrounding it. Opening the white timber gate, one could see the most classic facades ever created. A quick view of the front elevation design would absolutely make any person fall in love with it, and the chancellor arched windows give boldness to it. Open-mouthed at the typical but marvellous Benny Kuriakose design, looking up to us as a piece of perfectionist wonder, we moved inside to explore the interior surprises.
From the large welcoming swimming pool, we moved on to the sit-out, through which we reached the living room. Timber eave boards were running all around the ceiling of the room. Large timber windows adorn the room, opening out to the lush green patches, the blue patch of sky, and a punch of sea breeze. I made a mental note on how the creation of beautiful views was important, which was a cakewalk concerning Benny Kuriakose's designs.
Everywhere marvellous timber works were adorning the white walls. The foyer connected to the sit-out gave me an instant thought of how the inhabitants will enjoy their evenings with a cup of tea underneath the traditional timber eaves overlooking the patches of surroundings. To the right side of the foyer is the dining area, which opens out to a courtyard as well as an open area. The large timber shelf is the centre point of attraction of the space. The foyer also hosts the timber staircase that leads to the upper floors. The staircase is another marvel in artistic creation and a major contributor in giving the residence the traditional grandeur.
The kitchen is yet another space that gives the residence the feeling of a luxurious holiday cottage. The large centre table clubbed with modular accessories makes it the picture-perfect kitchen that one can see in high profile architecture magazines. The scale of the bedrooms matches the overall size of the building, making it cosy, yet retaining the grandness. At all points of the house, large French windows open out to the beautiful views, along with providing ample natural light and ventilation, another important style in which Benny Kuriakose designs are credible.
Timber work being the major attraction of the residence is seen all around the house including the doors, windows and roof, where intricate carvings are done on the eaves, slope silhouette, and almost everywhere. I thought the time the carpenters took to carve out these masterpieces was worth it, and it give the house its identity that anybody would yearn to own.
While the visit proved to be enlightening, in terms of detailing in construction aspects, it also threw light on something which we never thought about, the strenuous task of completing a project without compromising on quality and perfection. From the point of view of the client as well as the architect, the difficulties faced are uncountable. Coordinating the works, getting it done on time, checking upon minute details with utmost perfection are some things that require patience and commendable memory power, which is something that comes naturally with Benny Kuriakose. Although there is an air of tension within the crew of clients, contractors and the architect, everybody is sure that the project would surely be a grand success once completed.
- Janki & Ariya
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