Located in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, the Pirouette House has dancing walls. Made out of mud, bricks, and waste, the Pirouette House, spread over 196 square metres, is a masterpiece in sustainability.
Architect Vinu Daniel designed the house using the ‘Rat Trap Bond’. It is a brick masonry method used for the walls wherein the bricks are placed in a vertical position instead of a conventional horizontal position. This creates a cavity within the wall increasing thermal efficiency. The kiln-fired bricks allow passive cooling of the house. It also reduces the number of bricks and mortar needed.
Thus, a series of slanting walls that dance left and right were developed, converging only to support the ferrocement shell roof. “They effectively reduce the overall cement consumption by 40% and steel consumption by 30%,” says Vinu.
The house is well-ventilated and allows ample natural light, owing to its slanting walls, which gives an illusion that they are dancing. Each staggered wall has been made such that it creates a feeling of privacy.
The house has a courtyard in the centre similar to traditional Indian homes. The floor and furniture are made of upcycled wood.
Waste wooden planks were pieced together for one part of the flooring in the living areas. “Cane has been acquired from the neighbourhood, treated and wound around the grillwork to create subtle screens for privacy and for various furniture,” he adds.
Despite the urban setting of the house, it is surrounded by trees with a coconut tree situated inside the compound.
Watch the video to learn more about the architectural marvel:
Edited by Pranita Bhat
