Cochin Creative Collective

By Editorial Staff - 3 March 2025

The hallmark feature of a Cochin Creative Collective project known as the Outhouse at Perambra, in the State of Kerala, is a curvilinear concrete roof resembling a crescent moon, resting on its convex side. A guesthouse envisioned by a young client near their main residence, this dwelling features a rectangular floor plan aligned parallel to the rice paddies to the west, benefiting from an extensive square courtyard to the east, complete with a small grove of palm trees and a mango tree.

The bathroom, kitchen and a corner designated for study and service are all oriented toward the garden. High ribbon windows run along the upper part of the façade. On the opposite side, the living room, dining room and bedrooms open onto paddy fields through large floor-to-ceiling windows. Morning light filters through the canopy of the large mango tree, lighting up the roof volume that almost appears to levitate. Light also bathes the living spaces, ultimately framing the constantly changing views of the rice fields.

In contrast, sugarcane plantations provide the backdrop to the 1990 House, situated in the suburbs of Thiruvalla, also in the State of Kerala. Built 35 years ago and expanded in the ’00s, the house features a typical nine-module layout around a central internal patio. The owners commissioned the recent renovation to adapt the residence to a new life as retirees; a separate space was carved out to ensure a degree of independence for their now-adult eldest son. The Cochin Creative Collective design retains fragments of the original building, preserving its historical memory while introducing new elements in concrete, steel, and glass, in contrast to the existing volume’s white plastered walls.