Every summer, many places around the globe face extreme heat. This situation has led architects to create buildings that can naturally stay cool. GNN has highlighted various companies, especially in Asia, that focus on designing homes that cool themselves, using principles of thermodynamics. One such design team from India, Elemental Architects, has applied these ideas in a unique family home for sisters Renu Krishnadas and Rekha Utham in hot Kerala. The sisters, after having successful careers, chose to return to their 1.5 acres of family land located an hour from Kannur, surrounded by rice fields. At first, when Elemental suggested constructing a house without air conditioning, the sisters were unsure. Krishnadas noted that during her stay, she never felt the need for AC, finding that fans were sufficient for comfort.
The innovative aspect of their home, designed by lead architect Amrutha Kishor, is its ability to function like a fan. The design carefully considers the natural airflow direction. By aligning the house along a north-south axis, it allows breezes to flow through all living spaces. The house features low, open brick walls and clay lattices, known as jali, on the northern side, enabling air to flow inside and circulate.
As the air heats up from the sun or activities, it rises into high ceilings designed to direct the warm air out through specially placed windows. These windows are positioned to let in light while blocking excess heat. The jali openings and brick gaps not only provide ventilation but also utilize a natural principle where air speeds up as it moves from wider to narrower spaces. This design acts like small pumps that facilitate air movement, helping to cool it down.
Furthermore, the interior walls are made from perforated clay blocks, allowing both air and moisture to pass through. The house’s structure is built with laterite, a local mineral described by Kishor as having low thermal transmission, which is ideal for managing heat. Kishor explained that exposing laterite used to be common, but is now rare in buildings. The material’s ability to absorb and release heat slowly is beneficial in a humid state like Kerala, where humidity often reaches 80%.
The roof is another clever design feature, constructed with two layers of clay tiles that create a gap to reduce heat transfer from the sun. Together, these elements make the house seem almost alive, capable of regulating its temperature through ventilation. Elemental Architects have designed many buildings using these techniques, and the hope is that this approach becomes more widely adopted. How do you feel about using natural designs to create cooler living spaces?
Sources:
Source: Good News Network, by Good News Network