When a double-story home in Thrissur, Kerala, started showing its age after two decades, the owners faced a choice familiar to many builders and remodelers. They did not want to demolish a family house with deep personal ties. Instead, they kept the original structural framework at the center of the plot and rebuilt around it with a bold, contemporary look.
Architect Clinton Thomas of Zolid Architects expanded the house outward and upward, creating about 5,000 square feet of living space while preserving the older core. The exterior is defined by clean angles and slanting concrete planes that give the home a geometric identity in Erumapetty.
From a masonry and wall-construction standpoint, one of the most notable choices is the use of autoclaved aerated concrete, or AAC, blocks for dramatic, angled walls at the porch and living areas. The team skipped traditional plastering and applied putty and paint directly to the AAC blocks, a move the project team said streamlined the work and reduced costs.
For mason contractors, the project is a reminder that modern design is not limited to glass and metal. Blockwork still plays a central role in shaping exterior massing, especially when the design calls for sloped planes and tight lines. Finishes that go straight on the substrate also put more attention on wall layout, clean surfaces, and crisp transitions at openings.
Inside, the renovated plan includes formal and family living areas, dining, kitchen and work areas, four bedrooms across two floors, an upper lounge, a gym, a home theater, and a swimming pool. Material selections include Wood Plastic Composite for doors and wall panels, UPVC window frames, and sandwich metal sheets over newly built roofs to reduce indoor heat.
From the street, the house reads as a new build. The hidden detail is that the original home still sits beneath the modern skin.
Read the full, original article from Onmanorama here.