BRICK KILN HOUSE

“The common burnt br ick is one of man’s great invent ions. I t i s jus t the r ight s ize to hold in the palm of one hand. I t can be thrown by one man and caught in one hand by another man. You can keep your t rowel in one hand whi le you place the br ick wi th the other. I t has been burned r ight through and i t has not twis ted or cracked wi th the heat . “

- Laur ie Baker

Many abandond br ick s tacks dot the raigadh landscape of Maharashtra and have become a common place in the v isual landscape.

The Br ick Ki ln House is located in a smal l v i l lage in Munaval i , c lose to Al ibaug, Maharashtra. Whi le dr iv ing through Maharashtra one may f ind several br ick k i lns - wi th an evocat ive, mastaba- l ike presence, scat tered across the landscape. Often unnot iced, the br ick k i ln is a manufactur ing uni t of sor ts involv ing labour, mater ia l and the networks of demand in the bui ld ing indust ry. In th is project the heavy-duty and act ive complex of these k i lns became the des ign cue for a weekend home, a ret reat f rom hect ic c i ty l i fe .

For us the act of bui ld ing is a process of engaging wi th the tool box of archi tecture, i t s mater ia ls and i t s values. The br icks in th is house are more l ike pieces col lected f rom the vast envi ronment of k i lns and archi tectural h is tory that celebrated the br ick.

Munaval i

the br ick k i ln house

2011

The house res ts in a three-acre plot which is par t ly a grove of mango and tamarind t rees. Par t of the plot was four feet lower and was an unkempt paddy f ie ld. The f ront of the proper ty i s a not so busy asphal t road. The des ign was informed by s i te features l ike fo l iage, or ientat ion, aspect , and wind and rain di rect ion. Not only were al l the ex is t ing t rees re ta ined but two hundred more t rees were planted on the s i te.

The house is only a s tack of br icks in a grove to a passerby, but once you enter i t , i t opens up as a farm bui ld ing wi th verandahs enclos ing a cour tyard wi th a pool. I t consis ts of two main wings s i t t ing at r ight-angles around an awkwardly leaning t ree.

1 Entry Foyer2 L iv ing3 Ki tchen4 Media Room5 Bedroom6 Verandah7 Court8 Ex is t ing Wel l9 Pool10 Pool Pavi l ion11 Serv ice Block

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Here the br ick is not burdened to be a weave of jaal is , or form pat terns that we may ident i fy wi th regional in terpretat ions of the mater ia l and l i fes ty le wi th in archi tectural paradigms. The br ick is mater ia l , i t i s landscape, i t holds wi th in i t b lemishes that came f rom i ts making process, and these now become par t of the home.

I t i s typical of Indian country houses to have pecul iar ly dark in ter iors of fer ing respi te f rom the sun–scorched outdoors. In response to th is , here every room is cut on two s ides wi th openings, support ing easy cross vent i la t ion and ingress of jus t the r ight amout of l ight .

ITEM REFERENCE

1. 0.7mm VM ZINC Sheet- to s tanding seams @ 550mm center,TYVEC vapour barr ier membrane,TEXA- 3mm thick Bi tuminous se l f heal ing sheet ,19 mm thick mar ine plywood,50 mm thick heat insulat ion,145x82 mm TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel box sect ion @ 1200 c/c.19mm thick wax plywood sof f i t

2. 50x50 mm TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel member @ 1200 c/c

3. L-edge Zinc dr ip mould

4. Teak wood support member (salvaged teak )

5.120x240 mm TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel box sect ion beam

6. 172x92 mm TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel box sect ion beam

7. Rol ler b l inds

8. 8 mm thick c lear f loat Glass

9. 50 x 100mm ver t ical t imber s t i le (salvaged teak )

10. 5mm thick TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel angle plate

11. Top hung Teak wood window wi th cross t ransome(salvaged teak ) and f r ic t ion s tay

12. S l id ing teak wood door wi th 8mm glass panels

13. Terracot ta br ick facing (var iant th icknessess)

14. 18mm thick tongue and grooved wooden f loor (salvaged teak ) ,Thermocol f i l l ,25mm thick screed,TATA BLUESCOPE Steel deck prof i le sheet wi th 75mm concretewi th 12mm dia. s teel re inforcement @95mm c/c,12mm thick mar ine plywood axed on angle c leats

15. 20. 50x50mm t imber f ramework (salvaged teak ) @ 600c/c

16. Clear anodized aluminium L-Angle sk i r t ing

17. 100x200 TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel box sect ion

18. 230x500mm R.C.C. beam ( to s .eng. detai l )wi th 16mm dia. re inforcement

19. 12mm thk s teel p late f in ished wi th z inc chromate paint ,Retractable mosqui to screen,Sl id ing teak wood door in C-channel metal t rack wi th 8mm glass panels ,Wooden chick bl ind

20. 10 x 40 mm M.S. s la t member (handrai l )

21. 25mm thk Cuddapah(black l imestone- quarr ied at Betamchar la) s tone s labs - honed f in ished.25mm thk level l ing screed ( la id to fa l l ) ,TATA BLUESCOPE Steel deck prof i le sheet wi th 75mm concretewi th 12mm dia. s teel re inforcement @95mm c/c,100x200mm TATA s t ructura mi ld s teel box sect ion,Teak wood pergola- var iant s izes (salvaged teak)

22. 25mm thick Timber edge fasc ia (salvaged teak)

23. 100X200 mm TATA mi ld s teel ‘C ’ prof i le sect ion

24. 100mm thick BASALT- hand dressed and random jointed rock f loor,25mm thick level l ing screed,100mm thick P.C.C. bed,300mm rubble packingCompacted murrum ear th25. 450mm wide, 250mm deep gut ter wi th grat ing covered wi th 20 to 30 mm BASALT khadi (aggregrate)

26. 350mm pl in th br ick wal l (p las tered wi th WP compound)

27. 350x600mm pl in th beam

28. 8mm thick tongue and grooved wooden f loor (salvaged teak ) ,25mm thk level l ing screed,300mm thk P.C.C. bed

29. Salvaged teak wood 18mm ver t ical p lanks or vary ing widths

30. 12mm thick Terrazzo

31. 25mm thk Cuddapah(black l imestone- quarr ied at Betamchar la) s tone s labs - honed f in ished.25mm thk level l ing screed ( la id to fa l l ) ,175mm thick P.C.C. bed,300mm rubble packingCompacted murrum ear th32.50mmx50mmx8mm thick s i lver gray s late - la id to fa l l s in epoxy grout .3mm th ick Membrane wa-ter-proof ing.200mm thick Concrete s lab to Engineer ’s detai l on compacted sol ing of 300m mm thickness.25 mm thick non porous s tone tanking33. Ductable Air Condi t ioning blower uni t34. 30 th ick t rap door

The l iv ing room has a cur ious shed- l ike volume where the mater ia ls of the house come together rather loosely ins inuat ing incompleteness and creat ing a sense of being immersed in the vegetat ion around.

Every exper ience al lows for an in t imate in ter face wi th the outdoors, in marked opposi t ion to urban l i fe. Here the bathroom, which s i t s in the grove, i s par t ia l ly open to sky.

ITEM REFERENCE

1. VM ZINC Sheet- to standing seams @ 550mm center,TYVEC vapour barrier membrane,TEXA- 3mm thick Bituminous self healing sheet, thick marine plywood,thick heat insulation,TATA structura mild steel box section @ 1200 c/c.Thermocol fill,thick wax plywood soffit

2. 50x50 mm TATA structura mild steel member @ 1200 c/c

3. L-edge Zinc drip mould

4. Teak wood support member (salvaged teak )

5.120x240 mm TATA structura mild steel box section beam

6. 172x92 mm TATA structura mild steel box section beam

7. Roller blinds

8. 8 mm thick clear float Glass

9. 50 x 100mm vertical timber stile (salvaged teak )

10. 5mm thick TATA structura mild steel angle plate

11. Top hung Teak wood window with cross mullions (salvaged teak ) and friction stay

12. Sliding teak wood door with 8mm glass panels

13. Terracotta brick facing (variant thicknessess)

14. 18mm thick tongue and grooved wooden floor (salvaged teak ),Thermocol fill,thick screed,TATA BLUESCOPE Steel deck profile sheet with concretewith. steel reinforcement @95mm c/c,thick marine plywood axed on angle cleats

15. 20. 50x50mm timber framework (salvaged teak ) @ 600c/c

16. Clear anodized aluminium L-Angle skirting

17. 100x200 TATA structura mild steel box section

18. 230x500mm R.C.C. beam (to s.eng. detail)with 16mm dia. reinforcement

19. 12mm thk steel plate finished with zinc chromate paint,Retractable mosquito screen,Sliding teak wood door in C-channel metal track with 8mm glass panels,Wooden chick blind

20. 10 x 40 mm M.S. slat member (handrail)

21. 25mm thk Cuddapah(black limestone- quarried at Betamcharla) stone slabs- honed finished.25mm thk levelling screed (laid to fall),TATA BLUESCOPE Steel deck profile sheet with concretewith 12mm dia. steel reinforcement @95mm c/c,TATA structura mild steel box section,Teak wood pergola- variant sizes (salvaged teak)

22. 25mm thick Timber edge fascia (salvaged teak)

23. 100X200 mm TATA mild steel ‘C’ profile section

24. 100mm thick BASALT- hand dressed and random jointed rock floor,25mm thick levelling screed,100mm thick P.C.C. bed,300mm rubble packingCompacted murrum earth

25. 450mm wide, 250mm deep gutter with grating covered with 20 to 30 mm BASALT khadi (aggregrate)

26. 350mm plinth brick wall (plastered with WP compound)

27. 350x600mm plinth beam

28. 8mm thick tongue and grooved wooden floor (salvaged teak ),25mm thk levelling screed,300mm thk P.C.C. bed

29. Salvaged teak wood 18mm vertical planks or varying widths

30. 12mm thick Terrazzo

The country home seeks to forget i t s archi tecture, or archi tecture wi l l s imply become landscape, nature and envi ronment. . .

T h e B r i c k K i l n H o u s e

Lead Archi tects

Design Team

Locat ion

Contractors

Engineers S i te Area

Total Bui l t Area

Design Per iod

Const ruct ion Per iod

Photographs

- SPASM Design Archi tects

- Sangeeta Merchant, Mangesh Jadhav, Thomas Kar iath, Mansoor Kudalkar, Sanjeev Panjabi

- Munaval i , Al ibaug, Maharashtra, India.

- R.K . Construct

- Mr. Gireesh Rajadhyaksha (s t ructural )

- 9800 sq.m

- 830 sq.m.

- Jan 2009 - June 2009

- May 2009 – Dec 2011

- Sebast ian Zachar iah