Farmhouse Design in Ramanathapuram
for Gouthaman, an Organic Farmer
(Click on the pictures to enlarge)
Farmhouse in Ramanathapuram. The project is situated about 2kms from the Sea, in a lush farmland. The site is below the road level and hence needed to be raised 4' for the building. Built with only local materials available within 50kms radius of the site - Mud taken from the site, Lime stone and wood bought from the locality.
The Building has Random Rubble Stone Masonry, Cob walls, Wooden Doors and Windows. The room is a combination of Mangalore tile Thinnai (Porch), Madras terrace flat roof and Brick Dome. The plasters are Mud and lime plasters, which require maintanence from time to time.
Farmhouse in Ramanathapuram. The project is situated about 2kms from the Sea, in a lush farmland. The site is below the road level and hence needed to be raised 4' for the building. Built with only local materials available within 50kms radius of the site - Mud taken from the site, Lime stone and wood bought from the locality.
Step by Step Construction Process
Step by Step Construction Process
Farmhouse Design in Ramanathapuram
for Gouthaman, an Organic Farmer
The Owner Gouthaman is from a family of farmers, who completely shifted to Natural ways of Farming a few years back. In his hometown of Ramanathapuram, he has long awaited to construct a Natural Building with unprocessed materials, available within the locality.
The project is situated about 2kms from the Coastline, in a lush farmland in Ramanathapuram. There were few unique challenges to the site, being below the road level, high humidity, Salty Ground water and Efflorescence (Deposition of salt on the Building surface).
Built with only local materials available within 50kms radius of the site - Mud taken from the site, Lime, stone, and wood bought from the locality.
The Building has Random Rubble Stone Masonry which is stacked dry without any mortar, to raise the building above the road level.
Cob walls are made with the mud harvested on-site. Doors and Windows made with old seasoned wood. Very minimal openings are provided to maintain the thermal insulation from outside and just enough ventilation to overcome the humidity.
The roof is a combination of Mangalore tile Thinnai (Porch), Madras terrace flat roof, and Brick Dome. Palm tree is the locally available and most durable option for wood in the area. Palm beams and rafters are being used for Madras Terrace Roof. Madras Terrace roof offers very high insulation from Summer Sun. The Brick dome helps in creating a difference in Pressure for Stack effect by letting out Hot air to rise up and escape, leaving the spaces below cool.
In such high humidity areas, its highly important to have permeable plasters. The plasters are of Mud and lime with Egg-whites and Jaggery that forms a geopolymer, would become a gel when it absorbs humidity and goes to a powder-form when dry.
The Flooring is the traditional Athangudi Flooring which is also a humectant to tackle the high humidity.
Natural building techniques | Farmhouse in Tamilnadu | Random rubble masonry | Poured earth | Cob construction | Madras terrace roofing | Vaults and dome | Mud construction | Kali natural buildings initiative | Eco friendly architects