Bhutha Earthen Architecture Studio, a Coimbatore-based practice, creates sustainable homes by combining vernacular building practices with modern design elements. Founded in 2019 by architects S Vinoth Kumar and V Srinath Gowtham, the studio emphasizes climate-responsive building practices and judicious use of resources to minimize carbon footprint. The studio’s approach to sustainability involves reducing waste and preserving traditional skills.
The studio’s projects, such as Brick Manor and Onella, showcase a blend of traditional and modern elements. Brick Manor features wooden columns, oxide flooring, and lime plaster combined with exposed brickwork, while Onella incorporates passive cooling methods and elements drawn from traditional architecture like the thinnai. The use of reclaimed wood, arches, and domes adds sophistication to the designs. For instance, in Onella, the couple who commissioned the project were particular about the home having minimal carbon footprint, besides being pet friendly, and all of this was factored in during the design process.
The studio’s founders, Vinoth and Srinath, were exposed to sustainable architecture during their stint at Auroville near Puducherry. They believe that sustainability is about judicious use of resources and curbing the use of polluting materials. As Vinoth notes, “In sustainable architecture, the emphasis is on judicious use of resources, curbing the use of polluting materials wherever possible so as to minimise carbon footprint. We’ve also used reclaimed wood in our projects, and often design the furniture ourselves.”
Bhutha Earthen Architecture Studio’s efforts aim to make each element in a building echo the values of sustainability while preserving vernacular building practices. They use debris from construction and demolition projects to create poured mud concrete and jaalis, reducing costs and ecological impact. This approach not only reduces waste but also helps preserve traditional skills used in vernacular building practices.
