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Kerala-based architecture firm Wallmakers designed the eco-friendly and minimalistic Iha Residence for a family of two. The idea was to construct a design that promoted serenity yet was adventurous in the bustling city of Trivandrum.
One of the major challenges of the project was to counter the annual menace of waterlogging in the low-lying terrain. To resolve the problem, the firm ensured that the construction did not pose a hindrance to water flow or its harvesting. The problem was given a sustainable solution in the form of a pond at the lowest point of the site to conserve water and add to its spatial quality.

Challenging a common misconception, the firm designed a bamboo façade but strengthened the same with steel rods. It also created a front elevation and supports the staircase, leading down to a semi-open space for informal gatherings. They went the green way by using CSEB (Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks) bricks to create a rotating jail that ensures privacy in the bedrooms. In terms of comfort, the consecutive polar arrangement imparted natural light and ventilation to the rooms.
The motor base plates of washing machines were converted into scrap grills, which offered a good source of income to the laborers. Also, the furniture was designed from waste wood from saw mills that improves their green footprint as well. Thus, the structure interacts with the use of nature and terrain in its design, material, and construction as well.