“Home is a shelter from storms-all sorts of storms.”- These words by William J. Bennett made total sense when I came across this dreamy abode of Jihad Hussain & Shabnam Noorjahan. No matter to what extent we advance into the future coming back home means getting back to your roots, and this is what this Home enunciates in a subtle yet affirmative way.
Pictures: The Area
Being a Malayali at heart I have always had a penchant for the old-world charm of Kerala houses. This simple yet profound home was alluring enough for me to probe into more details about it.
I happened to come across this over a casual tete-a-tete with a friend Nazia Hani who has been into this art of converting dreams into realities since some time now. Heading the ambitious little organization of hers ‘The area’ which was established in 2016 and mainly focuses on residential and hospitality projects. They have approached every project passionately & have a keen eye for purposeful details, curated art, and unique touches that reflect the personality of each client.
Coming back to this beautiful ancestral property of Mr. Jihad Hussain, This vernacular home is an outhouse adjacent to their own abode and they wanted this 100-year-old hierarchical property of theirs to have a strong and resilient framework which would carry their long-established traditions. Also a very optimistic approach I would say, Jihad Hussain being a business person during these unprecedented times wanted a positive & a novel yet comfortable place to hold his online meetings and interactions, make video conferences with his office staff at Cochin & Dubai. On the other hand, his wife who is a college lecturer by profession and a writer by passion wanted a calm & composed Haven of sorts where her thoughts could be embodied into words and store her favorite possession, her books.
Pictures: The Area
These traditional old houses are mostly structurally strong but have lost the modern enamor! The basic work started off with restoration essentially, where the team at The Area majorly focused on restoring this marvel little by little to make it look back in shape.
The roof was shaped back with a traditional method of wooden truss & the clay tiles, the materials were repaired and reused. And the remaining was sourced from the old market. Traditional red oxide couldn’t be brought back because of the unavailability of workers on time in this season. When it comes to restoration the authenticity is what matters the most and that can be derived best from the place it originated. Nazia & her team made sure that the authenticity and the seedbed quality which Jihad & Shabnam were looking for would be retained and recreated in a manner where each corner would speak to them of their roots.
Pictures: The Area
The existing structure which had about 3 bedrooms were converted into spacious two and the provincial poomukham, Corridor, etc were retained to retain the regalia. Nestled up in lush greens of God’s own with a water body around another one challenge which the team tackled efficiently was to consolidate this vast expanse of beauty into the edifice. The construction was planned in a manner where the house could flaunt the scenic outdoors to perfection. It took a good 2 months to repair it back and furnish it In a traditional way. And having a bird’s eye for detailing and intricacies the team at The Area made sure that all the materials, furniture, and ornamentations were procured from the local places at Calicut itself!
With a topography of a river and a fertile bed of soil around, they have taken to organic farming and Kerala’s fertility factor has just added to this.
Having had their vision realized Jihad & Shabnam are planning to let this piece of beauty & Nostalgia to the outer world to experience as they plan to let it out for homestay, especially for tourists throbbing in for an experience of Sterling organic farming & a river with a traditional boat ride.
Pictures: The Area
Located at Azhinjilam Calicut, this place for moments to cherish & treasure can easily be a Home away from home for a few days. And if you are someone who has wondered about Kerala being God’s own?! Then a stay at such a Haven for a few days would surely answer all your wonderment!
The magic of a Home they say is that it feels good to leave, but it feels better to come back and this place makes sure you feel best!
You may e-mail Nazia Hani, the Chief Architect at The Area for any consultation.
