Coimbatore’s CN Raaghav’s home Casa Roca, which means ‘house with natural stones’, has become the talk of the town.
A robotic architect by profession, one of Raaghav’s prime motivations for building the house was to showcase how sustainable Indian architectural practices are.
Built on a 2,500 sq ft space, the house aims to be sustainable with zero carbon emission. “This is a very modern façade with all the traditional aspects kept alive inside the house,” he says.
From picking handmade tiles from Tamil Nadu’s Athangudi and stones for the pillars from Karaikudi to using upcycled glass bottles, Raaghav has sourced material from local sources.
He says, “We managed to build this house in eight months. Its unique style and architecture sets it apart and can be described as every neighbours’ envy,” he adds.
The slabs used to make the roof of the house are made of clay plates, which claim to reduce thermal heat by up to 30 percent.
Along with this, some glass tiles have also been used, which gives him natural light during the day. “These are small measures which go a long way in reducing our dependence on electricity,” he says.
Raaghav has also used a unique technique – Rat Trap Bond – to build a brick wall. Here, bricks are placed in a vertical position instead of the conventional horizontal position. This creates a hollow cavity within the wall.
The method is known for its lower construction cost, reduced material requirement, and better thermal efficiency than conventional masonry walls.
Besides, the building is structured in such a way that the rainwater is collected and is currently taking care of the entire household’s water needs.
Raaghav has been able to construct the home under Rs 25 lakh. What’s even better is that he is able to save about Rs 36,000 from what would have been the yearly electricity expense.