Soil & Soul Studio / Iki Builds

Architects: Iki Builds
Lead Architect: Vamshidhar Reddy
Area: 1400 ft²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Vivek Edara
Town: Chevella
Country: India

Soil & Soul Studio, a private residence designed by Iki Builds in India, merges vernacular methods with contemporary construction to create a low-impact home for a work-from-home bachelor within a mature farmhouse setting. A central courtyard supports passive ventilation and links the indoor spaces to the surrounding trees, while a mezzanine and basement provide efficient spatial organization. The structure eliminates the use of concrete and RCC by employing load-bearing walls made with a debris wall technique using reclaimed materials, site soil, lime, and minimal cement. A Madras roof built with wood, lime mortar, and natural additives offers breathable insulation. Lime flooring pigmented with surkhi and a courtyard roof built from reused casuarina poles support the project’s ecological aims. Sustainable features include cross-ventilation, daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and landscape integration with native planting, forming a cohesive and ecologically sensitive living environment that supports biodiversity and environmental continuity. The studio fosters a serene, efficient, and resilient lifestyle where traditional wisdom and innovation converge to create a space of ecological integrity and mindful living.

The process began with the site itself; the verdant farmhouse community and the magnificent 50‑year‑old neem tree demanded a design that would honor and integrate with the existing ecosystem. This was paired with the client’s need for a compact yet spacious sanctuary that facilitated a work‑from‑home lifestyle. Underpinning the entire project was a firm commitment to challenging conventional construction by minimizing the carbon footprint, which led us away from an RCC frame. Instead, I drew from the wisdom of tradition, adapting methods like the Madras roof, while also using the project as a canvas for innovation by developing new ecological solutions like the “debris wall” technique.
Interview with Vamshidhar Reddy of Iki Builds

Set within a mature farmhouse community, the studio reinterprets sustainable living through a thoughtful combination of traditional knowledge and modern design. Designed as a peaceful retreat for a work-from-home bachelor, the residence reduces environmental impact while enhancing its relationship with the surrounding green landscape. The design emphasizes functionality and minimalism, resulting in a compact yet open living space where interior and exterior areas merge fluidly, cultivating a sense of openness and calm.

The design ethos of the studio is closely connected to the surrounding environment. A spacious outer courtyard functions as a key transitional element, encouraging natural ventilation and creating a strong visual and spatial link with the nearby forest and mature trees. This open-air zone extends the living space outward, softening the divide between built form and nature. Inside, a carefully integrated mezzanine makes efficient use of vertical space, offering a private sleeping area while preserving the openness of the main living area. A concealed basement adds utility and storage, supporting the overall uncluttered character of the interior. Large, strategically positioned openings frame landscape views, maintaining an ongoing relationship with the natural surroundings. A 30-year-old neem tree in the front yard further grounds the building within its context.

The project sets itself apart through a series of resourceful and environmentally conscious construction methods, each selected to reduce the carbon footprint and enhance thermal comfort. The studio is built as a load-bearing structure, avoiding the use of a conventional concrete foundation and RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) frame. This strategy significantly lowers the building’s embodied energy by reducing reliance on cement and steel. The walls are constructed using a “debris wall” technique, which repurposes demolition waste from nearby sites. This material is combined with site-excavated soil from the basement, a small amount of cement (less than 6 percent), and lime as a stabilizer. After refinement through several iterations, the resulting mixture not only reuses waste but also performs thermally, maintaining indoor temperatures at least 5 ℃ (41 ℉) cooler than outside. These thick, earthen walls offer natural insulation and a distinctive tactile quality.

The main living area is topped with a traditional Madras roof, a flat roofing system common in South India. Locally sourced wooden battens form the base framework, supporting small diagonal bricks known as achikal, which are joined with lime mortar enhanced by traditional organic additives like jaggery, gugal (Indian bdellium), and karrakai (Terminalia chebula). A layer of limecrete, made of lime and broken bricks, is often applied on top for improved insulation and waterproofing. Finished with terracotta tiles, the roof excludes cement and steel, promoting breathability and thermal efficiency while reflecting a regional architectural aesthetic.

Certain roof sections use MMT (Minimal Material Technology) shells, developed by Ar. Vinu Daniel, offering a low-impact solution that maintains structural integrity with minimal use of steel and cement. These shells are formed using wire mesh and a mud binder base coat, visually blending with the earthy walls and contributing to a cohesive material language. Flooring throughout the studio continues the use of natural materials, with lime surfaces pigmented by surkhi (pulverized brick) to create a warm tone and stabilized with lime for durability. This breathable finish supports a healthier indoor climate and lowers the embodied energy compared to conventional cement-based floors.

In the courtyard, casuarina poles originally used as construction scaffolding are repurposed as the primary roof structure. This efficient reuse reduces waste and forms a lightweight, permeable cover that filters soft eastern sunlight into the space. The casuarina structure complements the surrounding earth adobe walls and the landscape, reinforcing the studio’s commitment to low-impact, integrated design.

The studio incorporates a comprehensive set of sustainable features that extend beyond its core construction methods. Natural ventilation and lighting are achieved through the open courtyard and large, strategically positioned windows, which enhance cross-ventilation and daylight access, significantly reducing reliance on artificial cooling and lighting systems. Rainwater harvesting systems are integrated into both the courtyard and roof, supporting responsible water management. The design also respects and incorporates the existing mature landscape, including the prominent neem tree, while the use of native plant species further promotes biodiversity and strengthens the relationship between the built environment and its natural surroundings.

The sustainable studio offers more than a functional residence; it creates a sanctuary for intentional and reflective living. Through the careful use of natural materials, resourceful construction techniques, and seamless landscape integration, the space establishes a calm and uplifting environment. Its thermal comfort, abundant natural light, cross-ventilation, and constant connection to the outdoors support a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, ideally suited to a bachelor seeking both peace and environmental responsibility. The project serves as a clear example of how traditional knowledge and modern innovation can be combined to produce a lasting, environmentally conscious home that honors both its occupants and the broader ecosystem.