This is the 2100 square feet riverside Magical Weekend Home we call Reflections.

Nikhil and Shabna at Thought Parallels, want their buildings to tell stories. Reflections, a river view Weekend home exclusively designed for the Kallada family and built around a river tells a captivating one. 

The Kalladas make a thoughtful family. They enjoy working during the weekdays, but they make sure they get their share of quiet during the weekends. They consider the weekends as a time to refresh and rejuvenate. They had this property of 1800 square yards, at Kallada Kadavu, Padinjarathara, approximately 12 kilometres away from Calicut city, Kerala on which they wanted us to build a traditional weekend home for them. Padinjarathara, they added, was a convenient location from where essential supplies could be effortlessly sourced from. 

They further stated that they wanted to revel in the stillness and expression of the wide river. They talked about being encouraged and fascinated by the river and revealed that they take inspiration from the river to remain rooted in the real world. The place was an ideal and appropriate location for a weekend home, and it looked like a refreshing retreat blooming with greenery.

Rivers, Nikhil and Shabna thought on their way back to the office, are magical. They have their song, their own, sweet mellow one. They sweep up smoothly along, moving into the open, even if the torrents come out of nowhere. Undeniably, what an inspiring place for a weekend getaway! A perfect place to relax, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and beside the warm tranquillity of the river. 

Nikhil and Shabna took this as an opportunity to expand their design strength. Thought Parallels, from its inception until now, has gained a reputation for its statement-making architectural styles that in all its personality formulates a commitment to substance, structure, and function. Architecture has never been for the sake of architecture alone, but for the reason that it must fulfil. 

Inspiring locales are a great delight for architecture at Thought Parallels. The pandemic has transformed the way of thinking. What people need today is not architectures that are just magnificent looking, but constructions that are also in coherence with nature. The idea of Thought Parallels was just that – an environmentally sensitive design, a design that is kind to nature. 

After the meeting, Thought Parallels team outlined their environmental assessment, evaluated the other natural traits of the site’s placement, discussed the practical considerations to arrive upon the most suitable architectural design for this going to be magical Weekend home. They also heeded to the prompts of the land around them – the river, the trees, the contours, and the wind to arrive at the right layout and floor plan of this Weekend Home. 

Located on a plot of 30 cents, this Weekend home of 2100 square feet, is double storied. Every place in this construction is integrated into the surroundings, making way for much-needed rest and relaxation.  

Beginning at the ground floor is an impressive, stoned pathway that leads to the living room. The living room gives a scenic viewpoint of the river and is embellished with personalized furniture, fiberglass planters, macrame wall hangings, relics, and antiques. The windows scale from floor to ceiling, allowing the residents to relax and soak in some sunshine and enjoy the magnificent river and its connecting landscapes. The living room leads to the outside, from where fresh air rushes in and out, to awaken the building, giving you a feeling that this house is meant to be experienced every day of the year. 

The bedrooms, with a superior share of glass, are a highly futuristic design that gives an incredible view of the outdoors. We wanted to ensure that sunshine pours through the glass and give the Kalladas the kind of momentum they need to spend a meaningful weekend together as a family. The floor of Black Slate, a material that is temperature, freeze, and mold resistant ensures that the residents get a good share of sound sleep. A lot of detailing has gone into making this custom-designed switch panel on a brass pedestal fixture which is a loveliness enhancer in the different rooms. 

The dining room and Open Kitchen blend well with each other allowing for excitement and integration between the two spaces. The open kitchen uses a mix of traditional and contemporary styling in textures, elements, and flooring. The dining area overlooks the riverside making this a warm and inviting space that feels just right. Unobstructed space, harmonized coloring, textures, and styling make these two areas look incredible together. The dining table is made of wood and its rectangular shape provides more room for chairs with no extra pressure on space. The Kitchen has both top and bottom cabinets, giving the Kalladas extra storage space. It also integrates a built-in Microwave oven at a convenient eye level. 

The stair railings, we thought, must be a combination of greyed steel and wood of walnut finish to complement the entire structure. The balcony also gives a riverside view. We considered black flooring for the balcony as it gives itself to a modern minimalist design. The thoughtful flooring makes the entire space an easy on the eye experience. It is also a perfect option as it helps withstand temperature and moisture fluctuations. 

Another pathway on the second floor, cased with railings of steel and enclosed in glass also gives an all-encompassing picture of the outside, lush with trees and plants. Trees planted here around the property, seasonal and non-seasonal fruit-bearing ones, ensure that the Kalladas enjoy the best of their richness. 

The colours used in this entire property stir an incentive in your psycho-spatial relationship. A colourful sensation is produced by the different shades of light as they are reflected and refracted. The interaction between every texture throughout this weekend home gives a welcoming feel. 

Perfect volumes and subframes that highlight the wall thickness, walls with delicate moldings that communicate with the openings give the project its modern-day expression. Tropical roofs are another highlight of this weekend home, that allows balanced heat distribution throughout this weekend getaway. 

This weekend home is an extension of the Kallada’s personality – a character of an equilibrium between the external and the internal. This weekend home allows them to both interact and retreat.

There is no denying the fact that scenic weekend homes bring to mind a feeling of admiration and yearning among most of us. The Kallada’s weekend home hosts a tone of peace like no other, true to its name – Reflections.