Design firm: Spacefiction Studio
Project Name: T(errakota) House
Location: Warangal, India
Size: 929 square meters In a dense urban fabric lacking a clear identity, Spacefiction Studio has created a residence that reinterprets the principles of Vastu Shastra in a contemporary key. This ancient Indian discipline explores the harmony between the environment and the built world through alignments, materials, and natural elements, and is also known as “Indian Feng Shui.” The “Erra Kota” house—whose name means “red fort” in Telugu—derives its name from its material character: a massive terracotta-colored structure formed by the assembly of staggered volumes, progressively enveloped by climbing vegetation. 
The ascending configuration, resembling an inverted pyramid and progressively expanding the building’s surface area upwards, arose from the need to reconcile the domestic program with the limited dimensions of the plot, transforming a site constraint into a design opportunity. Inside, the volume is carved out by three staggered, interconnected double-height spaces that promote visual continuity, natural light, and ventilation between the rooms. The ground floor, which is more open and public, accommodates the garden, living room, swimming pool, and parking area, while the upper levels contain the private and service spaces. 
Ancient Indian design wisdom re-emerges in the study of orientations and the choice of materials. The eastern façade opens to the softer morning light, traditionally associated with prayer in Hindu culture, through terraces and large openings. The southern and western sides, which are more exposed to heat, are instead screened and dedicated to technical or service areas. 
The building envelope, made of plastered concrete incorporating concrete chips and terracotta pigments, is progressively colonized by plants and contributes to the building’s thermal regulation. Inside, light-colored plastered walls and perforated metal screens interact with floors made of local Kota stone, which has been used for centuries for its ability to remain cool despite the extreme temperatures of the area.