earthscape studio sculpts cavernous home from ferrocement shell

‘into the wild’: Sustainability Beyond Planting Trees

Earthscape Studio completes its Into The Wild House in Mettupalayam, India, as a sculptural example of eco-conscious design. The dwelling emerges from a grassy, twelve-acre expanse with panoramic views of mountains and a lush landscape of coconut and palm trees. Even still, the team notes that the flat site lacked notable terrain features. This prompted the architects to create a structure that would respect and integrate with the natural environment. The design philosophy emphasizes a 25/75 ratio — 25% construction and 75% focus on nature.

For Earthscape Studio, sustainability goes beyond planting trees. The firm prioritized a construction technique designed to reduce carbon emissions while creating a self-sustaining structure. The building employs an innovative ‘fold architecture,’ characterized by fluid forms and transitions with no seams. The 4.5 inch-thick ferrocement shell is finished with traditional thappi plaster on the exterior and mud plaster on the interior, eliminating the need for columns or beams.

images © Studio IKSHA

earthen architecture by earthscape studio

With its Into The Wild House, the architects at Earthscape Studio celebrate traditional Indian craftsmanship and earthen architecture, employing local materials and techniques. Lime plasters flow across floors and built-in furniture, creating a cohesive interior while reducing indoor temperatures by nearly three degrees Celsius. The structure’s curved and organic forms evoke the experience of entering a cave, infusing the welcoming living space with an atmosphere of wild, cavernous nature.

The design employs passive cooling strategies to enhance comfort in Coimbatore’s humid climate. Verdant landscaping hugs the structure, creating a natural insulation layer that reduces interior temperatures while contributing to the building’s structural integrity. Carefully placed windows and vent openings enable a stack effect, allowing cool air to flow in and hot air to escape. A linear bar opening offers sweeping views of tall coconut and palm trees, while the central courtyard allows natural light and ventilation to flood the interior spaces.

Earthscape Studio’s Into The Wild blends with the verdant mountains of Mettupalayam, India

fluid, continuous interiors

Earthscape Studio’s team redefines the approach to interiors, emphasizing built-in furnishings that seem to fluidly emerge from the architecture of its Into The Wild House. Customized beds, cushions, and fabrics align with the house’s curves and folds, contributing to the organic design language. The bathrooms feature arise finishes for natural waterproofing, while scrap wood and locally sourced stones are repurposed for doors, benches, and handles.

The house’s exterior shell is enveloped in greenery, creating a garden-like atmosphere that enhances the connection to nature. From the inside, expansive windows frame sylvan views, furthering the immersive experience of the landscape. Whether it’s the circular transitions or the play of light through vents, every detail of the house is designed to surprise visitors while maintaining a respect for the natural context.

beyond planting trees, the building employs innovative low-carbon techniques to harmonize with its surroundings

a ferrocement shell flows fluidly with arches, forming a self-sustaining structure

the foliage-covered shell creates a garden-like exterior, while the warm interiors redefine eco-conscious living

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