zero studio's haven house features tropical gardens and breezy brickwork

a brick home hides within a lush site

With its elongated facade of perforated brickwork, Zero Studio’s Haven House sits on an elevated site within a quiet neighborhood in Valiyannur, India. From the road, the dwelling reads as a low, horizontal volume that settles into the terrain and harness the trees, overgrown plantings, and sky as a lush frame.

The architects shape the project through proportion and texture over sculptural gesture. A continuous laterite wall defines the eastern edge, serving as compound and building skin at once. This dense, rust-toned plane gathers the common spaces behind it and gives the house a steady presence along the boundary, while its surfaces register sunlight across the day in small shifts of shadow.

images © Abhimanyu KV

zero studio curates a gardened threshold

Entry to the Haven House begins from the south, and is expressed by the architects at Zero Studio with a restrained palette of laterite stone and grey cement plaster. Overhead, a sloping tiled roof ties the structure to local construction practices and keeps the silhouette modest against the skyline.

To mark the threshold, a floating slab sit-out, dotted with tropical plants, serves as a small outdoor room. This space is open to breeze and street sounds and is planned as a moment of stillness that prepares the transition into the interior.

A compact doorway leads to a long axis of living and dining areas, which ultimately guide visitors toward a large kitchen at the northern end. Storage and work surfaces integrate into the walls, keeping the plan open and easy to navigate.

a long, linear volume hovers over the subtly sloping site

inside the breezy ‘haven house’

Bedrooms occupy the western side of Zero Studio’s Haven House, buffered by a family living area and the stair. While keeping everyday movement direct, this layout offers quiet separation from the social spaces.

Upstairs, a landing looks down into the double-height main room to create a visual link between levels. A casual sitting area, two larger bedrooms, and a utility room complete the floor. The material language remains consistent. Cement-finished floors, muted grey tiles, and small accents of Jaisalmer stone add warmth through tone and texture rather than decoration.

Openings are strategically placed to encourage cross-ventilation. The perforated eastern wall filters sunlight into a soft pattern that shifts across floors and walls through the day. Air moves steadily from one side of the house to the other, thus reducing dependence on mechanical cooling and ensuring a comfortable temperature throughout.

laterite brick walls define the building’s skin along the eastern edge