Residence · Chennai

Coexistence House

D.L.E.A · Chennai

A corner plot in Chennai that kept its mango and coconut trees: two long east–west zones, a triple-height skylit courtyard, and a deck that sits between the trunks.

Circular jaali, compound wall

Built-up: 5,200 sq.ft
Levels: 3 plus terrace gardens
Courtyard: Triple-height skylit, painted mural
Plot: Corner south and east facing
Completed: 2025 Chennai
Cost / est.: ₹1.61 Cr derived, not quoted

Photographs

D.L.E.A ↗

Select a photograph to open it here, full size.

Street view of the house: a dark gate, a name plaque in Tamil and English, and a terracotta compound wall with a circular jaali window — Approach, from the street Hosh Pictures

The house from the south-east corner, with terracotta jaali screens on the upper floor, coconut palms and a white garden wall — South-east corner, day Hosh Pictures

A stone-paved deck under a double-height opening, with a hanging cane chair, young planting and mango trunks — Double-height deck between the trees Hosh Pictures

A terracotta art wall beside the courtyard and prayer space, lit from above by a skylight — Terracotta wall, courtyard and prayer space Hosh Pictures

Living and dining room with dual-tone oxide flooring, cane and wood furniture, opening towards the garden — Living and dining, cane and wood Hosh Pictures

The entrance foyer, with a painted tropical mural, a timber ceiling, planting and polished floors — Entrance foyer and painted art wall Hosh Pictures

The jaali-lined corridor at terrace level, with planting along one side and a pet shelter — Jaali corridor and pet shelter Hosh Pictures

Aerial view of the house among coconut palms, showing roof skylights, terrace gardens and the circular jaali on the side wall — Aerial view of the plot and its trees Hosh Pictures

The south façade in daylight: white volumes, timber screens and the planted garden wall — South façade, day Hosh Pictures

The south façade at night, warm light coming through the timber screens — South façade, at night Hosh Pictures

The south-east corner at night, with the circular jaali window lit from within — South-east corner, night Hosh Pictures

Street elevation with the gate, planting and the terracotta compound wall — Street view, from the south Hosh Pictures

A second street view along the compound wall and the corner — Street view, along the wall Hosh Pictures

Close view of the upper façade with planting spilling over the parapet — Façade detail, with planting Hosh Pictures

Dining room with a terracotta feature wall and cane chairs — Dining room, terracotta wall Hosh Pictures

The kitchen, with timber joinery and a window to the garden — Kitchen Hosh Pictures

The home theatre on the second floor, with a patterned feature wall — Home theatre Hosh Pictures

The corridor along the front façade, planted on one side — Green-lined corridor, front façade Hosh Pictures

Aerial view of the jaali-lined green corridor at terrace level — Aerial, jaali corridor Hosh Pictures

Aerial view at night, with the terrace gardens lit — Aerial, night Hosh Pictures

Film

D.L.E.A

Coexistence House — 5,200 sq.ft, a film by D.L.E.A

Watch on YouTube ↗

Section · jaali screen, courtyard void, treesNot to scale

The move

The plot came with a garden: mature mango and coconut trees left over from an older estate. Rather than clear it, the plan splits into two east–west zones — services, parking and the stair along the west as a thermal buffer, living and bedrooms along the east opening to the trees.

A triple-height courtyard holds the centre, wrapped by the stair and lit from a skylight; a hand-painted mural carries the garden indoors. Under it, a double-height deck sits between the trunks, and the second floor is given over to a home theatre, two terrace gardens and a jaali-lined corridor that doubles as a pet shelter.

“It is not a home built on land — it is a home built with the land.”D.L.E.A, project text

Materials

Exposed brick, herringbone and jaali
Grey Kota stone
Oxide floor, dual tone
Jaisalmer stone
Cane and wood furniture

Open

Cost

₹1.61 Crtotal · at the studio's published rate

D.L.E.A publishes a project cost of about ₹3,100 per sq.ft. On the published 5,200 sq.ft that comes to roughly ₹1.61 crore — a derived total, not a quotation. Land and consultant fees excluded.