Two years ago, Dipu George, an architect with GTA Architects, was approached by Father Siby with a humble request. Handing over his entire savings of 10 lakh to the architect, Fr Siby wanted to put an end to the agony of his aged parents living in a house with severe seepage problems.
The father’s ancestral home on at Ponpally in Kottayam was literally submerged in the rains each year. The enterprising arcÂhitect finally found a way out to tackle the problem. He decided to “step out from the conventional and do away with the brick and mortar houses that demanded money and time.”
An alumnus of IIT Mumbai with 12 years experience in multi disciplinary professions in the design field, Dipu didn’t waste time in roping in the expertise of Eapen George, a civil engineer based in PerumÂbavur, who is known for his modules based on pre-stressed and prefabricated technology. Once he had drawn up the desÂign for the new house, he did a grill foundation followed by assembling various modules of the structure.
An earthquake resistant two-storey house with 1,350 sq ft was handed over to the priest in less than three months. “The house was completed at a cost of Rs 800 per sq feet while a traditional construction would have cost notÂhing less than Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,700 per sq ft,” explains Dipu. A whole floor was completed in two days and that highlights the innovative and creative thinking of the architect for whom “design is a cause”.
With a vast experience in the field encompassing architecture, industrial design, visual comÂmÂunication and design pedagogy, Dipu reiterates that architecture is not just about the project, but dealing with execution challenges and shortage of human resources. “It’s no wonder that the traditional ‘brick and mortar’ construction is giving way to prefab structures,” says Dipu, a faculty member of MES Engineering College, Kuttipuram.
“Prefab technologies can be used to build homes quickly and cost-effectively, in times when cost of traditional construction is skyrocketing. Modular construction that makes use of prefab technology involves use of factory-manufactured components in buildings,” he says. Trivandrum International School is one of his pet projects.
Components such as steel frames, wall and ceiling panels and floor tiles can be brought to the construction site and the structure is assembled on-site. One of the advantages is that houses using steel frames for structure can have multiple storeys without pillars, beams and concrete.
“Alternatively, the main structure and outer walls can be constructed using the conventional techniques and inside partitioning and interiors with prefab materials,” explains Dipu.
“Another interesting factor of prefab houses is that they can be pulled down transported and assembled elsewhere too.” So, will the concept of modular homes find a place in Malayali hearts? “It’s just a matter of time,” says Dipu.
