Purushan Eloor of Kerala has transformed his 25-year-old concrete house, which was severely damaged during the 2018 Kerala floods, into a flood-resistant, sustainable home in Eloor near Kochi.

Eloor, located on the Periyar River in Kerala, has faced recurrent flooding with the 2018 disaster being the most devastating, says Purushan Eloor, a local environmental activist and contractor.

In the wake of the 2018 floods that ravaged southern Kerala, Eloor was among the hardest-hit regions, with homes submerged and extensive property damage.

The aftermath of the floods led me to realize the importance of building a flood-resistant, sustainable home, Purushan says.

Purushan, a long-time resident of Eloor, saw his one-story concrete house submerged during the 2018 floods. We lost nearly everything, but losing my archives on Periyar river pollution was what troubled me most, he explains. In response, he set out to build a flood-resistant, sustainable home. By recycling his old house and focusing on sustainability, Purushan built his new home for only Rs 36 Lakh.

Purushan, who has a background in construction, was always keen on adopting eco-friendly methods for his own home. “As an environmental and social activist, I wanted to set a positive example and practice what I preach,” he shares. This desire led to the creation of his sustainable home, designed by Architect Ganga Dileep, with whom he has worked on many projects.

There is a misconception that choosing alternative construction methods means sacrificing home comforts, but this house proves that wrong. It is minimal in design, yet I consider it luxurious because it is built with environmental sustainability in mind. Nothing has been compromised, says Architect Ganga Dileep. A key feature of the 3,000 sq ft home is its innovative design centered on the “Room for a River” concept.

The design draws inspiration from Dutch flood protection techniques. As a result, the ground floor of the house was left unbuilt, with the two upper stories elevated on pillars, adds Architect Ganga Dileep.

Purushan shares, In the 2018 flood, the water level reached 8.5 feet in my house, prompting us to raise the first floor by 10 feet. This ensures that floodwaters can flow beneath the house, which aligns with the idea of Room for a River.

From Trash to Treasure

The first floor of Purushan house is elevated by a column and beam structure, made possible by recycling the debris from his old home. The old house holds emotional significance for me, it is where my parents lived and where many memories were created, he says. I wanted to honor that connection by reusing the materials from it in my new house. The concrete debris, bricks, bathroom tiles, and closets from the old house were all reused to build the first floor.

Purushan emphasizes, this is a responsible step towards reducing the growing carbon footprint. The first-floor walls are made entirely from recycled debris, blended with natural materials such as coconut fiber, straw, and rice husk, and just 10% cement. That is why it is called the junk wall, he explains. Purushan lives in the home with his wife and children. The junk wall also includes pieces of wood to show how various materials can be used together, and its surface has different textures rough, semi-rough, and glossy—achieved using sand.

On the first floor, you will find a spacious visiting room, dining area, master bedroom, and an open kitchen. Purushan visiting room features furniture crafted from wood that is typically overlooked for furniture-making. My favorite part of the house is the visiting area, he shares.

Instead of using conventional woods, I sourced wood that is usually discarded by mills, treated it, and turned it into furniture. The flooring on the first floor is also made from scrap wood, which is often wasted in the creation of furniture, doors, and windows.

To stay consistent with the idea of recycling, we made sure to source these materials and utilize them as effectively as possible, he explains.

For the second floor, Purushan opted for a red oxide mix for the flooring, deliberately leaving it unpolished. I wanted to minimize the use of tiles in the house. They are only used in the kitchen and bathrooms, as these are the areas most exposed to moisture, he explains.

In the living room, the ceiling is crafted from bamboo mesh, replacing the typical iron rods, with the rest of the ceiling made from reinforced cement concrete (RCC). The rails of the staircase to the second floor are made from bamboo, adorned with Rajasthani antique pieces. The second-floor houses two bedrooms with attached bathrooms and a hall with a library. The walls of this floor are constructed using reinforced bamboo, combined with natural materials like clay, rice husk, coconut fiber, straw, and a small amount of cement.

Purushan explains, “The second floor has two show walls made from beer bottles, and the staircase leading to the terrace is decorated with Warli designs using metal rods from the old house.” He adds, The staircase takes you to the open terrace, where we plan to install solar panels.

Additionally, the house includes two “air columns” that help with ventilation and reduce indoor heat. “The house remains cool even during the summer months, and we do not need air conditioners,” Purushan says. We have designed more open windows and included jali work on the walls to ensure natural light comes in throughout the day.

Discussing the challenges, Purushan shares, it was quite difficult to find skilled workers familiar with bamboo construction. However, with my experience, I was able to guide the workers through the process.

Edited by Gayathri