LIJO.RENY.architects

This ground floor bedroom opens directly toward the river yards, resting along a quiet threshold between shelter and landscape. Full height glazing keeps the space visually porous, allowing light, breeze, and the distant movement of water to enter with ease. The river becomes a constant presence, its changing light and reflections shaping the atmosphere of the room through the day.

Stone, wood, and raw concrete form a restrained material palette, grounding the space in calm permanence. Their textures hold the room with clarity while allowing the landscape beyond to remain the dominant presence.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

At The House That Meets The River, the swimming pool becomes a quiet threshold between home and landscape. Conceived as a measured extension of the river, it aligns visually and spatially with the water beyond, drawing the horizon inward. Morning light filters through concrete slats, laying soft bands of shadow across stone and turquoise water.

Rough masonry walls hold the space in calm contrast, while full height glazing allows the bedroom and corridor to open directly onto the pool edge. Breeze, light, and reflections travel freely through this layered section, dissolving boundaries between inside and out.

As the day recedes, the pool settles into a deep stillness, mirroring the river it gently meets.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

At The House That Meets The River, this first floor bedroom opens gently toward the landscape, framing uninterrupted views of the river and its dense green edge. Full height sliding glass panels extend the room onto a narrow balcony, allowing light, breeze, and the quiet rhythm of water to enter with ease.

Exposed concrete ceilings and clean white walls form a restrained backdrop for warm timber wardrobes and soft peach furnishings. The artwork, created by Leah Lijo, the architect’s daughter, becomes a quiet focal point. Its layered tones sit naturally within the room, making it especially fitting for the homeowners’ youngest daughter.

The space feels personal and open at once. A room grounded in warmth, yet always connected to the river beyond.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

It feels incredible to step back into The Skewed House, a home we designed 11 years ago for a doctor couple and their two children, now featured on YouTube. Seeing it after all these years, still in pristine condition and nurtured with such care by the family, was nothing short of surreal.

When we first conceived this project in 2010, its language and aesthetics were unfamiliar to Kerala. Over time, those ideas found their way into the larger discourse, and this house came to mark an important moment in the story of contemporary architecture in the state.

We are delighted to revisit this journey and grateful to see The Skewed House remain as relevant as ever.

(See the link to the original archive in the comments)

A 3,861 Sq. Ft. Home from 2014 That Still Defines Contemporary Living | Home Tour | @ArchPro The Skewed House in Palakkad emerges from the challenges of its harsh climatic context, skewed plot, and dense residential fabric. Drawing inspiration from t...

Honoured to be featured in the Power Couple series by The Architect’s Diary. This recognition comes as we reflect on more than twenty years of journeying together, both in life and through our studio LIJO.RENY.architects.

What has carried us through these years is a shared passion for design, art, and the constant search for meaning in the spaces we create. For us, design is never about following a formula. It is about questioning, experimenting, and shaping each project through its site, context, and the people it belongs to. That spirit of collaboration, between us and with every idea we take on, continues to guide our work.

(Interestingly, this photograph was taken by our daughter Leah Lijo.)