The name Madras Terrace is a traditional roofing technique that combines handmade bricks, lime plaster, and wood to create flat roofs that are well-suited to hot climates.
The construction of the roof is built as layers of bricks, limecrete, and a top layer of terracotta tiles. The roof is slightly sloped to allow rainwater to drain off. This technique is used to build open-air terraces and intermediate floors. The roof's design allows for natural ventilation and cooling. The limecrete and smaller bricks also provide insulation from heat and cold. However, this method requires the expertise of skilled artisans.
When we started our Architecture Practice, we tried to reignite and restore this traditional method. One of the key roadblocks we hit was the lack of skilled artisans. We could have trained a few people in this approach but we also saw some key drawbacks of this method of roofing - the roof is unfortunately not watertight, leading to erosion of the underlying layer.
Therefore, we decided to take all the good elements of the traditional method and rebuilt the practice using newer construction methods but intending to retain the same benefits - good insulation, open air flow, natural ventilation and finally being eco-friendly.
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