Concrete proof in Kannur

In Kerala, aslam.sham architects show how gray, steel and structure can still feel warm

19 Jun 2025

This is a house built from the inside out, one that doesn’t follow a rigid grid of rooms. When two doctors approached aslam.sham architects with a brief for their dream home, their vision for the space was clear: no strain to follow the conventional norms, just a space that feels grounded in how they live.

Built on a plot some seven feet above the road level in Kannur, the house reveals itself through volumes that shift, open and settle into each other. Rather than dividing space by walls, the architects, Sham Salim and Aslam Karadan orchestrated a sequence of expanding volumes, calibrated by light, material, and intention. Inside, one would find restraint and concrete sans the usual coldness it is associated with. Light pours across the vast gray volumes, hitting a vivid teal staircase sculpted in steel.

“The choice of the cement or concrete tones is down to the fact of expressing the structure for what it actually is, a very large volume of cement or concrete...” — Sham Salim and Aslam Karadan

From the living area, the deep-brown leather sectional, sculptural teal staircase, and red steel poolside chairs align in a single sweeping view, uniting the interiors with the exteriors; Photography by Ishita Sitwala

Blue steel

It was important for the couple that nothing here felt decorative for the sake of it. The structure, finishes and even the furniture needed to feel intentional, functional and elevate their everyday life. That started with concrete, building the home with a calm gray palette where concrete is left visible and untreated. It is paired with open volumes, tall ceilings and natural light, which helps keep the material feeling too cold or industrial.

“The choice of the cement or concrete tones is down to the fact of expressing the structure for what it actually is: a very large volume of cement or concrete,” explain co-founders Sham Salim and Aslam Karadan. The steel takes over where the concrete leaves off, it becomes both the support and silhouette of the interiors, due to its strength, precision and minimal profile. Nearly every interior piece was custom designed in steel: the dining table, the console, wall details, the coffee tables, even a lighting unit and wine glass holder over the kitchen island. It’s used in many forms, flat plates, box sections, rods, wire mesh, the design team worked closely with steel fabricators to get the scale, proportion, and finish of each piece exactly right.

To balance the concrete palette, a defined blue tone anchors the home. “We felt the blue would seamlessly complement the greenery of the backdrop as well as the grey, and the clients have always loved blue,” the duo tells us.

The staircase and passage, serve as a screen, masking the kitchen and as well as a stage for daily rituals, housing a concealed mirror and wash‑basin enclave at its landing; Photograph by Ishita Sitwala

At the entrance, terracotta and clay urns and a serene Buddha statue anchor the courtyard with a quietly meditative spirit; Photograph by Ishita Sitwala

Monumental steps

A single swooping volume of teal-blue steel is at the heart of the home, forged in collaboration with specialist fabricators. The monolithic stair appears to float within the double-height living room. Its open risers cast shifting ribbons of shadow across the gray concrete slab beneath. The staircase and passage, serve as a screen, masking the kitchen and as well as a stage for daily rituals, housing a concealed mirror and wash‑basin enclave at its landing. It frames the glint of sunlight on the adjacent pool and draws the eye upward to the clerestory windows and anchors the otherwise fluid rooms without walls with a bold, sculptural gesture.

Pouring in warmth

In a home where exposed concrete and forged steel set the scene, it’s the layering of artisanal details and accents that brings warmth and personality. At the entrance, terracotta and clay urns and a serene Buddha statue anchor the courtyard with a meditative spirit. Overhead, slender brass lanterns, the Nilavilakku, dangle from the high ceiling, nodding to South Indian craft traditions. All around the home, raised planters overflow with plants like banana palms and Monstera, their green spill gently into the space. A deep-brown leather sectional invites relaxation in the living room. On the walls, a curated mix of bold abstracts and traditional motifs punctuates the gray backdrop. Such carefully selected, handcrafted elements ensure that the home’s minimalist bones never feel cold.