Reimagining the vernacular

Malik Architecture spins traditions into a sustainable Jaipur home

12 Jun 2025

When did building with vernacular materials become a radical idea? Despite the growing discourse around climate-responsive design and sustainable architecture, the use of local materials and regional craft often gets relegated to the aesthetic periphery. But The House of Solid Stone by Malik Architecture proves otherwise, placing material intelligence, thermal performance and indigenous knowledge at the centre of architectural innovation.

Located on the outskirts of Jaipur, this private residence was commissioned by a member of the royal family of Dundlod, formerly associated with Taj Vivanta. The brief was clear, Kamal Malik, Founder and Principal Architect, tells us, “Our initial discussions were based on the fundamentals of how our ancestors could successfully employ the use of local construction materials to deal with issues of climate as well as use the resources that were available to the Rajasthani craftsmen. I suggested to him that we could use age-old construction methodologies and design a very contemporary home for him, which would be built on principles of sustainability.”

“Traditional building practices carry generations of accumulated intelligence, rooted in climate, culture and material knowledge. Our intent wasn’t to replicate these practices, but to take the next evolutionary step in these traditions,” — Kamal Malik

AN EVOLVED VERNACULAR

In Rajasthan, sandstone has historically been the building block of forts, palaces and stepwells. Today, however, it is mostly relegated to decorative cladding. Malik Architecture challenges this superficial use of material by reasserting stone’s structural capabilities. Working closely with local stonemasons, they developed a unique cavity wall system: two six-inch stone leaves separated by a service cavity. This not only ensures thermal insulation but also allows plumbing and electrical conduits to run invisibly within the walls, avoiding chases or false ceilings.

“Traditional building practices carry generations of accumulated intelligence, rooted in climate, culture and material knowledge. Our intent wasn’t to replicate these practices, but to take the next evolutionary step in these traditions,” Kamal elaborates. This stone-on-stone construction, reminiscent of age-old load-bearing techniques, is reengineered with contemporary precision. It achieves a 5–7°C temperature differential between inside and out, even in peak Rajasthani summers, demonstrating the value of thermal mass and passive cooling.

FROM QUARRY TO CRAFT

Malik Architecture sourced the Jodhpur sandstone from quarries located 45 minutes from the site. Instead of machine-cut slabs, they requested the use of the traditional “splitting” technique, which is a slower, human-led process that preserves the stone’s natural grain and geological identity. The tactile quality of the split stone retains the Earth’s imprint, allowing the architecture to feel both primal and present.

“We knew exactly which stones were coming first, how many trucks were needed, and the sequencing, ensuring we didn’t crowd the site unnecessarily,” says Kamal, “Everything was methodical. At some point, it became a mystery to understand construction not just through drawings but through the logic of assembly.” Each of the 17,000 stones used in the house was cut, labelled and sequenced off-site to match an exacting construction plan. The stone sizes were not standardised but determined by what two masons could reasonably lift together. This ergonomic logic, shaped by generations of building knowledge, is dictated by the very process of construction. This intimate dialogue between engineered planning and tacit knowledge defines the ethos of Malik Architecture: drawing strength from both digital precision and analogue craft.

COURTYARDS AND FISSURES

Spatially, the house draws from the memory of traditional Rajasthani havelis, where the courtyard forms the thermal and social core. Narrow alleys, fissures and voids weave around the courtyard, producing spatial rhythm and thermal relief. Vaults, jack arches and stone trabeated systems define the ceilings as forms that are naturally suited to stone. Operable stone screens modulate light, ventilation and privacy, acting as climate devices that are hand-cut and layered to respond to changing seasons and inhabitant needs.

The most compelling aspect of The House of Solid Stone is the redefinition of craft. In contemporary architecture, “craft” is often a term relegated to surface finishes or bespoke furniture. But in this project by Malik Architecture, craft becomes structural, systemic and epistemological. Local stonemasons, who are custodians of centuries-old knowledge, worked hand-in-hand with the architects to resolve complex design problems on site.

Construction drawings were only part of the story. Much of the building emerged from sequencing, logic of placement and on-site decisions led by master craftsmen. In this context, construction becomes assembly in the truest sense: a bringing together of bodies, material and knowledge. Stone is not a symbol of the past, but also a material for the future. The project proves that building entirely in stone is not only environmentally sound, thanks to its low embodied energy and high thermal inertia, but also economically viable. By sourcing local materials, minimising processing and reducing dependence on multiple contractors, the house turned out to be more cost-effective than a typical RCC-and-cladding model. In The House of Solid Stone, Malik Architecture offers a new vision for the built environment, one that is grounded in place, enriched by tradition and uncompromising in its modernity.