As urban land becomes increasingly scarce and expensive, compact plots have become the reality for many families. The challenge is no longer simply fitting a programme within a limited footprint, but creating a home that feels spacious, well-lit, and connected to its environment. Splitscape Residence, designed for a family of four in Coimbatore, explores these possibilities on a site of just 113 sq.m.

The brief called for three bedrooms, parking for two cars and two bikes, a ground-floor bedroom for elderly parents, and provision for a future fourth bedroom. After accounting for statutory setbacks and wall thicknesses, the buildable width was reduced to less than 6 metres, making conventional planning inadequate. The design therefore evolved through the section rather than the plan.

A series of split levels connected by 1.5-metre level changes became the organising principle. By reducing the parking slab height from 3 metres to 2.4 metres, an intermediate level was created for the kitchen and dining, allowing the programme to unfold across staggered levels instead of conventional floors. This creates visual continuity while giving each space a distinct identity.

The triple-height living room forms the heart of the house, visually linking different levels and encouraging interaction while maintaining functional separation. As one moves through the home, interconnected spaces gradually unfold, creating a sense of openness despite the compact footprint.

Natural light and ventilation are fundamental to the design. A narrow courtyard beside the living room and another adjoining the children's bedroom introduce daylight, greenery, and cross ventilation. Skylights combined with operable vents create a natural stack effect, drawing cooler air through the house while exhausting warm air.

The material palette is intentionally restrained. White walls enhance changing daylight, while modular Kota stone flooring, exposed concrete ceilings, and red oxide accents introduce texture and warmth. A sculptural staircase and a circular steel bay window further enrich the spatial experience.

Passive environmental strategies are embedded within the architecture. Rat-trap bond masonry improves thermal performance while reducing material use, and a corten steel screen on the south façade filters harsh sunlight without compromising daylight, ventilation, or views.

Splitscape Residence demonstrates how section, light, and passive climate strategies can transform a compact urban plot into a home that feels open, interconnected, and deeply responsive to its tropical context.