Karthick and Kathik Architects

We are based out of Coonoor in the Nilgiris, working from a place called Diary Cottage on Apple By Road. Living up here in the hills changes how you think about buildings. It’s cold sometimes, and the mist rolls in while we are trying to sketch at our desks. Karthick and I started this because we liked the local style here. It’s a quiet spot at 144 Diary Cottage, away from the loud noise of the big cities. We don't have a big marketing team or anyone to write fancy brochures for us. We just handle the projects that come our way from neighbors or people moving to the area. Sometimes the roads get tricky during the rain, so site visits take a bit longer than we initially expected. We spend a lot of time looking at slopes and trees because you can't just build anything anywhere on a hill. It’s a lot of practical stuff, making sure the roof can handle the weather and the drainage works properly. Most of our work comes from word of mouth around the town. We know the local masons and the guys who supply the timber for the frames. It feels like a small community effort every time a house gets finished. We don’t have a big staff, just a couple of us doing the drafting and the site supervising. It is a slow pace of life but the work gets done right if you don't rush it.