The site occupies a steep mountainside in Vettilappara, with the existing house set on a level yard above the approach road. The land rises sharply behind the house, opening up distant views to the north, south, and west. A ramp connects the road to the yard, which is held by a three-metre-high stone retaining wall.

The proposal was to convert the existing house into a two-bedroom cottage and add another two-bedroom cottage on the higher ground at the rear. The two cottages are set at different levels, with gardens, terraces, and outdoor spaces connecting them across the slope. The section was developed to balance cut and fill, allowing the buildings and landscape to follow the existing terrain.

The cottages have simple, open layouts, with shaded verandahs extending the living spaces towards the garden and surrounding landscape. Pitched roofs, timber joinery, and stone plinths give the cottages a simple material expression, while stone retaining walls define the different levels of the terrain. The client’s involvement in the timber business also informed the project, with timber roofing and joinery preferred throughout.