ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL

A truckload of lime from Tamil Nadu, a bricklaying technique used by the Nubians of Africa, and a bright young talent. Architect and author Ramu Katakam reports on Kabir Nijjar and his experiments with brick.

- Ramu Katakam

ARCHITECT KABIR NIJJAR, THE SON OF A FORMER CHIEF OF THE INDIAN NAVY, HAS LIVED IN ALL PARTS OF INDIA.

His father, Admiral (retd) Karambir Singh, gave him the chance to design and build a home in Goa on a site that overlooks the low hills of the countryside, with a long view of the Velsao beach in the distance. The house has the added advantage of being able to watch the rising sun from the east.

Nijjar is a young architect with a passion for design and construction using traditional methods and materials. He visits his sites on a bicycle and is trying to adapt to a more sustainable lifestyle. He's completely absorbed in his work and creativity, with master craftsmen and masons from Tamil Nadu to help him use lime mortar to build. He has sourced brick made from compressed laterite dust and cement mix that provides a sturdy load-bearing structure at a much lower cost than concrete. So far, the bricks, despite being exposed to the harsh Goan weather, look pristine.