LIJO.RENY.architects

10/04/2026

A short drive from Thrissur, Kudakkallu Parambu sits quietly, a field of stones older than memory and untouched by the images we associate with Kerala architecture. It reminds us that before roofs and courtyards, there were other ways of shaping space. In its silence, it offers a different way of seeing. To read thoughts that have stayed with us since the early years of our practice, do take a look at the essay below.

LIJO.RENY.architects is a multiple award winning design studio based in Thrissur, Kerala

31/03/2026

23/03/2026

A small, unscripted moment at The Regimented House reveals how architecture quietly holds its ground when it matters most. Click to read the story:

LIJO.RENY.architects is a multiple award winning design studio based in Thrissur, Kerala

12/03/2026

This ground floor bedroom opens directly toward the river yards, resting along a quiet threshold between shelter and landscape. Full height glazing keeps the space visually porous, allowing light, breeze, and the distant movement of water to enter with ease. The river becomes a constant presence, its changing light and reflections shaping the atmosphere of the room through the day.

Stone, wood, and raw concrete form a restrained material palette, grounding the space in calm permanence. Their textures hold the room with clarity while allowing the landscape beyond to remain the dominant presence.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

02/03/2026

At The House That Meets The River, this ground floor bedroom extends gently into the river yards beyond. Framed by full height glass, the room remains visually porous, allowing the landscape to feel close and immediate. Warm yellow tones soften the exposed concrete, bringing a sense of ease and lived comfort to the space.

Just outside, the pool and its pavilion edge act as a climatic buffer. They temper the harsh sun while still permitting breeze, light, and reflections to flow inward. The threshold becomes layered rather than abrupt.

Here, architecture does not enclose. It moderates, filters, and connects, allowing the bedroom to breathe with the river.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

23/02/2026

At The House That Meets The River, the swimming pool becomes a quiet threshold between home and landscape. Conceived as a measured extension of the river, it aligns visually and spatially with the water beyond, drawing the horizon inward. Morning light filters through concrete slats, laying soft bands of shadow across stone and turquoise water.

Rough masonry walls hold the space in calm contrast, while full height glazing allows the bedroom and corridor to open directly onto the pool edge. Breeze, light, and reflections travel freely through this layered section, dissolving boundaries between inside and out.

As the day recedes, the pool settles into a deep stillness, mirroring the river it gently meets.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

12/02/2026

Artist Rajan Krishnan was one of those gentle souls we did not meet often, yet miss deeply despite not having what people would call a close or constant connection.

We first met Rajan in 2011. What stayed with us from that meeting was not just the conversation, but the warmth with which he spoke about our work. He engaged with it as if he had known us for years, with generosity and genuine curiosity.

Those were also years in Kerala when artists seldom took architects who practiced art seriously. There was always an invisible line. But Rajan stood apart from that mindset.

In the few encounters we had later at events and gatherings, he came across as someone with sharp observation and a rare clarity of thought, beyond being a terrific artist. There was an ease to his presence, an attentiveness in the way he looked at people and their work.

Rajan left us in 2016, far too early.

Visited MAP, Bangalore yesterday and happened to see his work in one of the drawer cabinets. Opening that drawer felt unexpectedly personal. Along with the drawings came back a flood of memories, conversations, and the warmth he carried so effortlessly.

Some people leave behind more than their work. They leave behind a way of being. Rajan was one of them.

29/11/2025

At The House That Meets The River, this first floor bedroom opens gently toward the landscape, framing uninterrupted views of the river and its dense green edge. Full height sliding glass panels extend the room onto a narrow balcony, allowing light, breeze, and the quiet rhythm of water to enter with ease.

Exposed concrete ceilings and clean white walls form a restrained backdrop for warm timber wardrobes and soft peach furnishings. The artwork, created by Leah Lijo, the architect’s daughter, becomes a quiet focal point. Its layered tones sit naturally within the room, making it especially fitting for the homeowners’ youngest daughter.

The space feels personal and open at once. A room grounded in warmth, yet always connected to the river beyond.

The House That Meets The River | Thiruvalla Kerala, India by LIJO.RENY.architects

Client: Dr Cyril Joseph & Dr Joice Cyril and Family
Site: 1237.37 sqm (30.57 ct)
Built up area: 724.64 sqm (7800 sqft)
Completion: 2023

Architects: LIJO.RENY.architects
Principal Architects: Ar. Reny Lijo and Ar. Lijo Jos
Project Team: Dhanayan KS and Ar. Naveen Rajan
Interiors: LIJO.RENY.architects
Landscape: Plain Spaces and LIJO.RENY.architects
Structural Design: Er Rosemy George - Keystone Engineers

Photographs:

01/10/2025

We are glad to be part of Design Talk 03 – Living Monsoon organised by the IIA Cochin Centre on October 3, 2025, at IMA Hall, Kochi. Alongside architect Roy Antony from Cochin, we will be presenting our work and reflections on two decades of LIJO.RENY.architects.

16/09/2025

It feels incredible to step back into The Skewed House, a home we designed 11 years ago for a doctor couple and their two children, now featured on YouTube. Seeing it after all these years, still in pristine condition and nurtured with such care by the family, was nothing short of surreal.

When we first conceived this project in 2010, its language and aesthetics were unfamiliar to Kerala. Over time, those ideas found their way into the larger discourse, and this house came to mark an important moment in the story of contemporary architecture in the state.

We are delighted to revisit this journey and grateful to see The Skewed House remain as relevant as ever.

(See the link to the original archive in the comments)

The Skewed House in Palakkad emerges from the challenges of its harsh climatic context, skewed plot, and dense residential fabric. Drawing inspiration from t...

12/09/2025

Ar. Reny Lijo of LIJO.RENY.architects was invited as a panelist at Design Nxt 4 by Greenlam, held on 5th September 2025 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The panel engaged in an insightful dialogue on “Designing for Wellbeing — A Cross-Cultural Dialogue: India & Vietnam.” The discussion brought together perspectives from two vibrant cultural contexts, exploring how architecture and design can meaningfully contribute to human wellbeing in an ever-changing world.

Design Nxt 4 served as a platform for the exchange of ideas, where professionals from diverse backgrounds shared experiences, challenges, and innovations shaping contemporary practice.

At LIJO.RENY.architects, such forums inspire us to continue shaping spaces that nurture wellbeing and celebrate the human experience.

20/08/2025

Honoured to be featured in the Power Couple series by The Architect’s Diary. This recognition comes as we reflect on more than twenty years of journeying together, both in life and through our studio LIJO.RENY.architects.

What has carried us through these years is a shared passion for design, art, and the constant search for meaning in the spaces we create. For us, design is never about following a formula. It is about questioning, experimenting, and shaping each project through its site, context, and the people it belongs to. That spirit of collaboration, between us and with every idea we take on, continues to guide our work.

(Interestingly, this photograph was taken by our daughter Leah Lijo.)