At FOAID 2024, architect Shonan Purie Trehan, founder of Language.Architecture.Body (LAB), delivered one of the most moving and contemplative keynote talks of the season. With grace and depth, she unraveled how architecture becomes a vessel for memory, narrative, and emotion. Her approach defies conventional boundaries—blending design with storytelling, cultural reflection, and an intuitive sense of belonging.
Through four evocative projects, Shonan illustrated how buildings can emerge not just from briefs, but from listening to the land, honoring local crafts, and allowing stories to shape space. This wasn’t just a talk—it was a reflection on the spiritual and cultural role architecture can play in our lives.
Rooted Design: Memory, Land, and Regeneration
The first project Shonan shared unfolded in the lush, quiet landscapes of Goa, where a centuries-old well became the spiritual anchor for a family home. As the design team walked the land, they stumbled upon this forgotten piece of history nestled in a coconut grove. Instead of building over it or ignoring it, they chose to center the entire home’s layout around the well—restoring it, celebrating it, and ensuring that it would receive rainwater from the house through carefully designed channels.
This poetic gesture created a regenerative cycle between past and present, memory and functionality. More than a house, it was a symbol of a family’s transition—from urban chaos to a slower, more meaningful way of life. The planning of spaces, from a welcoming guesthouse to a generous kitchen and dining area, hinted at the lifestyle the family aspired to build—one rooted in hospitality, reflection, and grounding.
Reclaimed Craft and Emotional Luxury
Shonan’s second narrative was a masterclass in material storytelling and cultural memory. For a family with Kerala roots settling in a coastal region, the house was built using reclaimed elements—windows, doors, columns, and locks sourced from old buildings in Kochi. Each piece came with its own story, its own past, and its own patina of time. Together, these disparate fragments were assembled into a new, cohesive whole—creating a deeply layered environment that honored both origin and transformation.
Conceptually anchored in the idea of a “luxurious ashram,” the home found its meaning in simplicity, authenticity, and tactility. The walls were crafted from rammed earth made using soil collected from the family’s spiritual journeys—a literal embedding of memory into material. Designed to be both intimate for two and expansive enough for six, the home blurred lines between the spiritual and the everyday, tradition and modernity, architecture and emotion.
Architecture as Ecology and Play
In a hillside project perched on the edge of wilderness, Shonan explored what it means to build “with” the land rather than “on” it. This house was born from the decision not to build a boundary wall—a small yet radical act that invited the surrounding ecology in. The home was envisioned as a catalyst for regeneration, where 2000 trees were planted, native species were preserved, and creatures found shelter during wildfires.
Instead of erecting concrete structures, the team used gravel roads, recycled materials, and floating roofs to minimize their footprint and respond to sun, wind, and slope. At the heart of the home was a giant timber slide, cutting through the main pavilion and inviting residents of all ages to rediscover joy. The layout danced between seven courtyards, blending privacy and openness in a rhythm as natural as the landscape it belonged to. The architecture here wasn’t just sustainable—it was celebratory, immersive, and alive.
A Joyful Home in the City
Finally, Shonan brought us to a residence in Delhi that challenged the idea of what contemporary architecture can look and feel like. Built with hand-placed bricks crafted through parametric tools and artisanal expertise, the home was layered with secrets—poetry inlaid into the façade, miniature sculptures hidden in walls, and narrative-driven materials sourced from across India. Yet it was not just the exterior that enchanted; the interiors were a rich blend of humor, nostalgia, and rigorously detailed craft.
From hand-poured tiles to cheeky frescoes, every room held a story waiting to be discovered. Spaces flowed like a labyrinth, with rooms connected through staircases and passageways, creating mystery and delight. Even the dining area could transform to host six or forty, showing how fluid architecture can be when rooted in emotion rather than prescription. At its core, this home was not about style—it was about soul.
Key Takeaways:
- Architecture is not just about solving briefs, but about listening deeply—to people, place, and memory.
- Design rooted in narrative becomes timeless, offering spaces that evolve with life’s layers.
- Playfulness and emotional depth are not contradictions—they can coexist to bring joy and meaning to a space.
- Collaboration with local artisans and use of reclaimed materials enriches not just the project, but the process.
- The best homes are those that reflect their inhabitants, their journeys, and their dreams.
Why This Session Will Stay With You?
Shonan’s session wasn’t about trends or technical breakthroughs—it was about returning to the essence of why we build in the first place. Her work with Language.Architecture.Body (LAB) reminds us that architecture can—and should—move us. By rooting stories in space, she shows us how buildings can hold emotion, spark joy, and honor memory. Whether you’re a practicing architect, student, or someone who simply believes in the deeper purpose of design, this session will stay with you long after the lights go down.Curious to experience the full conversation?
Watch the complete session here:
