The wild seed of this book took root in the early days of the pandemic. Vignesh and I (Ashna Lulla), architects by trade, were on a shoot for a recently completed apartment by Rahul Mehrotra and Interspace. The four-storey apartment located in the residential pockets of Kilpauk, Chennai was unlike other apartments in the city in that it felt like a tropical bungalow with lush foliage peeking through wooden louvres and large glass windows. 

The living and dining spaces overlooked a serene terrace garden, the perfect stand-in for a traditional south Indian courtyard. In tracing the journey of how the home took form, we realised how it effortlessly captured the family’s personalities while highlighting the city it belongs to. 

As the summer evening drew to a close, Vignesh and I wondered if and how other homes similarly encapsulated what it meant to live in Madras: where the chaos of a big city was accessible alongside the tranquillity offered by its expansive coastline. 

This marked the beginning of our two-year-long journey of creating With Love, Madras.

From 40+ recce visits, endless unanswered cold emails, copious interviews, hundreds of edits, and meaningful conversations that helped us rediscover our city we distilled the essence of Madras architecture in a collection of 20 homes.

The best homes we discovered are lived-in, layered over time and experiences, which continue to evolve as each homeowner makes it their own. This made us realise the importance of the project we embarked on, picking up more than just architecture or design tips, understanding that the pulse of a city can be gleaned from the tiny details that come to life in a home.

As we explored each home, the Madras way of life became apparent, a mixture of conscious living and authenticity. From the Amir Mahal to a house nestled in a mango orchard off ECR, contemporary homes, or homes harking to the art-deco era, traces of the spirit and ethos of the city are apparent in every home.

By curating the homes of Madras, we hope to share the pure and unadulterated pride we feel in being from here and part of its story. We hope the book inspires you to tell your unique story through the architecture of your home, the materials used, the greenery that surrounds you, and the things you collect as your lives unfold and your homes evolve.