Wellerman by Nathan Evans was a viral Scottish folk song that got all of TikTok singing the sea shanty in 2021, the year it came out. It was so sensational that it turned into the go-to song for all kinds of content related to the sea. The lore of sailors and storms, the entire maritime universe was infused into a song about Billy O'Tea, the ship in which the Wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum. Just as this vessel became a metaphor for storytelling in the song, a homegrown residence in Thoothukudi, Tami Nadu embodies the legacy of the coastal town it's situated in.
Named after the ship in Wellerman, Billy O'Tea is an architectural love letter to Thoothukudi or Tuticorin, the city known for its pearl fishing, salt production and a major Indian seaport. The house is designed by Madurai-based STOMP Architects who experiment with contextual modernism in their practice. Billy O'Tea replicates the structure of a docked ship and even has an anchor that can be hoisted from the first floor. The facsimile however is approached in a really subtle way. On the outside it looks like a regular, earthy modern home. But as you walk through it, the details build the experience of being on a ship one design element at a time.
Walking up to Billy O' Tea, you’re greeted by a gate crafted from reclaimed wooden planks, a nod to the resourcefulness of old shipbuilders. In fact, nearly half the house was constructed from reclaimed materials. A fallen Burma teak tree was repurposed for joinery, and coastal wood discarded from nearby shipyards was used to build the staircase. The choice of an exposed brick facade, sculpted to resemble sea waves, further ties the home to its nautical inspiration. As you enter, the house opens up to a courtyard, protected by covered terraces that provide relief from both the sun and the monsoon rains. The terraces also act like spaces for people to gather, bringing in that sense of camaraderie and togetherness evoked by the Wellerman.
The indoor-outdoor design is achieved through a curvaceous dining area with sliding glass windows that open onto a small courtyard. It also evokes the fluidity of water, a recurring theme throughout. As STOMP explains, water plays a figurative role in the architecture, buoying its conceptual framework. It’s no wonder they call it a 'docked ship'.
One of the house’s most striking features is the amphitheatre-like stepped terrace on the first floor, which recalls the hull of a ship, complete with curves mimicking a shark's fin slicing through the water. In the summer, the amphitheater mitigates heat, while in the monsoon, rain cascades down its steps, channeling water into a pond below. It’s also a perfect spot for stargazing or watching a movie.
Another design choice that makes you feel like you're on a ship is the double-height ceiling and dramatic slope of the living room. Materials like Kota, Kadappa, and Jaisalmer marble floors with patterns reminiscent of ocean tides, and he coastal themed interior design with embellishments of sea shells and starfish sculptures further immerse you into the sea life. Even though it's an enclosed space, as all homes are, Billy O' Tea is oriented to maximize airflow, with courtyards that funnel coastal breezes through the rooms, recreating the experience of being in open waters while offering a natural cooling system in the harsh heat.
As a culmination of these design choices that gives Billy O'Tea its name, the residence doesn't just sit in Thoothukudi’s landscape, it flows with it, embodying the rhythm of the sea, the traditions of the port, and the communal spirit of sailors through a narrative-rich and thoughtful design.
Follow STOMP Architects here and watch a video on Billy O'Tea below.
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