Architecture of North East India: Vernacular

Typologies
Nag Subhankar (B-Arch) Architect, Pune
Gondane Amol (B-Arch, M.U.R.P) Urban Planner, Jaipur

Abstract: The North East India has always been a fascinating area for travelers and explorers. The rich heritage therein
is exemplified throughout from the ethnicity, tradition, livelihood, and also by the architectural typologies. Several
distinct architectural features are seen in North East states, which differ by climate and deep rooted traditions. They
evolved in course of time and were majorly built by the inhabitants themselves, without any formal training in
construction. These houses, built with locally available materials , were sensitive to the existing environment and took
into consideration the constraints imposed by the climate.
This paper aims at the study of the natural design principles of these houses. Although technical capabilities and outlook
towards the modern culture hinders the construction community in North East from following these principles but still if
used in practice, they can enrich sustainability and upheld the tradition of North East.

Key words: Traditional Architecture, Typology, North East India Architecture.

 

1. INTRODUCTION
'Paradise Unexplored', that is what the North East India named as. With a rich treasure of tradition, it is a delight for
tourists and pride for the inhabitants. The North East India has its own vernacular architecture which has developed
throughout the ages and has been an integral part of its cultural background. Built by the inhabitants themselves with
locally available materials, the traditional buildings are time tested, sustainable and sensitive to the micro climatic
conditions and natural calamities, including earthquakes which the North East region is prone to.
Many theorists and distinguished architects like Hassan fathy have promoted the underlying concepts on traditional
architecture to form contemporary design (Steele, 1988)..However, unlikely in the North East Indian states, the traditional
buildings have been replaced by fast growing concrete jungles, which are not sustainable nor sensitive towards the natural
calamities and microclimatic conditions. The Governments of these states need to be sensitive in drafting the local
byelaws and planning guidelines which promote or allow incentives for usages of traditional architectural forms and
concepts so that this problem can be tackled meticulously (GMDA, 2006). The first step towards this journey should be a
study of the housing typologies of North East and the basic underlying design principles, so that they can be effectively
translated into modern designs.
The North East India comprises of seven sister states- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram,
Nagaland, and Tripura. Sikkim was integrated into North East in 2002, as the eighth sister state. The North East region
lies between latitudes 21°N to 30°N and 89°40' E to 97°18'E longitudes (Wikipedia, 2013). Most of the Northeast states
have a humid sub-tropical climate with hot, humid summers, severe monsoons and mild winters. The states of Arunachal
Pradesh and Sikkim, however have a montane climate with cold, snowy winters and mild summers.

2. CONSTRUCTION TYPES
Architectural typologies have developed in the North East as factors of tradition , climate and functionality. The
materials used are locally available materials like bamboo, cane , cane leaves, mud, and lime. Of late, bricks. stone chips,
rock slabs, surkhi etc. are also being used. Sloping roofs are a common architectural feature in all the architectural
typologies because of high rainfall in the North East.According to the materials used and the type of construction, the
traditional houses of North East India can be broadly classified as:

2.1 Kutchha Houses

These houses are essentially made from organic renewable resources such as bamboo, mud, grass, straw, cane leaves,
cane etc. The plinth and the foundation consists of consolidated earth with timber or bamboo posts, the walls consist of
bamboo mats, split bamboo framing, grass, earth, cane leaves etc., and the roof is thatched, made of wheat or maize
straws, with split bamboo framing. The 'kutchha houses' have got different forms in North East due to micro climatic
differences and cultural beliefs.

2.1.1 Bamboo and wooden kutchha house

This type of traditional kutchha houses are seen in the plains of nearly all states of north-east with very small changes as
per local climates. Materials used are mostly: bamboo posts driven into grounds, bamboo trusses for sloped roofs,
thatches for roof covering, and bamboo matting for flooring and walls. (Figure 1) Sometimes mud plaster is used over
walls mixed with cow dung. In areas with cloudy and cold climates such as Arunachal pradesh, the walls are made of
wood or stone masonry to retain inside heat.(Figure 2)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 1: A typical bamboo house of Assam

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 2: A typical wooden house of Arunachal pradesh (Source: A+D magazine, oct 95)
 
 
 
These type of houses are mostly rectangular in shapes with mostly three or four rooms. The plans and sizes vary as per
requirements with linear planning, rooms opening into one another. Typical layout of a house consists of
Sora Ghar, Huwa Ghar and Randhani Ghar. The Sora Ghar or the drawing room is a public space for gathering, or
meeting relatives or visitors. This room also houses the 'Dhenki' or the pounding machine. This room has a common
central fireplace called 'Jui Hali', over which hanging platforms are kept for storing household items. The Huwa Ghar or
the bedroom is a partitioned space depending on the number of married sons and family members. The last room is the
Randhoni Ghar or the kitchen space, which serves as the dining area for the family. (Figure . 3)
 
 
 
 
 

Figure 3: Plan of a typical kutchha house of Assam (Source: authors)

Construction materials are bamboo posts and horizontal members, with wall infills of with bamboo splits of sizes
between 15 to 40 mm, called as 'kami' in the local language. Mud plaster with a mixture of cow dung is generally applied
over the walls. The plinth is generally made of rammed earth with mud plaster. (Figure 4, 5 and 6)However, frequent
maintenance is required for mud plaster due to shrinkage and cracking in the summer and wash out in the rainy seasons.
The wooden houses in Arunachal Pradesh require less maintenance in comparison.
 
Figure 4 and 5: Joinery details of bamboo (Figure 5: Bamboo tie with cane ropes, Fig 6: Dowel and tenon joint
in bamboo) (Source: A+D magazine, oct 95)

Figure 6: Typical wall with weaved bamboo infill and mud plaster over

Figure7: Diagonal bracing in bamboo houses for stability (Source: authors)

2.1.2 Stilted Kutccha houses

The stilted kutccha houses or 'chang' is a typology seen in  areas of high precipitation and moisture content both in the 
air and the soil. Construction is done mostly with bamboo or wood and thatch for roofs. This type of houses are 
prominently seen in states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. (Figure. 8 and 9) 

 
Figure 8: A typical stilted house of Assam
 

Figure 9: A typical stilted house of Arunachal pradesh

 

The  stilted  houses  are  generally  rectangular  in  shape  and  are similar  to  bamboo  Kutchha  houses  with  linear  planning 
and rooms opening into each other. These houses are constructed over bamboo posts and bamboo diagonal bracings 
are tied to form the stilt areas. The structure above is formed by horizontal members tied across the bamboo posts with 
jute ropes and using dowel and tenon joints. The stilt height is typically 1.50 to 2.00 metres from the ground level. The 
space below the stilt is often used to store a canoe for emergency usage during floods .The stilted houses are typically 
designed to keep out the effects of heavy monsoon. The  floor and walls inlays are mostly bamboo weaves, which allows 
the  water  of  floods  and  heavy  rains  to  pass  rather  than  getting  stored.  The  roofs  of  the  houses  are  made  by  fixing 
bamboo trusses over the posts, over which  local grass is laid. The roof height from the weaved floor is approximately 
3.50 metres. A bamboo loft is fixed below the roof inside for secure storage of goods in case of floods. Bamboo being a 
bad conductor of heat keeps the interiors cool and adequate ventilation through the permeable floors and wall keeps 
the moisture content inside the houses low. (Hemant Kaushik, 2009) 

 
 

Figure 10 (left): Interior of a stilted house in Assam showing the permeable weaved floor

Figure 11: A stilted house in Arunachal pradesh showing rain collection techniques

Figure 12(left): Interior of a stilted house in Assam showing a typical bamboo loft

Figure 13: Elevation of a typical stitled house showing approximate heights

2.1.3 High pitched roof Kutccha houses
These types of houses are characterized with a double pitched roof with high fronts and low backs (Figure 14 and 15).
Buildings of this typology are seen mostly in Nagaland. Some other states like Mizoram ,Tripura, Assam, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh, too have these types of houses with slight changes attributed to the individual tribal identities.
Materials used for construction are mostly timber or bamboo for structural elements, weaved bamboo sheets for walling
infill, and thatch for roofing.

Figure 14: A typical Naga house showing double pitched roof

 

Figure 15: A typical Naga house with a much high front roof apex
 

Most of these houses bear a rectangular form, with lengths between 10 to 15 metres and widths between 5 to 6 metres
with one or two entrances. To keep out the effects of cold and cloudy climates very less openings are left in the walls
(about 2 to 5% of the wall surface) to heat inside the houses. The interiors of these houses have five spaces mostly.
(Figure 16 and 17) The Akishekhoh or front room is used to store the rice pounding tables, which also acts as a public
space. The Abidelabo is a narrow room between the Akishekhoh and the Amiphokiboh (hearth room) where the unmarried
girls of the household sleep, which is a semi-private space. The Akuzu-Abo is a private space where the head of the family
(father) and his wife sleeps. The Azhi-Bo or the liquor room forms the last room where rice beer is stored in bamboo jugs.
The kitchen, with a hearth, is in the middle of the master bed room of the house. Over the hearth, a bamboo/wooden
platform is suspended for drying and storage of meat, vegetables, grains, fire wood, tools etc. The continously lit hearth is
a prominent feature of the living space/house as it provides necessary light and heat to the inhabitants. (Figure 18)

These type of houses have bamboo posts inserted into the ground approximately upto 1 metres acting as compression
members and are tied with horizontal bamboo or wooden girders with the help of cane or bamboo ropes to give framing
action. The plinth is a raised earthen floor with mud plaster. Bamboo matting is used to cover the mud floors. Sometimes
the plinth level is slightly raised to safeguard against flood. These houses do not have a built-in toilet or bathrooms. The
roofs are double pitched with a high front of about 4.6 metres and low back about 3.6 metres. The front apex of the roof is
mostly adorned with a horn, or a cross as per the tribal customs and social statuses of the inhabitants. (Khan, 2009)

Figure 16: A typical Naga house plan (Source: authors)

Figure 17: A typical Naga house section (Section AA' in fig 15) (Source: authors)
Figure 18: A typical Naga house interior showing hearth in the Master room (Khan, 2009)

2.2 Semi Pucca Houses

These houses are made with a mixture of organic and inorganic materials such as wood, bamboo, corrugated GI sheets
etc. They have found place as an advancement of the traditional kutchha houses. According to materials used and
architectural forms, the semi-pucca houses can be further classified as:

2.2.1 Modified kuccha houses:

These type of houses bear close resemblance with the traditional kuccha houses and are mostly being built in the rural
areas these days . They are modified for usage of modern materials in construction. The traditional thatch roof is replaced
by corrugated GI sheets thereby reducing the maintenance of the roof during rainy days. The construction technique is
similar with bamboo posts, and bamboo weaved infills for walls. The mud plaster is stabilized with added cement that
adds onto the durability of the plaster. (Figure 20)

  

Figure 19: A modified kuccha house in Assam

2.2.2 Assam type houses
These type of houses came into existence in Assam and a few neighboring states during the British rule and were actually
devised by the Britishers themselves. The performance of Assam type houses have been proven to be extremely good in
several past earthquakes in the region, owing to the usage of light weight construction materials, flexible connections and
good framing. However, due to untreated wood based materials, these houses are vulnerable to fire. Assam type houses
are found in both rural and urban areas , and are used for both residential and commercial buildings. Mostly these houses
are one storeyed with elevated plinths to keep off flood water and stray animals. (Figure 20) Two storeyed versions of
these houses too are found in some areas.
For residences, this type of houses have a rectangular plan form for single family units and typical 'L' or 'C' plan form for
multi family units. A continuous verandah generally runs along the full length of the front facade. If constructed in hills,
the verandah is placed to face the slope. The materials used for this type of construction are: Sal wood for posts,wooden
trusses for sloped roof, and elevated floor. The walls are made of bamboo with infills of ikra, a weed, which grows in
river plains and lakes, and is plastered over with a mixture of mud and cow dung. The wooden trusess are mounted with
Ikra reeds or corrugated GI sheets to form the roof.

Figure 20: An Assam type school building

Figure 21: An Assam type office building

In a typical modern Assam type house construction, the timber posts either embedded or bolted into RCC base, and the
house is framed with either timber or bamboo. The wall infills are Ikra shoots and a mixture of cow-dung and mud plaster
over them. In some urban houses, brick walls are taken upto the sill level upto 600 mm from the plinth level and the
upper portions are framed with wood with Ikra infills with mud plaster. Ikra is widely used as it is less susceptible to
insect attacks as compared to bamboo due to presence of starch and cellulose. Moreover, it bonds very well with mud,
cement or lime mortar. Ikra reeds are generally placed in vertical orientation between bamboo splits of 15 to 40mm width.
(Figure 23) The mud plaster is then filled in within the gaps of the Ikra reeds and then an overall plaster is done.
The connections between the wooden posts and intermediate wooden scants at floor, sill and lintel level is done by means
of nuts and bolts or with coir ropes in some cases. The roof is pitched with a high gable, of about one third to one fifth of
the roof span, in order to cater to heavy rainfall in Assam.. The roof consists of either thatch of Ikra or GI sheets fixed
over wooden purlins with nails or J-bolts. Wooden planks or Ikra reeds, are kept over beams as a false ceiling to avoid
the roof trusses and rafters from being seen from bottom (Figure 22). The attic thus formed is also used for storage.
A typical small family unit house has a eaves height of 4 metres and a pitch of the sloped roof of about 2 metres. When
thatch roofs are used, the roofs are kept more steep to prevent ingress of water. .The door and windows are panelled and
glazed, made of locally available Sal wood. Flooring is generally mud plaster or wooden batten flooring in this type of
houses. The mud plaster over the flooring and walls has to be repeated frequently because it cracks during summer and
washes out during rainy season.
A much modified Assam type house has thin concrete columns in place of timber posts and half brick thick walls in place
of wall infills of Ikra and mud plaster, with roof trusses of wood and GI sheets over them.

Figure 22: View of Ikra reed false ceiling in an Assam type house (Manoj Kumar Singh, 2011).

Figure 23: Detail of Ikra application in timber frame work for typical Assam type houses (Source :Authors)
3. CONCLUSION
The architecture of North East India relates to the socio-economic setup, the cultural identities and a good climatic
responsiveness. A good number of climate responsive design features are revealed during the study of the housing forms
including temperature control, enhancing natural ventilation, protection from natural calamities such as flood,earthquakes
etc. However certain features that lack in the traditional housing are mostly: fire proneness and termite infestation due to
usage of non treated bamboo and wood; lack of damp proofing and use of non stabilized soil for construction too pose
problems like dampness of walls and washouts during rainfall.

Once the construction and design community of North East are aware of the pros and cons of the traditional typologies,
the advanced construction techniques can be meticulously clubbed alongside to nullify the problems and enhance the
advantages, a modern yet sustainable architecture for the North East region can be effectively created. Currently, the local
byelaws of North- East states do not have special provisions for the traditional housing in the respective states, neither
they have special byelaws for the hilly regions and the restrictions of construction therein (GMDA, 2006). In view of the
varied advantages of the Traditional Housing in the various North Eastern states, the Governments need to frame local
bye-laws that support the traditional houses of North East, and promote incentives to the inhabitants of these houses. The
byelaws additionally need to incorporate the special treatments for locally available materials such as bamboo, timber etc.
before usage in construction to make them effective for long run and also slate restrictions in built forms and typologies in
the hilly terrain and flood prone areas.

4. REFERENCES

(2013, September 10). Retrieved September 10, 2013, from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_India
Archinomy. (2013, September 10). Retrieved September 10, 2013, from http://www.archinomy.com/case-
studies/675/the-sema-naga-traditional-dwelling
Glancey, J. (2011). Nagaland: A Journey to India's Forgotten Frontier. Faber & Faber.
GMDA. (2006). New Building byelaws for Guwahati Metropolitan Area. Guwahati.
Hemant Kaushik, K. R. (2009). Housing Report: Assam type House. World Housing encyclopedia .
Khan, A. A. (2009). Housing Report: Traditional Naga type House. World Housing encyclopedia .
Manoj Kumar Singh, S. M. (2011). Bioclimatism and Vernacular Architecture of North-East India.
Padhi, B. K. (2009). Religious Art and Architecture in North East India. : Agam Kala Prakashan.
Rumana, R. (2007). Traditional House of Bangladesh: Typology of house.
Steele, J. (1988). Hassan Fathy by James Steele. St Martin's Press.