VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE
 KASHMIR(NORTHERN REGION)

CLIMATE
 Winter is cold which is common in kashmir, Thick walls of brick and
stone with mud plaster provide excellent protection against this, as
does a thick mud-timber roof.
 The lighter, pitched roof made of timber and CGI sheets in combination
with the attic floor also ensures livable conditions inside the house in
winter and summer.
 The steep pitch of the light roof permits little accumulation of snow and
prevents any water leakages.

CULTURE
 TEMPORARY STRUCTURES (KACCHA HUTS)
seen in deep rural areas.Initially built with mud and wooden members and the
construction is of temporary in nature.
 SEMI PERMANENT STRUCTURES (DOONGA OR HOUSE
BOAT)
The means of transportation became the places of accommodation for
tourists and British officials (Buying of land by outsiders was prohibited then.)
One of the important typology of residences. Boat houses ranges from
temporary shikara to palatial, complex residential boats.
 PERMANENT STRUCTURES
Gujjar house (used by shepherds and are found along the Banihal pass and
on mountain slopes). And Typical rural house 3. Urban Houses (Dhajji Dewari
and Taq Construction).
CONTEXT
The traditional houseboats were made by: -tying together pieces of wood.
palm leaves tied over bamboo poles form the roof
The earlier settlers were fishermen having their dwellings on the rivers. Their
boats were covered by thatch roofs, which were converted into the Doonga
boats over passage of time. bahat and Khuch are the larger boats
Used for transportation of grain, hay and other merchantise. Doongas - the
small dwelling boats meant for residential purpose (normally attached to main
boat, are for servants reside and cook for the guests). Shikara or pleasure
boat is similarly proportioned to doonga or dwelling boat, but smaller in size.
The smallest, lightest and swiftest of all kashmiri boats is the tsatawar.

RESOURCES (MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES)

Stone, mud, bricks and wood for roofing as well as walling and thatch. The
most common building systems in Kashmir were brick or stone walls. Some
of them timber framed, with timber and mud roofs.

Dhajji -Dewari - Timber Braced (patch-quilt) System

Braced timber framed structural system.
•4-9 inch thick brick or stone masonry - used to infill the gaps left in between
the braces.
•The floors were supported on wooden joists.
Taq system of construction
• 2 1/2 -3 ft. thick brick masonry piers supporting wooden floor beams (basic
structural system).
• Taq - the distance between two brick piers normally around 3-4 ft and (basic
structural bay).
• The gap in between each taq - filled in with either a window opening or brick
masonry.

EAST (BENGAL)

CLIMATE
Climatic & Geological The area has subtropical monsoon climate dominated
by heavy summer monsoon rains. During summer the maximum temperature
exceeds more than 40°C, and in winter minimum temperatures can drop to
about 7ºC. Due to a heavy storm, followed by a heavy rain, a large number of
trees gets knocked down and many houses gets severely damaged.
The general building tradition in the area uses clay walls plastered on a
bamboo framework or rammed earth core walls up to two stories. The walls
support a roof construction made of bamboo and covered with paddy-straw
with a thatching of a more durable grass

CULTURE
A bangla is a that ched hut, generally built with a distinctively curved roof.
The walls were made of either mud or bunches of straw or mats, tied to each
other and to the bamboo frame to form walls.
These huts are constructed for some special occasion, like a marriage ,a
meeting place during the hunt, etc,. In general, it represents a place forest or
recreation.
The‘ bangla’ was also used more permanently .In the late 19thcentury ,the
term described the common hut of the Bengal peasant, which had a sloping
roof on two
CONTEXT

The characteristics of settlement in Bengal region are:

Main occupation of the people is agriculture.Spaces of a Bangla displays the
occupation and the life style of the people .A single dwelling consists of
multiple units forms cluster .A village consists of number of such clusters
located in random organisation without a regular street pattern.The houses
are scattered to allow air movement between them as the region is having hot
and humid climate

RESOURCES (MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES)

Temporary materials such as that ches,kuss(asweetsmellinggrass) ,leaves

and reeds were used to construct the huts initially which facilitate easy
construction of these structures.
-Mud and wooden members were used later.
The chauchalar of has a covering on four sides which are more or less
curved ,in some domical ,in others, a flat, but they never make a straight
pyramid.
The coverings have eaves drawn out lower down to a point at each corner,
thus making the roof-base curved like the segment of circle.
 WEST GUJARAT
CLIMATE
Climate and vegetation It has hot and dry climate and one of the hottest
places in Gujarat which is continuously inhabited by the human beings. The
summers are extremely hot and the temperature exceed more than 49°C,
posing challenges for the survival of humans or for that matter any life forms.
However, the nights in Kutch are pretty cool, with the night temperature falling
considerably.
A habitat in a tropical climatic region is a composition of open, semi open and
enclosed spaces interwoven together forming the public and private realm-
collectively called „built form‟ or „built environment‟. The beliefs, religion,
climate, materials, social structures, and economy of the people of that place
shape the living pattern and the habitat. Conversely the habitat and lifestyle
reflects the behaviour, social set up, economy as also the deep-rooted
traditions and the aspirations of the people. It also has numerous public
buildings, houses, palaces, temples, mosques, memorial chattris and step
wells, built in stone displaying the crafts skill as graceful as wood work.

CULTURE
SETTLEMENT PATTERN
The central belt is known as the Banni (named after rice). Grouping of houses
in small hamlets which constitute the villages. (Ex.) Dhordo, Gorewali, Ludia,
etc,.. These hamlets consists mostly of circular Bhunga huts, arranged in
clusters. There is no street plan, only paths that wander through the place,
causing the houses to turn away for privacy.

CONTEXT
be divided into five categories depending upon the kind of load bearing
construction employed.
• Timber and Wattle construction
• Mud Houses
• Stone houses
• Brick Houses
• Half Timbered Houses

RESOURCES (MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES)

 Pucca House These houses are made with stabilized compressed earthen
blocks. In Stabilized blocks cements is added (7-8%) to soil in order to
produce the blocks in a manual press. The mixture of soil and cement (92-
93%) of soil, composed of 75% sand, 15% clays and slit for the remaining
portion, to which 7-8% cement is added), is mixed and with this compound
the blocks are produced in the press.
They have found place as an advancement of the traditional kutchha houses.
According to materials used architectural forms, Pucca houses can be further
classified as modified kutchha house. Modified kutchha houses bear close
resemblance with the traditional kutchha 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 wooden understructure with
Mangalore tiles cover thereby reducing the maintenance of the roof during
rainy days. The construction technique is similar with stabilized compressed
earthen blocks with steel rods as vertical reinforcement and horizontal
reinforced concrete bands at various levels as seismic safety measures.
Construction Techniques generally used “COB”. In these methods a large
Lump is roughly molded into the shape of a huge elongated egg. •
The usual size is anything between 12 to 18inches. 30-40cm long and 6
inches in diameter. A row of these cobs of mud are laid nearly side by side.
Preferably somewhat pressed together. Then another row of cobs is laid on
top. When three or four courses have been laid, one above the other, the
sides are smoothened over so that the holes and cracks disappear. The
corner Junction are woods Sticks and the Foundation are simply filled with
earth with the depth 2-3feet.
 SOUTH(KERALA)

CLIMATE
Warm humid with relatively high humidity, excessive rainfall and bright sun
shine .Heavy mansoon rains (SW & NE) Steep sloped roof to drain the rain
Extended caves to protect the walls from sun & rain
 Small openings to avoid glaring sun
 Internal courtyard for better flow of air
 The wall thickness of southern and western blocks is more
 Gable windows for attic ventilation
 Louvered inclined walls

CULTURE
Isolated structures in the middle of the plot / land with dense vegetation all
around.
 Egalitarian style of architecture for all class of people and economic
levels. (Size and embellishment differentiates the rich and poor)
 No. of structures are added within the compound for supplementary
activities.
 Separate water pond is seen in complex / palatial houses for carrying
out the domestic and religious activities.

CONTEXT
Different typology of houses in Kerala :
 Native Nayar / Nair - Tharawad
 Namboothiris - Manna / Illam
  Rulers / Royal people - Kovilakam / Kottaram
 Others - Veedu

RESOURCES (MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES)

 The common building materials used for vernacular construction in Kerala
are mud,laterite and granite stone blocks, lime mortar, wood, bamboo, clay
roofing tile and coconut palm leaves. LATERITE TIMBER TILES are mainly
used LATERITE: Most common building materials in Kerala. Dressed for
building the walls.Laterite stones improve in strength as they are exposed to
sun and moisture.

TIMBER:
Timber, abundant in the state, is the other most important structural element
used in Kerala.
Rose wood and teak are popular hard wood used in construction.
The masterful joinery and skillful carvings are common in olden buildings.
The elements are dressed and accurately cut on the ground and joined to
form the wooden roof frame, on which then the tiles are spread.
Timber is the prime structural material available in many varities in keralafrom
BAMBOO-TEAK.