ARCHITECTURE

IN
SOUTH ASIA
STRUCTURE BUILT ARE : CAMBODIA
Temples
Non religious buildings
BUILDING MATERIALS:
Sandstone or in brick, often combined in
a greater or lesser proportion with
laterite, tiles and timbers.
ORIENTATION:
Temples were built in Eastern Orientation to glorify the rising sun
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Finely balanced elements
Precise arrangement / proportions
Perfect Harmony of Decorations with Form
Tiered temple enclosed by wall surrounded by the sea
Mural Ornamentation to enhance the form through effects of light and shade
 CAMBODIA
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

BAS-RELIEFS: surface decoration

DEVATAS, APSARAS, DVARAPALAS: goddeses

NAGA: Snake god

GOPURA: Gateway

LINGA: symbol of shiva

MERU: Sacred mountain with 5 peaks

TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
CAMBODIA

ANGKOR WAT “City of Temples”

Largest religious monument in the world
Purpose :
• temple dedicated to the god Vishnu.
• a personal mausoleum the Khmer king Suryavarman II
Description:
Designed as a pyramid representing the structure of the universe: the highest level at
the center of the temple represented Mount Meru, the home of the Hindu gods, with
the five towers on the highest level representing the five peaks of the mountain. The
broad moat around the complex represented the oceans that surround the world
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
CAMBODIA

ANGKOR THOM “The Great Temple”

12th century ( in year 1181-1220 )
Last and most enduring capital city of the
Khmer Empire
Purpose :
fortified city enclosing residences of priest,
officials , military, palace.
Description:
Contains the bayon towers crowned with faces
looking out to the four cardinal points.
Bayon- temple of beaming faces at the center
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
CAMBODIA
ROYAL PALACE “City of Temples”
“traditional Khmer architectural style”
Purpose: Palace of the king of Cambodia
Description: All houses have spires on the top
which is on behalf of prosperity.
The bodies of houses are all coated with yellow
and white color, the white representing for
Buddhism, the yellow for the Brahmans.

Sala Rachana “National Museun of Cambodia

“traditional Khmer architectural style”
Purpose: Museum
 INDIA
STRUCTURE BUILT ARE
Temples
Tombs
Houses

BUILDING MATERIALS:
Clay, stone, wood
ORIENTATION:
Temple orientation depends on Vatsu Shastra

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
Rock cut art
Mughal, Dravidian, Indo Saracenic, Imperial styles,
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

STUPA ”Soul Shrine”

signature icon of budhism
Purpose: hemispherical mound for worship/
memory. Pilgrimage for the devotional and
places of practice for meditators.

Sanchi Stupa “great stupa”

Description: the oldest stone structure in India
.t was crowned by the chatra, a parasol-like structure
symbolising high rank, which was intended to honour
and shelter the relics

Amravati Stupa Shanti Stupa

illustrates lord buddha in uilt by a Japanese,
a human form Indian-base man to
Spread Budhism
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
The square is a consciously artificed shape.
The Hindu temple is based on the square
because it is conceptualized as a perfect
form.

The square is the mark of order, of finality to

the expanding life, its form; and of perfection
beyond life and death

The form of the temple, all that it is and

signifies, stands upon the diagram of
the vastupurusha. It is a 'forecast' of the
temple and is drawn on the levelled ground. It
is the place for the meeting and marriage of
heaven and earth, where the whole world is
present in terms of measure, and is DOAGRAM OF COSMIC PERSON
accessible to man. . VATSU MANDALA

HINDU TEMPLE IDENTITY

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE

Cash &
Guest room Pooja room
valuables

Open
Dining Room Bath room
space

Store/Heavy
Bed room Kitchen
items

VATSU MANDALA on smaller plot VATSU MANDALA on smaller plot

25 sections 9 sections
can be utilized for home/office/factory can be utilized for home/office/factory
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
The Moon/Sun shapes represent the union of The Symbolism of the Stupa
compassion and wisdom

The Parasol: compassion

The Spire or 13 rings the ten levels or bhumis of

the Mahayana path and the three highest stages
of the Vajrayana path.

The Harmika just below the spire: Eyes of the

Buddha: the Eight-fold Noble Path of Right View,
Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right
Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right
Concentration

The Bumpa: the Buddha’s chest: the Seven
Elements of Enlightenment: mindfulness,
discrimination, exertion, joy, pliancy, samadhi, and
equanimity

The three steps at the base, the Throne: the three
refuges of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha


The four steps below the Bumpa, or dome: the legs

of the Buddha: the Four Immeasurables of loving
kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity


TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Jain Archtecture
An offshoot of Hindu and Budhist style
In early years rock cut style temple were made
But later developed into temple cities on hills

Cionsidered as the richest temple in the world

surpassing even mughal buildings in terms of
grandeur and material wealth

Richly carved numerous pillars Ranakpur Jain Temple

Pionty domes with richly carved interior decoration Build of white marble with a total of 1,444
Richly carved columns
The exit of temple leads to series of collunaded
chambers into the central halls 







TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE

Chaitya place of worship”

Vihara “ Monastery”
Torana gateway

TOMB ARCHITECTURE
Taj Mahal “Crown of Palaces"
"the jewel of Muslim art in India”
“symbol of love”
Purpose: It was built by Empror Sha Jahan in
memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is
a Tomb
Description: white marble structure stands
on a square plinth and consists of a
symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch-
shaped doorway) topped by a large dome
and finial. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic
elements are Persian in origin.
Ustad Ahmad Lahauri- principal designer
VENACULAR ARCHITECTURE

kachcha is a building made of natural

materials such as mud, grass, bamboo,
thatch or sticks and is therefore a short-lived
structure.

pukka is a structure made from materials

resistant to wear, such as f stone or brick,
clay tiles, metal or other durable materials,
sometimes using mortar to bind, that does
not need to be constantly maintained or
replaced.

semi-pukka, has evolved as villagers

have acquired the resources to add elements
constructed of the durable materials
characteristic of a pukka.
 INDONESIA
STRUCTURES BUILT ARE:
Temples
Houses
Palaces

BUILDING MATERIALS:
Timber , Bamboo, Thatch & Fiber

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Communal Stilt Houses
Post & Lintel
Overhanging eaves
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Borobudur “ world’s largest Buddhist temple” INDONESIA
The monument consists of six square platforms topped by
three circular platforms and is decorated with 2,672 relief
panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome, located at
the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha
statues seated inside a perforated stupa is built as a
single large stupa representing the Buddhist cosmology
and the nature of mind.
3 MAJOR STAGES OF THE TEMPLE
Borobudur was built
kamadhatu (the world of desires),
by Sanmaratungga in the
rudaphatu (the world of forms), 8th century, and belongs to
arupadhatu (the formless world). Buddha Mahayana.

Prambanan temple “largest Hindu temple in Indonesia”

Temple complex dedicated to Bhrama, Vishnu, Shiva

It is characterized by its tall and pointed architecture,

typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the towering
47-metre-high (154 ft) central building inside a large
complex of individual temples

Originally there were a total of 240 temples standing in

Prambanan
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Rumah adat refers to the INDONESIA
traditional vernacular architecture of Indonesia

Rumah Gadang “Tower House”

is a traditional house of Minangkabau tribe with
sharp-pointed.
Purpose: serves as a residence, a hall for family
meetings, and for ceremonial activities. The
rumah gadang is owned by the women of the
family who live there; ownership is passed from
mother to daughter.

Batak houses that are laid out side by side with

their front gables facing the street.

The sharply inclined roof allows the heavy rain to

quickly sheet off, and large overhanging eaves
keep water out of the house and provide shade in
the heat. In hot and humid low-lying coastal
regions, homes can have many windows providing
good cross-ventilation, whereas in cooler
mountainous interior areas, homes often have a
vast roof and few windows.
 CHINA
STRUCTURE BUILT ARE:
Houses, Temples, palaces

BUILDING MATERIALS:

earth and wood, clay, thatched bamboo

ORIENTATION:
In accordance to Feng Shui.
Most houses faces south for optimal sunlight exposure

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Articulation and Balance
Open Courtyard
Skywell
DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE
Siheyuan four-sided courtyard CHINA
Zhaimen The main gates (size and decoration
indicated social status)

Yingbi Screen Walls (ensure privacy and kept out

evil spirits)

Daozuofang Reversely-set Rooms

zhengfang, Principal Rooms (the head of

household usually lives here)

erfang, Side Rooms

xiangfang, Wing Rooms

youlang, Corridors
chuihua men, Chuihua Gate (separates first
courtyard from second courtyard)
tingyuan, Main family courtyard
 CHINA

Pailou , also known as paifang, is an archway of a memorial or decorative

nature. It could be made of wood, brick or stone, with or without glazed tiles,
often carrying some inscriptions on the middle beam.

The normal places where such archways stood were thoroughfare crossroads,
shrines and temples, government offices, bridges, parks, tombs and
mausoleumns, and they generally carried inscriptions to propagate certain
moral principles or to extol government achievements.
 THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

The most massive construction project undertaken in

ancient times.

Longest man made structure in the world over 4000+

miles long.

Series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tampered

earth, wood, and other materials,

Emperor Qin Shihuang minister to began the work on the

Great Wall. It was built by peasants, prisoners and
soldiers.
POTALA PALACE named after Mount Potala
The Potala Palace was the chief residence of all
Dalai Lamas
Today a museum contain over 1,000 rooms, 10,000
shrines and 200,000 statues.

The cliffs appear to actually be part of the building’s

massive foundations. The structure utilizes natural
slopes and features to blend in with the environment.
Pagoda “ place of worship”
Normally octagonal in plan with 7-13 storeys
was built out of brick and wood, feature paintings and carvings of flowers
and animals, and can be accessed via an interior spiral case.

LUIHE Sakayamuni Tianning Kaifeng Iron Pagoda

 J APAN
STRUCTURE BUILT ARE:
Temple, Residences
BUILDING MATERIALS:
wood and timber , straw, bamboo
ORIENTATION:

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Simplicity. Beauty. Naturalism.
post and lintel
Purity of lines
Intricate woodworks & roofing
Thin walls
Sliding door
Raised floor
Factor that leads to the development of
Japanese style Architecture

Natural Calamities:
Earthquakes, volcanoes and typhoons
necessitate houses to be rebuilt or renewed
more often than in other economically
advanced countries.
Climatic Condition:
Taking into account mild
climate, buildings historically took shape
unsubstantial and light enough to allow for
quick exit, and minimal injury during sudden
tremors and possible collapse.
 Kasagi

Nuki

Hashira

TORII Gakuzuka
• Traditional japanese gate most commonly
found at the entrance of or within a shinto
shrine
• it symbolically marks the transition from the
profane to the sacred

Bonsai
miniature trees grown in containers
Kotatsu
Low wooden table with heavy blanket and
heater underneath
Japanese Pagoda

The square shape symbolizes the earth.

The center column is considered the "axle of the world"
the spire on top of the structure represents Buddha as master of the universe.
Each level represents one of the five elements: wind, water, earth, fire and sky.
Shinbashira is a central pillar in the core of pagoda. made out of straight trunks of
Japanese pagoda
individual storeys are not actually attached to one another. They are simply
stacked one on top of another like a pile of hats. loosely fitting wooden
brackets
wide eaves that overhang their individual storeys are deliberately loaded
down with heavy earthenware tiles.
 THAI
STRUCTURE BUILT ARE:
Houses, Temples, Palaces
BUILDING MATERIALS:
Wood, clay, straw, ceramics
ORIENTATION:
Most houses faces north and south
STYLE
Inclined Stilt houses
Large windows
Wooden pegs
Multi-tiered gable roof
Climate
Rainy, summer, winter, water season
Ruen KRueng Pook “ commoners house”
Pook means tying it was used to decribed a house that is being tied
together by a rattan or a bamboo strip

Ruen Fak Radan “ houses for noble men”

Built with stringger material like prefabricated wood planks & timber
 Multi-tiered gable roof
Represents wealth and royalty, these are usually
covered with ceramic tiles

KA-LAE
X or V shaped wooden decoration that extends
from the roof represented a pair of birds
perched on the roof to scare away crows which
are believed to bring bad luck, while others
insist it is buffalo horns

PAN LOM
• Bargeboard that covers the end of the gable,
preventing the tiles from falling off.
• Decorated like a downward sloping body of the naga,
with its head rearing up.
 CHOFAS “Sky Cluster”
• Horn or bird-like finials seen on the roof ridges of
temples.
• Often decorated with little bells that tinkle in the
wind.
• Design is in the form of garuda, which is meant
to be grabbing the tail of the naga that flows
down both sides of the bargeboard, pan lom.

NAGA
a deity or class of entity or being, taking the
form of a very great snake or king cobra that
according to the holy scripts sheltered the
Buddha while he was meditating
 1. PHUTTHA-WAT – dedicated to Buddha

a. Chedi or Stupa - Reliquary

Tower
b. Prang - Khmer temple
c. Ubosot or Bot - Ordination Hall
d. Viharn - shrine hall that contains
the principal Buddha images; it is
the assembly hall where monks and
believers congregate.
e. Mondop square or cruciform based
building or shrine, sometimes with a
spired roof within a Thai Buddhist
temple or temple complex.
f. Ho trai - Temple
Library or Scriptures
Depository houses the
sacred Tipiṭaka scriptures.
g. Sala - open pavilion providing
shade and a place to rest.
h. Sala kan prian – a large, open hall
where lay people can
hear sermons or receive religious
education.
i. Ho rakang - bell tower is used for
waking the monks and to announce
the morning and evening
2. The Reclining ceremonies.
1. Bot/Ubosot 3. Main Stupas
Buddha j. Phra rabien - a peristyle is
sometimes built around the sacred
inner area as a cloister
6. Hermit's
4. Phra Mondop 5. The Gallery
Ground
BOT UBOSOT (Ordination Hall)
• Consecrated ordination hall of a Wat,
where new monks take their vows.
• Has six boundary stones (Bai Sema) that
define the limits of its sanctuary.
• Faces east and usually houses an altar
and one or several Buddha images.

PRANG (Pagoda)
Thai civilization’s chief modification to
the Khmer prang was to make it more
delicate, thinner, and vertical in
emphasis.
 VIHARN
• Sermon hall and is usually the busiest
building in a Wat and open to everyone.
• Holds an altar and one or several
Buddha images.

PHRA RABIENG
• Cloister like-galleries around the
Bot/Ubosot
• Along the walls of the Phra Rabieng are
http://www.asiaexplorers.com/thailand/northern-thai-temple- Buddha images and some times religious
architecture.htm furniture.
MONDOP (Mandapa)
• Square, open-sided pavilion with a multi-tiered
pyramidal roof rising to a peak.
• Baldachin structure that has in some temples been
erected above the library with the sacred Buddhist
scripts.
 KUTI
• Originally a small structure, built on stilts,
designed to house a monk, with its proper
size (4.013 x 2.343 m).
• Apartment building with small rooms for
the monks

SALA GAN PARIAN

preaching hall.

HO RAKHANG (Bell Tower)

• The bell is struck to call the monks to devotions, to announce time

(it is struck for noon, after which monks are not allowed to eat) or
to announce the stopping of work for the day.