Vernacular

Architecture
Construction
with
Traditional methods

- Gopal Maheshwari
 Why Vernacular Houses ?

Is construction cheaper?
NO
Is it faster?
NO
Does it have lower maintenance
comparatively?
NO
THEN WHY VERNACULAR CONSTRUCTION ?

Imagine a home that has red brick walls, a

patchwork tile roof, terracotta flooring,
wooden doors and windows, a veranda,
and is surrounded with ample greenery.
Sounds like a place away from the city and
in the middle of a village, right?
Wrong. Its your own Vernacular house !
 Energy efficient House
with minimum use of Cement and Steel

We build a rigid structure only with the

help of cement, concrete, burnt bricks,
iron rods, etc., That’s the common
thought process in our minds. But the
manufacturing of each material is
becoming more energy-intensive. A huge
amount of energy and fuel is used to
manufacture these materials. The man-
made buildings have led to 38% of the
human-generated Green House Gases
(GHG) emissions around the world.
In the time you take to read this
sentence, the global building industry will
have poured over 19,000 bathtubs of
concrete.
Unique Home

Charmed by traditional Indian

aesthetics and vernacular design?
Your house will be an
amalgamation of traditional and
modern design. The open spaces,
patterned flooring, traditional
arches, rustic textures and ornate
chandeliers are complemented
with contemporary seating and
furnishings. All these elements put
together make this home look
unique and feel like a homely,
warm space.
Natural materials are truly UNIQUE !

Natural materials are truly unique! By virtue

of their materiality, they capture the
nuances of the hand of the artisan. They
settle on different surfaces differently, and
are varying in hue, tone and volume. These
nuances of shade and texture are celebrated
in natural plasters. The plasters we make are
inspired from plastering techniques all over
the world. From our very own chettinad egg
white plasters, Thappi and Araish Plaster,
Desi ghutai from Rajasthan, the Japanese
plaster in the east to the reflective tadelakt
of morocco, that is created using limestone
to interior and exterior walls, ceilings, roofs,
and floors.
Advantages of Lime Construction
•Durability – Unlike concrete, structure is
durable upto 3 to 4 generations

•Contributes to Healthy environment -

eliminates exposure to VOC

•Breathability and Regulation of Humidity –

reduces the risk of trapped moisture and
consequent damage to the building fabric

•Insulation and Temperature Regulation –

Temperature difference of 8 – 10 degrees

•The Aesthetics of Natural Plasters- Ingredients

like Methi (fenugreek), Gur (jaggery), Kadukkai
(Haritaki/yellow myrobalan/Terminalia chebula),
Gooseberry, herbs like Aloe Vera, Cactus, Gums
from Acacia (Arabic gum), Googal are also
crucial admixtures in plaster.
Open central courtyard for Ventilation & Natural light
Architecturally, courtyards make
perfect sense. They give the residents
of a home a private outdoor space,
which is secure and usable
throughout the day.
An interior courtyard centrally sits
under the open sky, flooding
the space around it with daylight.
Every room that opens into the
courtyard gets its dose of sunlight
during the day, helping you with
energy savings.
The benefits of being exposed to this
optimum quantity of sunlight are well
known, and even during a daily
workday, you’ll benefit by simply
having your morning tea in a natural
refreshing environment.
 Courtyard for Passive Cooling
With its natural ventilation, a courtyard helps the house stay appropriately warm
or cool without the need for heaters and air conditioners.
Several courtyards also include natural cooling elements as a part of their design
like a fountain, a basin, an artificial waterfall, thick external walls and double-
glazed windows.
A courtyard with beautiful and comfy seating area, flowing curtains, plush
rugs and quirky coffee tables can be an ideal spot for quiet reflection, meditation,
reading books, or enjoying a cozy chat. It can be a place to unwind, entertain,
connect with nature and enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Scholars have found
that the level of thermal comfort in a courtyard is determined by microclimatic
factors, particularly solar radiation and wind.

The effects of these parameters have been evaluated by considering the

orientation and geometric properties of a courtyard as the most influential design
parameters to provide appropriate thermal comfort
 Alternative Roof / Slab

Filler Slab Madras Roof slab

Ferro Cement Pre cast Slab Jack and Arch roof slab
 Alternative Flooring techniques

Athakudi Tiles Lime Flooring

Yellow and Black oxide floor Local Stone – Shabad or Tandoor

Reclaimed Wood
 Interlocking Earth Blocks are CSEB
(Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks)

● Stabilized with cement (6-8% cement by weight)

● Machine made. Compressed using Hydraulic Press
● Surface has smooth finish and borders are straight.
Edges are bevelled and sharp.
● Interlocking Type: Dry Interlocking (No mortar
between brick courses).
● Mortar is poured as slurry in the holes to achieve
interlocking.
● Size: L x W x H (250x125x100mm)
● Compression Strength: More than 12 MPa
(120 Kg/cm2)
● Water Absorption 5 – 8 % by weight
● Bulk density: 1900 - 2000 Kg/m
● Fire Proof. Bug Proof. Sound Proof
Rammed Earth and CSEB Walls
Arches, Vaults & Domes
 Sustainable homes – Pros & Cons

• Pros Cons
• Resonate with the theme of Green • No inhouse experience yet. Need to
Kanha engage external consultants to begin with
• Proven ecological benefits w.r.t • Slightly more expensive initially till we
embodied & operational energy reach economies of scale
needs
• Much more durable compared to
concrete structures
• Breathing walls mean reduced energy
bills to homeowners
• Health & well being
• Can set forth new business models -
supplying CSEB blocks & Lime mortar
outside Kanha
Earth Institute, Auroville

Based on the study made by

visits to
Hunarshala, Bhuj

Wardah Ashram & Lime Factory

Auroville, Tamilnadu

Hunnarshala , Bhuj Thank You