VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

Lecture 7
BUILDING PROCESSES, TECHNOLOGY AND
ARCHITECTURE PRODUCTION

 Building process in vernacular architecture

construction is the result of series of experiment over
the years.
 It involves transmission of knowledge.

 Process of building involves

 Choice of site depending upon the economic criteria, e.g.
agriculture, animal rearing, cultural criteria etc.
 Choice of materials depending upon availability, popular
use and climatic suitability.
 Dimensioning in vernacular constructions usually
corelate with human body. E.g. units of measurements
in paces, foot sizes, spans, fingers and thumbs, etc.
 The dimensions are usually proportional.

 A typical construction process involves

 Excavation for trench in case of load bearing construction
 Use of damp proofing methods if any
 Formworks of timber are used which are of different shapes
and sizes at different places.
 Building framework is usually load bearing wall or
timber framed in case of post and beam construction.
 Wooden frames are the popular roofing structure.

 Infilling, which is a very integral part of building

construction has diversified forms at different places
depending upon the material use, etc.
TECHNIQUES IN VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
 All the vernacular architecture have techniques which
are learned and applied as the most suitable one for
that particular setting.

 Techniques in vernacular architecture are refined over

time and are seldom backed by scientific research.

 Understanding this technique means the craftsman

should be able comprehend the entire construction
process as well as should have the capacity to deal
with adaptations, flexibility etc
 These craftsmen should also be able to deal with
differences in dimensions, consistency of materials,
forces of nature, and other problems, which arise
during the building production.

 Although in vernacular construction everyone is

expected to acquire the skill of construction there are
always those people who have advanced spatial
perception frequently accompanied with advanced
skills.
 Skills of brick bonding

 Skills of carpentry and wood carving

 Skills of stone carving, stone dressing and trimming

CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES
 Along with other techniques dealing with wear
and tear is also part of the local building
technology.
MAINTENANCE TECHNIQUE
 Building deteriorates with age with impacts of
weather. Average age of the building depends upon the
type of the structure, material use and the
construction technique. In some cultures buildings
technology is simple and materials perishable which
makes the life very short.

 Thatch roofing
 Grass or palm in external walls

 Mud plaster in the external walls etc.

ROOFS
 Primary objective of vernacular architecture is to provide shelter
and the essence of shelter is to provide enclosed space achieved by
covering.

 Usually the vernacular architecture are modest and adequate for

the housing need (demands) but sometimes their achievements
are remarkable.

 Flat roofs are simplest with timber beams resting on the two
walls at the ends. They are usually seen on the regions where
precipitation is very low.

 Conical roofs are constructed in areas exposed to rains. Conical

roofs may be constructed to radial poles raised on a cylindrical
wall structure.
 Most popular form of vernacular roof is the
pitched roof, sloping on two sides and with gables
at each end.
 In these type of roofs ridge will take some load while rafters
will take the most. Such roofs are able to carry a burden of
cladding such as thatch, tile or stone necessitating the use of
purlin.
 Pitched roofs are found where wood is plentiful.
 Pitched roofs sometimes have large overhangs to
protect the wall from rain and sun.
ROOFING- TEMPLES
 Temple roofs
have
symmetrical
pitches
springing from
the central
point of the cell
consisting of
central post
(tha).

Fig : - Biswonath Temple-Patan

(courtesy: - Bonapace, C. & Sestini, V.
ROOFING- TEMPLES
 Temple roofs
have
symmetrical
pitches
springing from
the central
point of the cell
consisting of
central post
(tha).

Fig : - Narayan Temple-Patan (courtesy: -

Korn, W. (1976)
ROOFING-TEMPLES
 Ridge piece (dhuri) rests on a row of simple
vertical posts (dhuri thas).
 Wallplates (nas) rest on low sleeper walls that
are an extension of lower wall structure, now
enclosed in the roof space and the roof plate (nas)
 Outer side – large overhang supported by an
eaves beam which in turn is supported by carved
wooden struts (tunasi).
 On the inner side rafters are anchored to a tie
beam fixed to the walls – elements joined using
wooden wedges (chukus).
 ROOFING-HOME
•Two steep pitches
40 – 50 degrees-
full use of space.

Fig: - Axonometric View of a Newar House

(courtesy: - Bonapace, C. & Sestini, V. (2003)
 R OOFING-HOME
 Ridge beam rests on central pillar and on the lateral
gable walls to form the structure.

Fig: - Section of Pujari math –Bhaktapur with primary rafters resting on pillar
(courtesy : - Korn, W. 1976)
ROOFING-HOME
 Ridge beam rests on
central pillar and on the
lateral gable walls to
form the structure.
 Two principal rafters
tied up to the central
pillar, leading against
the lateral wall on a
wooden plate which
transforms the thrust to
the walls.
Fig: - Axonometric View of a Newar House with primary rafters and
gable walls structure (courtesy: - Bonapace, C. & Sestini, V. (2003)
ROOFING-HOME
 Purlins rest on the
principal rafters
and secondary
rafters rest on
these purlins
following the slope
of the roof- extends
beyond the wall to
form the
overhanging eaves.

Fig: - Section of pati at Saugal with purlins

and roof
(courtesy : - Korn, W. 1976)
ROOFING-HOME
 Two ways of
overhanging
structure -1)
provides
support to the
secondary
rafters via an
eaves plate
fixed parallel to
wall and
supported by
series of
secondary
struts.
Fig: - Overhanging eaves & Struts (tunasi) Type 1
(courtesy: -Bonapace, C. & Sestini, V. (2003)
 ROOFING-HOME
 2) some extra tie beams inserted to provide additional
support to the eaves.
 Wooden elements held together by wooden wedges

Fig: - Overhanging eaves & Struts Type 2 (courtesy: -Bonapace, C. & Sestini, V.
(2003)
 Hipped roofs are popular in courtyards and with
rectangular building plans. Hipped roof alows all the
walls of a building to be built to the same height before
the construction of the roof framework without the
necessity of shaping a gable end wall.
 Vault roofing is also popular in the middle eastern
countries where it is hot and dry.
FLOORS
 Floors are either used f or human or animal activity.
 Could be on the ground o raised above the ground level.
 Usually for the ground floor treatment the upper layer soil
is removed and filled with more stable materials and then
compacted.
 Often in nepal floors are plastered with animal dung and
clay
 In some rainy areas asphalt, bitumen are laid below the
floor finish to act as water proofing material
 Treatment of floors relates to the aesthetic aspects, thermal
requirements, durability, ease of cleaning etc.
FLOOR FINISHING-
 Compacted earth
 Mud-topped by thin layer of plaster which is smooth.
Plaster could be cow dung mixed with water and
sometimes clay.
 STRUCTURE AND SUPPORTS
 Most of the vernacular buildings around the globe
have clear distinction between the roof spanning
systems and the supporting structures.

 Difference in form is further elaborated with usually

distinctive use of materials such as thatched timber
framed roof and stone walls as support.

 Essential difference between roof structure and the

supports for the roof depends on the distribution of
gravitational forces to the supporting system.
 Vertical loads are transferred from the roof to the
walls to the ground.

 Not all the enclosing structures act as the supports,

some in fact need support. E>g curtain walls made of
thatches and leaves which need support of the timber
posts.

 Usually the vernacular buildings are not more than

two stories in height and a large proportion are single
storied only with few rooms.
POPULAR STRUCTURAL SYSTEM IN NEPAL IS
 Brick wall
 Rammed earth wall

 Stone wall

 Timber post and beam construction

 Tiled- can have attractive pattern. Most common

tiles are burnt clay tiles.
 Planked- timber planks popularly used in
suspended flooring.
NEWARI HOUSE
 Typical newari house is 3 or 4 stories high.

 Plan – 3-10m x 6m

 Foundation – made of stone

 Superstructure- locally available sundried brick

 Consist of three walls- two outside and one spine wall
at the centre

 Timber joists over which wooden boards with a thick

layer of mud topping is applied for both roofing and
flooring
 Roof overhanging is almost 1.5m
SECTION OF NEWARI HOUSE
WALL

 Load Bearing Brick 70 cm or more in Thickness,

upto 2m in certain temple wall.

 Brick in mud-mortar with glazed facing bricks

 Double leaf construction

 Triple leaf construction

 Load bearing layer tied together with horizontal

(ties at nagpasa, entablatures) and vertical timber
elements (posts at door openings/corners)

 String courses at base, over door lintels , mid way

through the wall (nagpasa) etc.
 Triple leaf construction
 SILAE: A strong mortar made of resins, stone
dust, lentils and cotton
 MAHSUCHA: Mortar made of yellow cotton soil
giving it water-sealing property
POST AND BEAM
 Trabeated system that is
combination of vertical
columns and horizontal
beams.

 Timber columns (Tham,

normally square base with
numerous mouldings/ square/
cylindrical shafts),

 Brackets (Metha +
bagahmetha),

 Beam (Ninah)

 Base timber: Lakasi

 Base stone: ILahon

NEWARI HOUSE
 Roof – Doubly pitched

 Houses are simple and symmetrical along with

the symmetrical opening.

 Wall – 60cm thk

 Horizontal ring beam applied to wall at every

floor to tie together structure and to distribute
the load uniformly.

 These supports roof or floor if upper masonry

wall is destroyed.

 Surki /Telia is used as plaster material

SHERPA ARCHITECTURE
SHERPA ARCHITECTURE

MOUNTAIN HOUSES
VENTILATION AND LIGHTING
 In hot and humid climate vernacular architecture have
devised forms in their buildings to facilitate
ventilation.

 Courtyard houses in the hot and humid region act as

the lung of the house and is the aim source of air
exchange from inside the built space to the outer free
space.
 In Muslim architecture use of exquisitely carved
screens or lattice windows provide privacy, at the same
time permit currents of air to circulate through the
room.

 Similarly the use of jali which could be of stone, wood

or brick is also very popular in the hotter areas in
India.

 When a water body is placed adjacent to a jail water will

evaporate by drawing heat from the surrounding air and the
perforations in jali act as miniature wind tunnels drawing a
large volume of air through small openings at a high speed
and thus accelerate the process of evaporative cooling.
 In southern India ventilation through the ridge vent is
very popular and effective.

 Series of small openings are used for the provision of

ventilation and lighting in the vernacular architecture.

 Wind towers or wind catchers are other type f

interesting features for ventilation.
LIGHTING

 Openings are the source of lighting in vernacular

buildings.
 Before the invention of glass, different materials such
as mica, animal gut, wooden planks were used.
 Usually in the middle eastern Muslim countries
houses grouped around a courtyard have openings only
towards this courtyard.
 While the external walls were blank and access is through a
single door. This building type enabled a very dense
settlement pattern to develop.
 In colder and temperate climates window openings
function as the main source of light and the level of
illumination achieved internally is dependent upon a
combination of free window opening size, surface
reflectivity and depth of the room.

 Shutters were the oldest means to regulate the

brightness in the building and they were usually made
of wood.
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