CLIMATE:

• Having Humid severe

• Raw winters
• short Mild summers
AREA =105 sq. kms
ALTITUDE =1,730 m.
TEMPERATURE
•Max Min Summer =29.5 C -10.6 C
•winter =7.3 C -1.9 C
RAINFALL =52.9 cms
CONSTRUCTION
TECHNIQUE
URBAN

•The two most common

construction systems are:
•URBAN-‘Dajji Dewar’ and
the ‘Taq’. In both these
cases the houses are Multi
Storeyed and single storeyed
house.
•Materials used : Bricks
,wood(timber) ,stones ,mud.
 ‘DAJJI DEWAR’ METHOD:
• it consists of timber framing
with in fills of baked and
unbaked bricks, thus the walls
have greater ductility and
damping.
• The frames are generally well
laid out with a system of
diagonal bracings that provide
a distinct path to the ground
for the stresses caused by
lateral seismic forces.
■ This framing also results in breaking up the upper level masonry walls into smaller
multiple panels.
■ The collapse of any one panel will not result in the complete collapse of the wall,
and therefore the structure. Small masonry panels surrounded by timber
elements have greater safety against out of plane collapse.

1st phase of 2nd phase of Stones filled in the

Typical Dajji Dewar
construction with construction filling infill walls and mud
house
timber bracings stones. acts as mortar.
Process of working:
 TAAQ STYLE CONSTRUCTION
• consisting of brick masonry interlaced with
heavy timber bands supported on large
masonry piers made of baked bricks.
• has a large number of windows (“taaq” means
window), one in each gap between the piers.
• In this construction 2-3 ft. thick brick
piers are supporting the wooden floor
beams which is basic structure of the
building.
• The distance between the 2 brick piers
used to be 3-4 ft and was called as TAQ
■CONSTRUCTIONAL STAGES OF TAQ
SYSTEM

(a) Case study building: Fateh Kadal school

in Srinagar
(b) First level of plinth band
(c) Load-bearing masonry walls resting on ABCDEFGH VALI PICTURE
the plinth bands
(d) Ceiling band receiving floor joists;
(e) Floor joists supporting floor diaphragm
and floor band of next floor;
(f)-(g)-(h) Additional floors.
 PICTURES OF PLAN

Ground floor first floor

Elevation sections
 RURAL
• Rural buildings constructed in Kashmir are in a traditional way by the people become an integral part of the
local cultural heritage.
• They are a manifestation of architectural systems optimized over time for a particular context with regard to
climate, soil or the threat of natural disasters.
• Number of building system in various parts of Jammu and kashmir had developed overtime to
accommodate local climate and cultural factors including the impacts of earthquake.
• The buildings have depended completely upon stone, mud, bricks and wood for roofing as well as walling.
Until very recently, non-local materials did not represent a valid option for local constructions.
• Rural buildings constructed in a traditional way by the people (often referred to as vernacular buildings)
• become an integral part of the local cultural heritage. These buildings often reflect the strength of the
• community to house itself independent of any outside intervention. They are a manifestation of architectural
• systems optimized over time for a particular context with regard to climate, soil or the threat of natural
• disasters. Constructed from local materials with local skills and a deep understanding of local social and
• economic constraints, traditional architecture is in many aspects sustainable architecture…
 FLAT MUD ROOF ON TIMBER STRUCTURE

•Traditional Flat mud roof on timber structure with stone

masonry wall
PICTURE
•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.
HOUSE BOATS
History of Houseboats
                                                                                                                                                                                                          
The origin of the houseboat lies in the chapters of Kashmir’s history. It is said that the native kings
had forbidden foreign visitors, especially the British from constructing houses in the region and this
gave rise to the concept of a houseboat.

Houseboat Features

•The houseboat is usually made out of Cedar wood which sustains the damages through water as
the wood is got seasoned before using for such construction.
•Inside the houseboats the main feature is the carved wood paneling.
•Walnut wood is used for furniture on which intricate carvings are done.
•The porch area is one of the major parts of the boat for guests to sit and relish incredible views of
Dal Lake.
 TYPES OF BOATS
•Boats in kashmir are of various kinds each designed for varying
velocities with a specific function assigned to them. They are made of
deodar wood are mostly built in srinagar pictures
• Among the different boats bahat is the largest. It is used for
transportation of grain, hay and other merchantise.

•Khuch is very large boat used for the same purpose.

•The shikara or pleasure boat is similarly proportioned to doonga, or

dwelling boat. But it is smaller in size.
•The smallest, lightest and swiftest of all kashmiri boats is the
tsatawar. It is able to withstand the most violent windstorms which
occur frequently in kashmiri water courses.
CONSTRUCTION

•Boat building is an ancient craft passed on from

generations. The craftsman themselves would go for
selecting suitable deodar tree.
•After selection they would split the entire
•tree in halves length ways with an axe.
•These halves were then trimmed to a requisite
thickness and hauled behind the boat for several
miles on water course, before being left in the river
or lake for two to three years to season.
 CONSTRUCT
ION
Tree trunks of 20m in length were used to
construct the sides of boat.

Another three to four deodar trees would be

needed for flooring and finishes on the floating
base.

The fabrication of boats was generally carried

out on a dry flat piece of ground.

When the base of boat is ready and a float, the

cabin of doonga boat is built on stern part with
a roof of matting, wooden shingles or match.

Period of utility - 4oyears.

After that it is systematically dismantled and,

the condition of the planks permitting, a
smaller boat is crafted from the length of
timber.
PLAN AND ELEVATION
 DOONGA

BOAT
Long, flat bottomed craft usually 55ft in length and
6ft in width.
 It is usually covered for more than half its length by a
light wooden roof about 1.7m (55ft) high.

 And the roof is sloping with a ridge in the middle.

RIDGE
 Downstream it is propelled by short heart-shaped
paddle.
ROOF
 Upstream is drawn along the bank by a long
to wingline.

Elevation & Plan of single deck doonga boat

 DOONGA BOAT

 The interior is divided by pine planks.

 Their placement is determined by

size of family.

 The front triangular space(nam)

on the deck is used as entrance.

 The rear is used as wash space

by residents.

 In the case of double storied

doonga, the wooden ladder to the
upper deck is from inside the
room.
 EXAMPLE :
DAL LAKE HOUSEBOATS
The Dal Lake Houseboats are widely associated
with Srinagar and are nicknamed "floating
palaces", built according to British custom The main material used for
construction is timber. They are well
furnished and provides the user with all
the facilities of a house.
 DETAILS
•This houseboat is generally made from local cedar-
wood and measure 24–38 metres (79–125 ft) in
length and 3–6 metres (9.8–20 ft) in width and are
graded in a similar fashion to hotels according to level
of comfort.
•Many of them have lavishly furnished rooms, with
verandas and a terrace to serve as a sun-deck or to
serve evening cocktails.
•They are anchored individually, with
interconnecting
bridges providing access from one boat to the
other.
•The kitchen-boat is annexed to the main houseboat,
which also serves as residence of the boat keeper and
his family
•Virtually every houseboat in Srinagar has been
provided with a municipal water connection
PICTURES OF INTERIOR