VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

IN RESPONSE TO CLIMATIC ZONES IN INDIA

WHAT IS VERNACULAR……………………
Derived from the Latin vernaculus,
INDIGENOU meaning
S
NATIVE
The “vernacular architecture” could be understood as
the building traditions which have been developed by
DOMESTIC people over generations and often built by themselves.

Basically, it is “architecture without architects”.

The basis of vernacular is that it responds to several

contextual aspects :
 Climate, Place, Culture,
 Materials, Local skills
 Maintenance, Durability and Metaphysical aspects
 Sociological need of society
The premise is that the vernacular tradition was extremely
sustainable in every sense of the word.
Architecture based on
 Localized needs and construction materials, and
Reflecting local traditions
Refers to that type of architecture which is indigenous to a specific time and place

Most significant influences on vernacular architecture is the macro-climate of the area in

which the building is constructed
•HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
•WARM AND HUMID
CLIMATE
•COMPOSITE CLIMATE
•TEMPERATE CLIMATE
•COLD CLIMATE
HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
 This zone lies in western and central part of India,
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur etc.

TOPOGAPHY:

 This region is usually flat, sandy, rocky ground with

spares vegetation Of cacti thorny bushes
 Water level is very low here
 The diurnal variation in temperature is quite high more
than 10 C
The climate is dry because relative humidity is generally very low and receive less than 500mm precipitation
annually
Hot winds blow during summer and sand storms are also seen
The absorbent radiation are dissipated to atmosphere at night and air cool in night

Due to low water level and spares vegetation the houses are made using
twigs , mud, clay, stone
JAISALMER……….

LOCATION :
 The city is situated in the midst of the Great Indian Desert on the western frontier of India.
Jaisalmer is almost entirely a sandy waste, forming a part of the Thar desert (great Indian desert).
The climate is hot and dry.

CLIMATE :
 The region experiences an arid climate through the year.

RELATIVE
HUMIDITY
AND
RAINFALL

AIR
TEMPERATUR
The
E diurnal variation in temperature is
quite high more than 10 C WIND
 Hot winds blow during summer and sand VELOCITY
storms are also seen
The absorbent radiation are dissipated to
atmosphere at night and air cool in night
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE……….

BUILDING ORIENTATION AND PLACEMENT:

Narrow winding streets with densely built constructed on both sides

 all majors streets were oriented in the East-West direction at right
angles to the direction of dust storms
 the height of the building compared to the width of the streets is large
to create shaded cool environment for the pedestrian and other social
activities on the streets

BUILDING PLANS:

The traditional shelter is called a BHOONGA

It can even withstand earthquakes
The circular form ensures minimum exposure to the
external elements which are extreme; a hot and dry desert
climate.
They are all built around open courtyard like spaces
forming clusters
Smaller openings control entry of light, heat and winds
The building materials are mud for the walls and thatch for
the roof.
The interiors are beautifully embellished with local mirror
work patterns.
 SMALLER HOUSES
 The simplest house consist of single room, a verandah and
a courtyard.
 Larger houses of this type have another verandah over the
entrance and some houses have an additional room on one
side of the courtyard.

COURTYARDS:
A wide range of household activities could extend into
courtyards. These spaces became the living areas of all domestic
architecture.
 This room without a roof is often bounded by verandahs along
its periphery.
 Other rooms open into these verandahs creating a spatial
organization based on a hierarchical sequence of spaces ranging
from open to enclosed.
 The rooms get their light and ventilation from this courtyard and
have very few openings onto the exterior.
Also, the tropical climate of India demands air movement as
well as shaded spaces for comfort.
 Variations in the generic form of the courtyard come from
changes in materials, articulation of the enclosing elements,
scale, proportion and complexity of plan.
ENTRANCES:

The complexity of transition as an architectural element varies from community to community. a

single door is total and only link between the inside and the outside.
 In yet another form, an entrance may be the prelude through which one is introduced to the
interior right.
 In cases where normal low level dust swirls within the settlement the interiors of buildings are
protected by almost blank walls with very small openings.
 All major streets are oriented almost in the East-West direction at right angles to the direction of
dust storms and use of Small window
CONTROL OF HEATING BY TEXTURE OF SURFACES:
The heat inside of the building is controlled by the use of textures in Jaisalmer.
 the front part of the facade which remains exposed are controlled by creating deeply carved patterns.
 minimizes the heat gain by providing shading due to texture.
 increased convective transfer of heat because of increased surface area. I
 n summer in day time when the major heat source is Sun the exposed textured surfaces will be cooler
than plain surfaces.
 In evening when ambient conditions are cool the increase surface area helps in cooling it faster.
However, an extended surface will warm up faster than a plain surface under winter conditions due to low
solar altitude, therefore the location in context of these surfaces is very important.

ORIENTATION:
The building is always oriented by the
cardinal directions: North, South, East,
West, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast
and southwest.
 Each of these directions is
considered as energy by itself. Hence
the spaces in different orientation are
considered differently for design
purposes which is a very climate
sensitive approach.
For example the East or the North
walls are made more open to light and
air as the West
NATURAL COOLING SYSTEM  An E-W street orientation, in summer the sun would be
shining on the south facade from 9.30am to 2.30pm.
The corresponding solar altitudes during this time are 54°
to 86° and even small horizontal projections are
sufficient to shade the south-facing building.

The north face of the building receives solar radiation

before 8 am and after 4pm with solar altitude being less
than 35°.
At this time the. building opposite shades the northern
facade even if the street is relatively wide
Shading mask for an eastern wall in a narrow street.

The shading mask for a western wall is similar.

For streets oriented N-S, the summer sun shines on
the east facade till11.30am and the west facade after
12.30pm.
The solar altitude during these periods varies from 0°
to 79°, With a narrow street, the building facades would
be shaded before 10.30am and after 1.30pm

Thus, solar radiation would be incident on the E-W facades

for no more than an hour each which is taken care of by
the massive wall construction.
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DETAILS:

Most common building materials– Light yellowish sandstone for walls (0.45m or more inthickness)
50 mm thick panels of limestone used on upper levels for elements on projecting wall facades

Two types of construction used for floors and roofs–

•Traditional method: Laying closely spaces timber beams and covering them with a layer or reed or grass
matting with a layer of earth on top.
• Because of lack of availability in the desert, stone beams are being used.
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS:
 The people use local available plants and trees for
construction.
 MATERIAL : Kejri (prosopis cineraria), bushes (hiniya)
,doka (bajara wate), akanda plant, clayed sand , water,
ropes of bushes, cow dunk

METHOD : clay sand + water+ cow dun +bajra waste = to

construct walls
 Wood of kejri to construct ceiling(use insided)
 make 2-3 layers of bushes at the outer side of the roof
 use bushes rope to tie up bushes tightly bushes rope kejri
wood akanda plant kejri akanda plant bushes

Clay sand Bajra waste Typical vernacular architecture

 TOP INSIDE VIEW

SHADING AND SUPPORTING WOOD

WARM AND HUMID CLIMATE
 This zone covers the coastal region like mumbai, chennai, kolkata.

TOPOGAPHY AND CLIMATE:

 The high humidity encourages abundant vegetation

 the main design criteria in warm and humid region are to reduce heat
gained by providing shading
 the relative humidity is high about 70%-90% in year
 here tropical cyclones and hurricanes Are common when wind speed
are 45 to 70m/s
 high salt contents of atmosphere corrodes the building material
 vegetation is lighter green color as per amount of rainfall
 in most parts of the zone, summer will be rainy
CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE

TEMPERATURE:
Ranges from maximum temp. 27°c – 32°c minimum temp
 21°c – 27°c in summers, in winters, little seasonal variations
both annual and diurnal ranges of temperature is very narrow.

Humidity remains high around 75% but varies from 55% -

100%.
Precipitation 2000 to 5000 mm of rainfall
 Wind typically low wind velocities. Strong wind with
torrential rains.

Solar radiation the intensity of solar radiation is high during

summers and moderate during winters.
CLIMATE AND ARCHITECTURE OF KERELA:

 Since beginning, climate has its effects on man,

surroundings and architecture
 An adaptive thermal comfort design is essential.

 In most parts of the State flow of wind is mainly governed by

differential heating of land and water mass together with
mountain winds.
.
 In general, winds are quite strong during daytime when
thermal circulation is best developed and weak during night
REQUIREMENTS IN A HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE

 Minimization of the high day temp.

Avoidance of direct exposure of facades to solar radiations
Reduction in the humidity levels
Continuous air circulation to reduce heat and relief from stickiness
 To create a temp. difference between the inside and outside environments to facilitate
evaporation and heat dissipation.

LARGER WINDOWS FOR SEMI – OPEN SPACES FOR

VENTILATION LIGHT AND AIR
MOVEMENT
FACADE ARTICULATION
Max. Ventilation
Orientation of smaller side of structure along east-west north-south orientation for max. Air movement
High density of façade that is open and yet shaded. Faint/pale colours on outer surfaces
Building materials with insulating/reflecting properties that resist heat transfer.

ROOFING PATTERN:

Voids in roof and courtyards provide max. light and cross ventilation
Houses are tall with large openings to catch breeze
Light colors and reflective surfaces on roofs will deflect solar radiations and
keep the building cool.

Light materials such as timber are used in

construction Sloping roof is a characteristic of
these regions as it drains off rain water.

 Barrel-vaulted roof can also be seen.

Dense growth of plantations in the outdoors

BHUNGA HOUSES- IN KUTCH GUJARAT
The Bhunga is a traditional construction type in the Kutch district of the Gujarat state in India,
which has a very high earthquake risk.
A Bhunga consists of a single cylindrically shaped room. The Bhunga has a conical roof
supported by cylindrical walls.
Bhunga construction has existed for several hundred years.
 This type of house is quite durable and appropriate for prevalent desert conditions.
 Due to its robustness against natural hazards as well as its pleasant aesthetics, this housing is
also known as "Architecture without Architects.“

DURING EARTH-QUAKES:

 It performed very well in the recent M7.6 Bhuj earthquake in 2001.

 Very few Bhungas experienced significant damage in the epicentral region,
 It has also been observed that the failure of Bhungas in the last earthquake caused very few
injuries to the occupants due to the type of collapse.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE BHUNGA

 Bhunga is circular in plan, with cylindrically shaped walls

and topped with conical roof.
 The inner diameter of the Bhunga is typically between
3m to 6m.
 A Bhunga generally has only three openings one door
and two small windows.
 The thick walls required for thermal insulation which
provides excellent performance under lateral loads
 Recent Bhungas constructions have used wide variety of
construction materials.
 These include the stone or burnt brick masonry either
in mud mortar or in cement mortar

 Traditional roof consists of light-weight conical roof,

while some recent constructions have used heavy
Mangalore tiles on roofs.

Some recent constructions have used circular strip footing below the wall, while traditional
construction simply extended the walls below ground level t
The locally available soft stone can easily be cut or chiseled into rectangular blocks, which are
used for wall masonry.
Locally available timber and bamboo are used for roof.
The construction of this type of housing takes place in a single phase.

Bhunga architecture is a very unique aspect of traditional desert architecture of Kutch region in which
the size, location and orientation of the Bhunga are planned for very good structural and functional
results
COLD CLIMATE
1. COLD AND SUNNY
2. COLD AND CLOUDY

TOPOGAPHY AND CLIMATE:

There is a huge variation in the climatic conditions

In the steep hilly zones, the stepped terraces will be much beneficial environmentally and economically,
as they result in the least hill cutting and disturbance to the hill stability.
 Minimum clearance of 1.0 m to 1.5 m should be given between the hill face and the building wall to
avoid dampness and also for proper light and ventilation.
COLD AND SUNNY CLIMATE

This type of climate experience in Leh

The region is mountainous and little vegetation considered as a cold desert

THE SOLAR RADIATION:

It is generally intense with very low percentage of diffuse radiation

TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS •
Summer during day : 17 - 24°C during night : 4 - 11°C
Winter during day : 7 - 9°C during night : -14 – 0 °C

RELATIVE HUMIDITY
consistently low : 10-50%
Winds – occasionally intense
Sky is fairly clear throughout the year Cloud cover is less than 50%

Ladakh is an extremely cold and dry desert with rocky and uneven terrain
The harsh climate and low temperate limits the number and type of vegetation found here
Certain plants and agriculture crops are grown apart from this greenish patches of vegetation,
wild roses, Herbs, willow groves
PLANNING AND TECHNIQUES:

Resist heat loss

Decrease exposed surface area
Increase thermal resistance increase thermal capacity
(time lag)
Increase buffer spaces decrease air exchange rate
increase surface absorptive
 Promote heat gain reduce shading utilize heat from
appliances trapping heat orientation and shape of building.

Use of trees as wind barriers roof insulation, wall

insulation and double glazing thicker walls air locks/
lobbies weather stripping darker colors walls and glass
surfaces sun spaces/ green houses/ trombe walls etc
COLD AND CLOUDY CLIMATE

CLIMATE INFLUENCE:

Due to the cold climate, the southern slopes are preferred. The orientation of the houses is to maximize the
penetration of the sun rays.
 The path of the sun, controls the height of building, as the sun is needed for each dwelling unit.
Small window size and low ceiling height to prevent heat loss and keep the interiors warmer.
 Site susceptible to high winds, storms, floods and landslides should be avoided.
 Terrace in all around the building should have proper slope for efficient drainage, in heavy rain fall and
snow fall areas.

CULTURAL INFLUENCE:

The house which constitutes many stores has been built for storage of grains which formed the back
bone of the agrarian family.
 Generally cow-shed and kitchen forms a separate unit. The Indian calendar months of Baisakh, Poh,
Magh and Phalgun are regarded as auspicious for the start of construction.
 Ideally, the main aspect of the house should face east and the rising sun.
 As a general rule the houses do not have a boundary wall.
PLANNING AND TECHNIQUES:

Double storey house.

 Southern orientation (Reduce heat loss).
 Linear arrangement of rooms, connected by verandah/balcony in both the floors.
 Timber and stone used, both have high thermal capacity and low conductivity.

PLAN
Ground floor: Cattle shed and storage area are provided.
 First Floor: Living Area along with kitchen.
 Low Height of the rooms (2.1 – 2.4 m), keeps interiors warmer from heat released by individuals, also
low surface to volume ratio reducing heat loss from surfaces. Inner walls thickness is 4 inch and outer
wall thickness is 9 inch.

Small window size and low ceiling height to prevent heat loss and keep the interiors warmer.
Terrace in all around the building should have proper slope for efficient drainage, in heavy rain fall and
snow fall areas.
 ATTIC

Low Height of the

rooms (2.1 – 2.4 m)

Low surface to volume ratio reducing heat loss from surfaces

Roof of buildings possess
proper slope for efficient
drainage. slope for efficient
drainage

Small window
sizes and low
ceiling height

Small windows low

ceiling height
PLAN….

GROUND FLOOR:

Living Area along with kitchen.

Low Height of the rooms (2.1 – 2.4 m), keeps interiors warmer from heat released by individuals, also low
surface to volume ratio reducing heat loss from surfaces.
Inner walls thickness is 4 inch and outer wall thickness is 9 inch.
FIRST FLOOR:

Storage area are provided.

WALLS:

Above the plinth walls are strong with alternating stone layer, as the wall rises up it is only the wood
frame that is stacked above another wood frame. This distributes mass optimally.
Interiors of wall are finished with mud plaster and lined with wood on account of its good insulation
and binding properties.
Resist sliding or overturning during land movement.
Dry masonry construction allow stones to undulate within a flexible wooden frame work to allow
energy of earthquake to disperse.
Tapering in buildings as they rise which prevents toppling during earthquake.

KATH KHUNI STYLE

 Made of alternate courses of dry stone masonry and wood without any cementing
mortar.
 This kath-khuni style of layering and inter locking timber and stone provides
strength, stability and flexibility (earthquake resistant).
 These heavy walls allow a very good thermal insulation by providing high time-lag
of more than 8 hours.
 This makes the interior of the house cooler in summer and warm in winter for
maximum part of the year.
ROOFING:

 Pitched roof with locally available timber.

 Slate used for roof covering. Below the roof a ceiling is constructed with timber.
 This attic is used as a storage space and abode of the god.
 The light-weight roof construction and the air between the roofing and attic-floor provided a very good
thermal insulation against the passage of heat.
 Low pitched roof provides a good solution to drain off the rain-water from the dwellings.

Balconies: provide a good sun-space or solarium.

Sunny courtyard to perform various activities during day time.
 Kitchen made of mud, placed at center which helps in keeping the
indoor warm.
Less opening, mainly in south and south-west direction
MODERATE CLIMATE

 Pune and Bangalore are examples of cities that fall under this climatic zone.
 Areas having a moderate climate are generally located on hilly or high-plateau regions with
fairly abundant vegetation
The solar radiation in this region is more or less the same throughout the year.
 The temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold.
 In summers, the temperature reaches 30 – 34 ºC during the day and 17 – 24 ºC at night.
 In winter, the maximum temperature is between 27 to 33 ºC during the day and 16 to 18
ºC at night.
 The relative humidity is low in winters and summers, varying from 20 – 55%, and going
up to 55 – 90% during monsoons.

The total rainfall usually exceeds 1000 mm per year.

 Winters are dry in this zone.

Winds are generally high during summer.
Their speed and direction depend mainly
upon the topography.

The design criteria in the moderate zone are

to reduce heat gain by providing shading,
and to promote heat loss by ventilation
PASSIVE FEATURES:

Reduction of solar heat gain by orientation

of the bedroom towards north

By shading of east and west walls by

neighboring buildings

By shading the windows and walls with

projecting stone slab

BUILDING MATERIAL USED:

Floor: lime concrete

Walls: stone masonry with lime mortar
Roof: stone slab with lime concrete screed
cover for flat roof and Mangalore tile for
sloping roof
 CASE STUDY: KHARADKAR WADA

Kharadkar wada is located in Pune, Maharashtra

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE KHARADKAR

WADA:

Distinct zoning can be seen.

Separate entrances for guests, domestic help, people
visiting the durbar, separate entries for the people
performing in the durbar and a separate entry into the
cattle shed.

There are 4 entrances to the house.

Privacy for the women given a priority.
Three main courtyards or chowks.
The wada has it’s entrance in the southern side.
All the external walls of the wada were 4ft thick.
This helped to keep the interior of the wall cool in summers.
COMPOSITE CLIMATE

 The composite zone covers the central part of India

 Cities like Allahabad, Kanpur ,Delhi experience this climate
 A variable landscape and seasonal vegetation characterize this zone

The intensity of solar radiation is very high in summer with diffuse radiation amounting to a small
fraction of the total.
In monsoons, the intensity is low with predominantly diffuse radiation.
The maximum daytime temperature in summers is in the range of32 – 43 ºC, and night time values
are from 27 to 32 ºC. In winter, the values are between 10 to 25 ºC during the day and 4 to 10 ºC at
night.
The relative humidity is about 20 – 25 % in dry periods and 55 – 95 % in wet periods.
Precipitation in this zone varies between 500 – 1300 mm per year. This region receives strong
winds during monsoons from the south-east and dry cold winds from the north-east. In summer, the
winds are hot and dusty. The sky is overcast and dull in the monsoon, clear in winter and frequently
hazy in
summer.

Thus, the design criteria are more or less the same as

for hot and dry climate except that maximizing cross
ventilation is desirable in the monsoon period.
JHARKHAND

The Primary element was a single interior living space, which may have been sub-divided,
multiplied or otherwise modified
 Second, an external space adjacent to or surrounded by the dwelling was emphasized by use of
elements such as low platforms or verandahs

 An average hut measured app. 5 to 6 meters long and 3 to 4 m wide

 These huts were arranged in a linear pattern along the main street of a village, usually amidst
a group of bamboo trees.

The huts normally had minimal fenestration and the small windows also served
To keep the hot summer sun and cold winter winds out

Special mud blocks left with

vegetable waste matter Mud wall with
wooden posts of
typical hut
This open-to-sky courtyard acted as prime space
for the house during day in winter And evenings in
summer

Most day to day activities occurred in this space.

Often there was well in this courtyard That served s
the source for water for drinking, bathing, washing and
cooking

The house sat on a raised platform made of

compacted earth

The high thermal mass helped keep the house

cool in the evenings in summer which made it
Pleasant for people to rest in the evenings

An average hut measured approximately 5 to 6

meters (15 to 18 feet) long and 3 To 4 meters (10 to
12 feet) wide

The huts were made of local materials. Timber,

bamboo, clay, straw, Cow dung, and a special
variety of grass were used to build houses
The roof rested on nine wooden posts
erected in three rows, with three posts per
row, These posts were sunk into the
raised platform and tied with wooden
beams and purling that supported the roof
structure.
The huts usually had a gabled thatch
roof.

Bamboo sticks formed the mullions to

support the thatch.

The thick thatch used as roofing material

prevented rain from entering the house and
at the same time provided insulation to the
building.

Over time, as an effect of industrial

hybridization, the thatch in the huts was
replaced by sun-dried or burnt clay
Mangalore tiles (named for their place of
manufacture) that are today more
commonly used as roofing material for the
huts.
SITE PLAN THATCH ROOF

SECTION OF HOUSE PAINTING ON THE WALL OF HUT

 FRONT VERANDAH
CROSS VENTILATION SO DOORS
AND WINDOWS PLACED OPOSITE

THICK MUD WALLS TO INCREASE

THERMAL CAPACITY OF WALL
TREES TO SHADE
WEST WALL AND
LIGHT COLORED
WALL TO REFLECT
HEAT