*Cold and Dry

Climate
Sunayana
Yajas
Prashant
Arshia
Molliee
Bhavya
Maulshree
Sarah
 *INTRODUCTION
*Climate is the long-term pattern of weather in a
particular area. It is measured by assessing the
patterns of variation in
temperature, humidity, atmospheric
pressure, wind, precipitation etc.
 *Climate in India
*India is home to an extraordinary variety
of climatic regions, ranging from tropical in the
south to temperate and alpine in the Himalayan
north, where elevated regions receive sustained
winter snowfall. The nation's climate is strongly
influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar
Desert.
*Zonal Distribution in India
 *Cold and Dry Climate
*Regions that lie in the cold climate zone are
situated at high altitudes. The temperatures range
between 20-30 Degree C in summers , while in
winters ,it can range from -3 to 8 Degree C ,making
it quite chilly.
 * Examples of Cities with Cold and Dry
Climatic Conditions
Example of areas of the world with cold and dry climates are

* eastern and central North America (Midwest, Middle Atlantic states, New England, Southern states),
* eastern and central Canada, China, Korea, Japan, Russia ,
*  Eastern Europe, Bosnia,
* parts of Norway, Sweden,
* inner parts of Spain and Turkey,
* parts of north and north-west of Iran,
* northern Iraq specifically Iraqi Kurdistan, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria,
* some parts of Azerbaijan, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary,
Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia 
and Finland.
* A continental climate can also be found in many valleys around mountains in the North Temperate
Zone; such as the Alps (in France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria),
the Pyrenees (in Spain, Andorra and France) or the Himalayas (in Afghanistan,
Pakistan, India, Chin, Nepal, Burma and Bhutan).
 *Leh Ladakh
*Ladakh is a region of India in the state of Jammu and
Kashmir, inhabited by people of Indo-
Aryan and Tibetan descent. It is one of the most
sparsely populated regions in Jammu and Kashmir and
its culture and history are closely related to that
of Tibet.
 *Climate of Ladakh
* Ladakh’s climate is a little extreme –the summers
can get a little harsh with direct sunlight falling at
such high altitude and winters can be really cold with
temperatures dropping below freezing point.
 *Temperature
Cold and Sunny type of Climate is experienced here
Temperature Variations
* Summer
During Day : 17 – 24 Degree C
During Night : 4 – 11 Degree c
* Winter
During Day : 7 – 9 Degree C
During Night : -14 – 0 Degree c
Relative Humidity – consistently low : 10-50%
Winds – occasionally Intense
Sky – fairly clear throughout the year
Cloud Cover – less than 50%
 *Design Criteria
* Resist Heat Loss
• Decrease exposed surface
area
• Increase thermal resistance
• Increase thermal capacity
• Increase buffer spaces
• Decrease air exchange rate
• Increase absorptivity
* Promote Heat gain
• Utilize heat from appliances
• Trapping heat
• Orientation and shape of
building
• Uses of trees as wind
barriers
• Roof insulation , wall
insulation and double
glazing
• Thicker walls
• Air locks/lobbies
• Weather strapping
 A trombe wall heats air
convectively as well as
heating the space
radiatively.

Vents can be shut at night to keep

the convection loop moving in the
right direction.
 * Planning of Ladakh

* In the dry climate of Ladakh, compacted earth walls are durable, and
the mud-plastered surface requires little maintenance as there is hardly
any rainfall.
* Mud walls are for houses and important buildings like monasteries.
* Roofs are generally flat and are constructed with earth supported on a
framework of timber beams.
* The typical house of Ladakh is two stories high .
* In this extremely cold climate, even cattle may not venture out in
winter, and they occupy the lower floor of the house.
* Sometimes there is an enclosed yard on the ground floor where cattle
can sun themselves.
Building Techniques in Cold Climates
* During winter, the family lives on the first floor and the kitchen is the
main living room of the house. This is also where the family sleeps.
* The window openings are limited to the sunny sides of the building, and
the sides exposed to cold winds have no openings at all.
* A large quantity of fuel wood is required for cooking and heating during
winter, and this is normally gathered during the warmer summer months
and stocked on the roof of the house.
* This layer of wood adds to the insulation value of the roof.
* During summer, the well-insulated and poorly ventilated house can
become uncomfortably warm, and the typical Ladakhi family shifts its
activities, including cooking and sleeping, to the roof.
* Typical House Structures in Leh Ladakh
 *Building Forms in Ladakh
1) BUDDHIST MONASTRIES
Usually built on top of hills or rocks.
*EARLY PERIOD MONASTRIES(7TH
TO 12TH AD)
• Monasteries during this period were built
on flat land away from settlements .
• Their planning was also based on the
traditional mandala system . The mandala
planning concept refers both to the site
planning and the interior layout,
particularly the arrangement of deities and
painted mandalas in the interiors. Eg : Alchi Choskhor
*LATER PERIOD MONASTERIES(12
CENTURY AND AD ONWARDS)
• Chinese and Mongolian army abruptly ended
the Kashmir Tibet coalition on the development
of art and architecture in the region .
• Drastic change occurred in the built forms .
• Instead of building them on flat piece of land ,
monasteries adopted hill tops as favourite sites
and promoted their fortified appearance thus
protecting them from any attack.
• The plinth is raised to a certain level , a foot or
two which is made of random rubble masonary
above which are placed one and a half to two
feet thick mud block walls.
Eg : themisgam gompa
2) LANDSCAPE
Religious elements like kagan chortens
,lhatos,chortens ,matrachakras ,mane
ringmos ,and riksum gombos occupy
strategic locations like periphery, hill top
or mountain pass.
• Chortens and ringmos mark the
entrance to a village .
• Mantrachakras are built at an important
street intersections .
• Most houses are framed by prayer flags
which mark Buddhist occupants .
• Entrance are marked with chortens
placed above the doorways to keep mane wall and chortens at
themisgam village
evil spirits at bay.
3) PALACE
• THE BASE IS made heavier with the
help of random rubble masonry which
is usually extended till one or two
floors and the actual house starts
above that level .
• The houses are made either of stone
or of mud . mud is used in form of
blocks or according to rammed art
techniques .

Palace in Ladakh
4)Forts
• most forts in the region are found on
the hill top . their strategic location
commands a panoramic view of the
valleys below which is very much
required for defence .
• One common feature associated with
all forts is the presence of watch
tower .

ruins of watch tower at themisgam ,

ladakh
5)VERNACULAR ARCHITETURE
* THE SETTLEMENT
It depends on the flat land available.
• Land is used both for agriculture and
dwelling units. thus the size of the village
depends upon the availability of flat land

town
5)The house
• The houses in ladakh are built in 2levels .
• The lower floor is reserved for animals
and storage of fodder and the upper level
is used as habitable spaces .
• The upper level has a single room and
there is an oven in the corner which is
multi purpose in function .
• All the houses have traditional black
bands at roof level and bordering the
window and the door openings and flags
fluttering above them .

typical ladakhi house

 *traditional roofing in ladakh
A traditional Ladakhi roof is made from
poplar beams and willow twigs covered
with straw, grass, mud and clay. Ladakhi
‘yagtses’ grass, a traditional stopgap
layer, can absorb water several times its
volume. The grass also serves to insulate
the roof. The final layer of soil on the
roof is applied wet, and its mix can
include straw, and even the dung of cows,
donkeys or horses to increase its
solidness as people often walk on the flat
roofs. They are used for gathering and for Flat Roofs
performing certain household chores.
 * BUILDING’S OPENING

*Small openings in low numbers are used to prevent the thermal exchange between
outside and inside of the building in these regions. If the windows are large, it’s
necessary to apply a shade.

*Theopenings used in the south side are larger and longer to take maximum
advantage of sunshine.

*Double walled windows are also proper to minimize the thermal exchange.

*Meanwhile, the rate of internal air exchange and natural ventilation should be
minimized as much as possible to prevent from breeze in the building and inner
heat exit to out.

*The dimensions of openings in this region are increased to make use of heat
energy of sunshine
 *Inferences
The city texture of the cold and mountainous region has been developed
in order to cope with extreme cold. Specifics of urban and rural texture in
this region are as follows:
* Small and enclosed areas
* Taking advantage of the sun and directions
* Narrow passages along the ground level
* Usage of timber and other insulating material while building.
* Building houses with a tapering roof so that the snow can slide down
* Houses should be constructed on the leeward side of the mountain so
that it experiences comparatively low rain/ snow fall.
* Trees should be planted along the house to provide Buffer from the cold
winds.
 *Srinagar
* Srinagar is the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and
Kashmir. It lies in the Kashmir Valley, on the banks of the Jhelum River,
a tributary of the Indus. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and
houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts
and dried fruits.
 *Climate
* Srinagar has a cold and dry climate, much cooler than what is found in much
of the rest of India, due to its moderately high elevation and northerly
position.
* The valley is surrounded by the Himalayas on all sides. Winters are cool,
with daytime a January average of 2.5 °C (36.5 °F), and temperatures below
freezing at night.
* Moderate to heavy snowfall occurs in winter and the only road that connects
Srinagar with the rest of India may get blocked for a few days due to
avalanches.
* Summers are warm with a July daytime average of 24.1 °C (75.4 °F).
* Spring is the wettest season while autumn is the driest.
* The highest temperature reliably recorded is 38.3 °C (100.9 °F) and the
lowest is −20.0 °C (−4.0 °F).
 * Rural architecture of Srinagar
* Rural buildings in Kashmir are generally made by the people for their own
use without the help of architects.
* The various forms of construction have evolved over time with the input
of each generation of artisans. Traditional rural buildings use locally
available materials and skills.
 *Aspects of Rural Architecture
Factors governing the popularity
of construction methods and
materials are
* economics in relation to people’s
spending capacity,
* easy maintenance by the
common person and
* effective response to local
natural conditions such as
extreme cold, strong winds or
Wood shingle roofing on timber placed on brick
high earthquake risk.
masonry and dhajji walls
*Urban architecture of Srinagar
* The main factor determining this architecture is the high density of
development.
* This calls for vertical growth, resulting into three to four-storey
structures.
* The two most common walling systems observed are
(i) Dhajji type, with timber frame and infill consisting of baked or
unbaked bricks
(ii) (ii) Taaq type, consisting of brick masonry interlaced with heavy
timber bands supported on large masonry piers made of baked
bricks
Four sided CGI roof on un-plastered
Taaq type construction
Dhajji walls

River front view House with timber balconies and two sided
pitched roof
 * Typical Kashmir House in Rural
Areas
* A typical rural Kashmiri house today is a large two storey structure with
walls that are not plastered from outside and a shining corrugated galvanized
iron roof that is pitched, with one or more projections.

typical house with random rubble

wall & CGI roof
Plans of a typical house in srinagar
 * DESIGN CRITERIA

*Using common walls as much as possible and creating a

heaped and compacted texture in complexes;
*Preparing compressed and compact planes;
*Forming the building to create shade in summer and receive
proper heat in winter.
*Placing heat generating spaces like kitchen in the centre of
building plane.
*Using appropriate heat insulator in outer walls and especially in
roof.
*Using stony bed below the rooms to reserve extra heat in floor
and release this saved heat in night or cold times
 *Objectives
The main objectives of building design in Srinagar are

• Resisting heat loss

1. Decrease the exposed surface area of the building.
2. Use material that heat up fast but release heat slowly.
3. Provide buffer spaces between the living area and the outside.
4. Decrease the rate of ventilation inside the building.
• Heat gain can be promoted by
1. Avoiding excessive shading.
2. Utilizing the heat from appliances.
3. Trapping the heat from the sun.
 * ORIENTATION

In this type of region the residential areas are usually established in

the middle of high slopes, towards the south . This is done for the
following reasons:

* To enhance the heat capacity of northern walls and increase

the interior volume in relation to exterior surface.
* The northern front of the mountain is usually under shadow
and is cold, while the cities should be built toward the valley
and in the sun to make the maximum use of sunshine
 *BUILDING’S MATERIALS

* The materials used in traditional buildings in cold

and mountainous regions are from the available
materials there.

* These materials should have a good thermal Thatch roofing on timber and
capacity and resistance to keep the building warm burnt brick masonry wall
in its inner area. So the body of these buildings is
from stone (or wood, cob mortar, adobe and
bricks) and the roofing is from timber and cob.

* Stone and heavy resistant materials are used for

building foundation, and in some parts, the heavy
materials are used for base course to prevent
moisture. However, the buildings of these regions CGI sheet roofing on timber and
are generally built on the ground. stone masonry wall