VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE 1

UNIT I INTRODUCTION
Definition and classification of Vernacular architecture – Vernacular architecture as a process – Survey and
study of vernacular architecture: methodology- Cultural and contextual responsiveness of vernacular
architecture: an overview

INTRODUCTION
In the context of the world, it was only in the 1960’s that the modern movement was creating an
environment which was sterile.
• The modern movement was calling ornamentation as a crime – minimalism.
• However in 1960, Bernard came about with an exhibition of his study titled “Architecture without
Architects”.
• Another important person was Amos Rapport who published a book called, “House, Form and
Culture”.
• This gave rise to the new term “Vernacular Architecture”.
• It was in 1960’s that people realized that vernacular environments were more live able.

• Vernacular Architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally
available resources to address local needs.
• Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical
context in which it exists.
• It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has proponents who highlight its
importance in current design.
• Vernacular architecture can perhaps be defined as architecture born out of local building materials
and technologies, an architecture that is climate-responsive and a reflection of the customs and
lifestyles of a community.
• Vernacular does not aim at good aesthetics, it aims at comfort and in its use of natural materials to
achieve that comfort, it comes about to be also an aesthetically sound architecture.

DEFINITIONS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

 Vernacular refers to language use particular to a time, place or group. In architecture, it refers
to that type of architecture which is indigenous to a specific time or place (not imported or
copied from elsewhere).
 It is most often applied to residential buildings. – Paul Oliver - ( Author of Encyclopedia of World
Architecture)
 Paul Oliver also offers the following simple definition of vernacular architecture – “the
architecture of the people, and by the people, for the people”.
 F.L Wright described vernacular architecture as: Folk building growing in response to actual
needs, fitted into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native
feeling.

Broadly defined Vernacular Architecture is an area of architectural theory that studies the structure made by
emprical builders without the intervention of professional architects. There exists many areas of non-
professional architectural practice, from primitive shelter in distant communities to urban adaptations of
building types that are imported from one country to another.

Because of this Vernacular architecture is a very open, comprehensive concept. It is in fact used as a shortcut
and a synonmous for several different practices, and theoretical stands in those practices. These include
primitive or aboriginal architecture, indeginous architecture, ancestral or traditional architecture, folk,
popular, or rural architecture, ethnic architecture or ethno-architecture, informal architecture, the so-called
“anonymous architecture” or “architecture without architects”, and even “non-pedigree” architecure.
(Arboloda, 2006)

“Vernacular Architecture comprises the dwellings and other buildings of the people. related to their
environmental contexts and available resources , they are customarily owner or community built, utilizing

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traditional technologies All forms of Vernacular Architecture are built to meet specific needs,
accommodating the values , economies and ways of living of the cultures that produce them.” (Paul, 1997)

The Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World defines it as dwellings and all other buildings
related to their environmental contexts and available resources, which are customarily owned or community-
built, utilizing traditional technologies. All forms of vernacular architecture are built to meet specific needs,
accommodating the values, economies and ways of life of the cultures that produce them. (i-express
India.com, 2008)

In simple terms, vernacular architecture is architecture of a particular place, a particular set of people and a
particular community.

 Create a place to live

 Interact with environment

ORIGIN OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

• Building first evolved out of the dynamics between needs (shelter, security, worship, etc.)
and means (available building materials and attendant skills).
• As human cultures developed and knowledge began to be formalized through oral
traditions and practices, building became a craft, and "architecture" is the name given to
the most highly formalized and respected versions of that craft.
• It is widely assumed that architectural success was the product of a process of trial and
error, with progressively less trial and more replication as the results of the process proved
increasingly satisfactory.

OBJECTIVES TO THE STUDY OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

• To appreciate how design with climate is effectively conducted in vernacular architecture.

• The study of these houses provides useful insights for designing energy efficient houses that provide
thermally comfortable conditions.
• To achieve the source of information and inspiration from the vernacular architecture for future built
environment.
• To study on the importance of vernacular architecture studies now and throughout the twenty-first
century, not as a study of past traditions, but as a contribution to new methods, solutions and
achievements for the future built environment’.
• To identify the way in which vernacular architecture can contribute to the future of the built
environment, through education, as a model for sustainable design
• This subject intends to seek ways to document the traditional vernacular principles to promote a
sustainable community.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

• Planning aspects
• Spatial organization
• Materials
• Orientation
• Treatment
• Colors
• Adaptability, Functionality, Aesthetic Quality, Climatic control
• Theories and principles of vernacular architecture
• Influence of climate
• Geographical features
• Vernacular architecture in different regions
• Vernacular style

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• Evolution of form
• Construction materials
• Techniques of regional architecture.

NEED FOR THE STUDY

• The vernacular architecture of the past was based on certain principles of design.
• It is based on knowledge of traditional practices and techniques.
• It is usually self-built.
• It reveals a high regard for craftsmanship and quality.
• It is easy to learn and understand
• They are made of predominantly local materials.
• They are ecologically apt, that is why they fit in well with local climate, flora, fauna and ways of life.
• The purpose of the study is to discover potential strategies for contemporary buildings that passively
promote thermal comfort in these buildings, thereby reducing the need for external energy inputs and
increasing the quality of life for occupants.
• Most of the buildings which is constructed today had not taken in to account of the green concepts
used in traditional buildings.
• There is a need for studying the green concepts used in vernacular buildings and adopting the same
in our design.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE – CLASSIFICATION

 Domestic
 Agricultural
 Industrial

• DOMESTIC:
Residential – living, dining, cooking, and sleeping spaces.
• AGRICULTURAL:
These relate to poultry sheds, cattle sheds, barns etc.
• INDUSTRIAL:
These are the local kilns, pottery spaces and weaver’s spaces. Usually the industry is a part of the
residence and occupies the prime area. Eg. The weavers wove occupies the main space in the house.

Classification of Vernacular Architecture

Indian vernacular architecture can be classified into three broad categories despite its rich diversity.
Kachcha
Pukka
Semi-pukka
The classification is based on the building materials used for construction and the stability of the structure.

KACHCHA: In Kachcha houses, the natural materials such as mud, grass, bamboo, thatch or sticks are used
for construction. As the name suggests, Kachcha means non-permanent. Because of the use of these natural
materials, it requires constant maintenance and replacement. The only advantage of Kachcha houses is that
the construction materials are cheap and available in abundance as well as it does not require skilled labour.

PUKKA: Pukka houses are constructed from materials that are resistant to wear and tear because of the natural
conditions of the environment. The materials used for construction are stone or brick, clay tiles, metal or other
durable materials. Mortar is used as the binding material. A pukka may be elaborated in contrast to a
kachcha. These structures are expensive to construct and also require skilled labour.

SEMI PUKKA: The third category of the classification is the semi-pukka house which is the combination of the
kachcha and pukka style. It evolved when the villagers started acquiring the resources to add elements

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constructed of the durable materials giving it a characteristic feature of a pukka house. In short, addition of
pukka materials elements to a kachcha house can be termed as semi-pukka house.

VERNACULAR BUILDING MATERIALS

Vernacular style differs from place to place and depends on the locally available materials and low cost
intensive construction techniques. The architecture entirely depends upon the location and the type of
building material available for construction.

Hilly Areas: Rocky rubble, ashlar and pieces of stones are available in hilly country. These materials are used
along with mud mortar to form walls and finer stonework veneer is used to cover the external facade of the
structure adding more stability to the structure. Wood beams and rafters are subject to availability. They are
used along with slate tiles for roofing purposes. A typical house in hilly areas consists of two stories with livestock
on the ground floor with a verandah running along the side of the house. Pitched roof is used for construction
in order to deal with the bad monsoons and care is taken to cope with floods by raising the house with the
help of raised plinths and bamboo poles.

Flat Lands: On flat lands, the houses are generally made of mud or sun-baked bricks and then plastered inside
out. Sometimes, the mud is mixed with hay or cow dung and whitewashed with lime. In north and north
eastern states of India, bamboo is readily available. Bamboo is used for the construction of all parts of the
home as it is flexible and resilient. Another material which is widely used is thatch from plants such as elephant
grass, paddy and coconut. In the southern states of India, the use of clay tiles is used for pukka roofing while
coconut palm is commonly used in kachcha houses.

Example:
A village in Andhra Pradesh, Pochampally
Pochampally is a village situated in Nalgonda district in Andhra Pradesh in the southern India. It is popular for
handicrafts and silk sarees and 70% of the population in Pochampalli are weavers. Their occupation and
lifestyles dictates the designing of the houses in the village. There is segregation in the planning for
accommodating the looms and the living area. There is a certain depth in the floor where the loom is kept to
accommodate the pedals of the loom. The windows are very small and the skylight serves as major source of
light and ventilation. “Sloping roofs” is a chief characteristic of the houses in Pochampally. For roof
construction, a framework of wooden members is built followed by thick layer of mud mortar and roofing tiles.
Roofing tiles are terracotta tiles or Penkulu or Kummarlu (locally made and hence widely available). Many
modern architects have studied vernacular buildings and claimed to draw inspiration from them. As yet there
is no clearly defined and specialized discipline for the study of dwellings or the larger compass of vernacular
architecture. If such a discipline were to emerge, it would probably be one that combines some of the
elements of both architecture and anthropology with aspects of history and geography.

FACTORS DETERMINING THE CHARACTER OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

Vernacular architecture is influenced by a great range of different aspects of human behavior and
environment, leading to differing building forms for almost every different context
Climate
Religion
Community
Geographical
Socio economic considerations
Culture
Local environment and materials
Construction techniques

CLIMATE
• One of the most significant influences on vernacular architecture is the macro climate of the area in
which the building is constructed.
• Buildings in cold climates invariably have high thermal mass or significant amounts of insulation.
• They are usually sealed in order to prevent heat loss, and openings such as windows tend to be small
or non-existent.

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• Buildings in warm climates, by contrast, tend to be constructed of lighter materials and to allow
significant cross-ventilation through openings in the fabric of the building.
• Buildings for a continental climate must be able to cope with significant variations in temperature, and
may even be altered by their occupants according to the seasons.
• Buildings take different forms depending on precipitation levels in the region - leading to dwellings on
stilts in many regions with frequent flooding or rainy monsoon seasons.
• Flat roofs are rare in areas with high levels of precipitation.
• Similarly, areas with high winds will lead to specialized buildings able to cope with them, and buildings
will be oriented to present minimal area to the direction of prevailing winds.
• Climatic influences on vernacular architecture are substantial and can be extremely complex.
• Mediterranean vernacular, and that of much of the Middle East, often includes a courtyard with a
fountain or pond; air cooled by water mist and evaporation is drawn through the building by the
natural ventilation set up by the building form.
• Similarly, Northern African vernacular often has very high thermal mass and small windows to keep
the occupants cool, and in many cases also includes chimneys, not for fires but to draw air through
the internal spaces.
• Such specializations are not designed, but learnt by trial and error over generations of building
construction, often existing long before the scientific theories which explain why they work.

CULTURE
• The way of life of building occupants, and the way they use their shelters, is of great influence on
building forms.
• The size of family units, who shares which spaces, how food is prepared and eaten, how people
interact and many other cultural considerations will affect the layout and size of dwellings.
• For example, the family units of several East African tribes live in family compounds, surrounded by
marked boundaries, in which separate single-roomed dwellings are built to house different members
of the family.
• In polygamous tribes there may be separate dwellings for different families, and more again for sons
who are too old to share space with the women of the family.
• Social interaction within the family is governed by, and privacy is provided by, the separation between
the structures in which family members live.
• By contrast, in Western Europe, such separation is accomplished inside one dwelling, by dividing the
building into separate rooms.
• Culture also has a great influence on the appearance of vernacular buildings, as occupants often
decorate buildings in accordance with local customs and beliefs.

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE HAS TWO GENERATIVE FORCES

 Culture
 Context
Culture:
Refers to a way of life, traditions, folklore, superstitions, habits, etc.
Context:
Physical constraints and potentials of a particular place (environment).

 In spite of various political disturbances vernacular or regional architecture has survived due to its
capability to adapt itself to changes.
 Vernacular architecture is a constant negotiation between different polarities, MAN ↔ NATURE. Man
had to negotiate between what is sacred and what is profane.
 Between the INDIVIDUAL ↔ COLLECTIVE and between PRIVATE ↔ PUBLIC.

INDIAN ARCHITECTURE IN THE LAST 4 DECADES

50’s and 60’s – Modern movement and internationalism.
Early 70’s – traditional and vernacular architecture studies.
2 Significant developments in the last decade
• Scope of historic conservation has widened.

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• Search for meaning in architecture: to locate Indianness.

INDIAN ARCHITECTURE – 2 Streams of development

Religious and royal architecture Secular, regional and vernacular

Classical, formal and traditional Informal, organic and spontaneous

1. Another style called High Style Vernacular which is between classical and vernacular.
a. Eg. Chettinad houses, Haveli’s of Rajasthan palaces.

2. Many construction techniques of such buildings are borrowed from classical style. In the context of
vernacular architecture, cultural constraints and attitudes towards privacy pushed architecture
inwards whereas climatic factors brought people into the open.
a. Eg. Thinnai, is an open arena, courtyard is a result of climatic factor ↔ provides the women
with indoor private space.

3. The result is a variety of spatial situations in and around buildings for ‘outdoor activity’ subject to
climatic conditions: Courtyards, balconies, platforms and terraces.
a. Eg. Balconies in Rajasthan, Kashmir.

4. While enclosed spaces (rooms) remained ordinary, courtyards, thresholds received greater attention.
5. Temple building started only in the 9th century, thus people had a lot of time to create interesting
environments for them to live in. The facade was well decorated whereas the internal spaces
remained austere and plain.
6. A greater sense of belonging or ‘place’ has generated elements of social and symbolic values with a
definite background a purpose. For instance, even a structural member is shown in its natural form. If
any embellishment was added, then there was a strong reason behind it.
7. House is a spiritual entity – representation of the cosmic or divine mode.
8. Ornamentation only embellished and does not conceal structure.
9. There were no specific functions assigned to each of the rooms. Most spaces were multifunctional.
10. Physical as well as cultural forces are the determinants of form. Physical and socio cultural forces have
shaped a habitat.
11. The simplest of forms based on pure geometric forms have been made beautiful by a desire to adorn
and embellish.

According to Amos Rapport.

“Physical forces are only modifiers of form and the choice of shelter really depends on socio cultural factors”.
For eg. In desert climate (hot dry) sand and sand dunes are the terrain (physical force). But the manifestation
of architecture is not the same in all desert regions. Thus though the desert climates are similar, the
manifestation of architecture depends on cultural and social factors.

Conception of space begins with a single cell shelter.

2 Configuration
• Multiplication of single cell.
• Division of a single layer cell into a number of smaller spaces.
Examples:-

 Banni house, Kutch

 Toda house, Nilgiris

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 Panian house, Nilgiris

 Gujar house, Kashmir.

BANNI HOUSE, KUTCH

THE SINGLE CELL – MULTIPLIED
BANNI HOUSE, Kutch.
This is a single cell and its multiplication. These cells are connected by a platform. The kitchen and bathing
space are additional cells separated from the main cell.

PANIAN HOUSE, Nilgiris –

Panians are agricultural labourers. Panians have houses in valley. Single
cell divided. These houses have only one entry irrespective of the number
of divisions. The platform defines the space ↔ front platform used for
sitting down whereas back platform is for tying cattle etc. The definition
of space is as far as the roof extends.

GUJAR HOUSE, Kashmir

Gujars live by looking after their stock, buffalo, sheep and goats.
Single cell divided. This is a subterranean house (rock excavated). Due to central cooking place the warmth
is equally distributed.

GUJAR HOUSE, KASHMIR

(NOTE: INCLUDE SKETCHES IN ANSWERS WHEREVER NECESSARY)

UNIT I – INTRODUCTION