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EXTINCTION OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE WITH MODERNIZATION- In

terms of generating ethics of local architecture

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 EXTINCTION OF VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE WITH MODERNIZATION-
In terms of generating ethics of local
architecture
Aftab Alam1, Sara Tamkeen 2 and Mahrosh Fatma 3

Research Scholar, [email protected]

M.ARCH Healthcare JMI, [email protected]
M.ARCH Healthcare JMI, [email protected]

Abstract
Vernacular architecture is an indigenous identity of structures made up of local materials and creates a reflection of a nation
depicting its geography, topography, climate, local building materials, techniques, etc. Vernacular architecture positively
impacts communities worldwide; It creates a sense of belonging between the built environment, cultural identity, and
historical context in which it exists. An indispensable element of sustainable design that has to unroll with time and created
an ideal relationship between people and their place. But due to rapid modernization and radical changes in socio, economic
and cultural phenomena, vernacular architecture was exposed to extensive destruction and deterioration. The urban
expansions have transformed many suburban regions into metropolitan areas and changed the local lifestyle into a modern
one. Similar to the case with many of our traditional crafts, we are facing the risk of extinction of skills for buildings. One can
find the solution to this style by incorporating ethics of local architecture; which deals with architecture styles balancing
between state of art and existing facility. All these factors and radical changes have led to mislay the identity of vernacular.
This paper not only aims at exploring the central identity of vernacular architecture and how this vernacular architecture has
deteriorated due to rapid advancement and modernization but also presents some of the vernacular building styles which
create ethics of local architecture. Further, the reason to do this research includes major issues to deal with; like change in
the social fabric, Rapid change through migration of people from rural to urban areas, lifestyle and food culture influenced,
the psychological impact of modernization on people, and deterioration of social gathering spaces. The research
methodology is based on conducting a qualitative analysis of literature review to the main concepts discussed in this chapter
such as identity, culture, vernacular architecture, and its ethics.

Keywords: Architect role, Vernacular Architecture, Sustainability, Modernization Impact, Professional Ethics.

1. INTRODUCTION

Human civilization has evolved with time keeping its prolongation through amalgamation
with the surrounding environment and is dependent on the conservation of nature.
Vernacular architecture is basically the architecture of people. It is built keeping in mind
need of people, built in relation with surrounding environment (site, climate topography,
geography, local material, labour & techniques). Vernacular architecture is a style which
fulfil all the needs of local people by means of construction materials, nature, showing their
culture and tradition, environment, history, economy and need of local people. Another
reason due to which this style is significant to frame and design architecture of society is
they use local material, construction techniques and designing. This style of architecture
is designed for local people by using local material, particularly constructed by local
workers in which professional architects are not involved. It is a type of Structures designed
for need of people and not intentionally planned. According to famous architect “Frank
Lloyd” vernacular architecture is a “folk building growing in response to actual needs, fitted

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into environment by people who knew no better than to fit them with native feeling”. Many
architects are still learning details about vernacular architecture since 1970s, as well this
style of design is playing significant role. Famous architect like Charles correa, B.V Doshi
and Lauri Baker all of them were involved in vernacular architecture during modern era.

1.1 Vernacular architecture: Identity, people, place, culture, society.

Vernacular architecture is basically a sign of identity, it gives us glimpse of culture, place,

society of a particular region. Architecture has evolved by people with time from pre historic
age till contemporary age, it has developed through trial-and-error method to fulfil need of
society keeping a balance with surrounding environment. Vernacular architecture is totally
depended on local materials and techniques which led to preserve resources and create
a sense of distinctive identity to each region. Talking about vernacular architecture of our
country it has broadly divided into three classes that is kuccha, pukka, semi pukka.
Vernacular architecture mainly depends on availability of materials and location.
A kuccha is a typology of building made of naturally occurring material such
as mud plaster, bamboo, thatch and wood and it is a short-lived structure. A pukka is a
building typology made from materials stone, brick, clay tiles, metal or other durable
materials, sometimes use mortar to bind them. Semi pukka is amalgamation of kuccha
and pukka.

FIGURE 1 FIGURE2
KUCCHA HOUSE SEMI PUKKA HOUSE

FIGURE 3
PUKKA HOUSE
1.2 Planning of Indian vernacular architecture

Indian vernacular planning Designing involves built environment by using vernacular

materials, construction techniques and informal design. This style of architecture fulfils the
requirements of local people, not only planned by using local material but also fulfil the
necessities of neighbour culture and society. India is a country which has most diverse

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vernacular architecture style which depicts our nation culture, language, multiple races
and religion. Shape of building generally of three types this influence the planning and
designing of vernacular structures.

FIGURE 4
INDIAN DIVERSE VERACULAR ARCHITECTURE

FIGURE 5 FIGURE 6
NEOLITHIC HUT VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF SOUTH

FIGURE 7 FIGURE 8
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF BENGAL CHANG HOUSE ASSAM VERNACULAR STYLE

Building plan shapes:

Rectangular plan:

FIGURE 9
RECTANGULAR PLAN

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Circular plan
Circular plan is most preferred in case of earthquake resistance, for example the Bonga
Houses.

FIGURE 10 FIGURE 11
TYPICAL CIRCULAR PLAN FOR VERNACULAR BHONGA HOUSE GUJARAT VERNACULAR STYLE
BHONGA HOUSE

Linear plan

FIGURE 12
LINEAR PLAN

1.3 Type of materials used for construction in vernacular architecture

Vernacular Architecture is all about using locally available materials for construction. The
most common materials used are
 Timber
 Adobe
 Stone
 Clay
 Rammed earth

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  Fly-Ash-Sand-Lime-Gypsum Bricks
 Compressed Earth Blocks
 Clay Fly-ash Burnt bricks

1.4 Sustainable &vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture has the essence of sustainability to be in connection to more

environment friendly buildings. Elements of sustainable design are vital to vernacular
architecture that have evolved over time using local materials and technology emerging
from ambient natural and cultural environment creating prime relationships between
people and their place. Building should be more responsive to the climate, natural setting,
and locally available materials, from prehistoric period people have lived in coherence with
nature. They constructed building with themselves using locally available material and
sustain their lifestyle in accordance with readily available material. Nowadays the
strategies of sustainable construction are originated from aspects and characteristics of
vernacular architecture. Traditional architecture was more sustainable compared to
architecture practice nowadays in the way it employs vernacular materials and renewable
energy to environmentally protect the building inhabitant from climatic changes and to
reduce their dependence on other energy resources. Traditional buildings met the social,
environmental, and functional needs of occupants like courtyard, chaupal (a place for
social gathering) etc. India is a country with varied climatic and socio-cultural conditions.
Each region has its own unique identity with climate responsive building design in the form
of vernacular architecture.
India has been divided into five major climatic zones:
1. Hot and dry,
2. Warm and humid,
3. Temperate,
4. Cold and
5. Composite.

1.5 Globalization & vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture, construction techniques and skills are acquired by people from
various communities and backgrounds from their forefathers through ages. But with
emergence of modernism these techniques and local crafts are fading away as demand
for them is declining day by day. People living in villages are also adapting modern
materials and techniques. with time more and more construction in villages is taking place
and people are adapting R.C.C cement, steel. The traditional polished art of construction
is declining day by day. Many native building approaches are losing their significance and
are being promptly substituted. Due to rapid modernization and radical changes in socio,
economic and cultural phenomena, vernacular architecture was exposed to extensive
destruction and deterioration. The urban expansions have transformed many suburban
regions into metropolitan areas and changed the local lifestyle into modern one.
Globalization basically introduces new knowledge in the local context and tends to modify
the features of vernacular architecture. It also creates new opportunities but promotes
migration from rural areas to the urban areas. Thus, it seems that the culture and tradition
of one place gradually dilutes and fades away.

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2. CASE STUDY OF MASOOMPUR VILLAGE, BALLIA, DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH

The Masoompur is one of the Village in Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh State. Masoompur is
35km towards North from District headquarters Ballia. Planning aspect of the masoompur
village has developed in the form of concentric rings with people living in centre, nucleus
or heart of the villages.

2.1 Housing plan typology -Building style

Many houses made up of mud and brick houses having pitch roof of grass supported by
bamboo, G.I. sheets, tiles (locally known as khapda) and concrete roof but know R.C.C
structure spreading very rapidly in the village culture. RCC structure is replacing mud
architecture. The main reason behind this is yojanas provided by the governments due to
this villager get benefitted.

FIGURE 13
HOUSING TYPOLOGY

FIGURE 14 FIGURE 15
PLANNING OF GROUND FLOOR PLANNING OF FIRST FLOOR

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 FIGURE 16
DETAIL OF ROOF

FIGURE 17
PLAN OF CHAPPAR

FIGURE 18
SECTION OF WALL

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2.2 Spaces within the house:

Veranda:
An open-walled, roofed porch attached to the exterior of a domestic structure and usually
surrounded by a railing. Three sides of the building are closed and one side is open and
approachable from the court yard all doors of the rooms open in veranda.

FIGURE 19 FIGURE 20
VERANDA USE AS A FUNCTION ELEMENT NOW VERANDA TURNS INTO SHOP

Kothari:
It is usually attached with a room with no ventilation and these rooms are used for storage
purpose called Kothari.
Angan:
It is simply the central court yard around which the rooms are arranged it is a semi-private
space in the house, mainly women use that place for cooking, washing, preparation area,
bathing, and for many purposes etc.

2.3 Materials used in construction:

Grass
Timber.
Tali (made up of clay mud)
Khapda (made up of clay mud)
Bricks and etc.

2.4 Transformation:
Transformation is happening in housing pattern; mud houses are getting replaced by
R.C.C structure. Kaccha houses are being transformed into pucca house. The main
reason behind transformation is technology, opportunities, yojanas and awareness among
the people about living standards.

2.5 Findings:
People are coming to the cities packing their belongings, moving, starting, in the most
massive moment of the people the world has ever seen. People for many reasons- to find
employment, or to escape calamities like floods, famine and drought. Rural poverty is the
most fundamental reason for the great migration to the city. This led to decrease in
vernacular architecture and adopting modern techniques.

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 3. THE HAMLET HOME OF LAURIE BAKER – CASE STUDY

This is Baker's home in Trivandrum. A remarkable and unique house built on five levels
on a plot of land along the slope of a rocky hill, with limited access to water: conditions
most people would never dream of building anything much less their homes under.
However, Baker has created a wonderful home for his family. First built is a single room
hut of timber. It housed the library of medical books and also bedroom, living room, drawing
room and study. Even the site was highly contoured and rocky, but Baker did not disturb
even a single rock or a tree, so it is popularly named “right in the rocks.” A house was built
on the lower contour for the 4 nieces who moved to Trivandrum. One more house was
built for his son Tilak facing the trees.

FIGURE 21
FIGURE 22
BAKER’S HOME
INNER COURTYARD CLOSE TO NATURE

FIGURE 23
ROOM PLAN AND ELEVATION

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 FIGURE 24
PLAN & SECTION

3.1 Material used

 Red bricks
 Terracotta tiles
 Stone,
 Wood and
 Fish tiles

FIGURE 25 FIGURE 26
KITCHEN AREA USE OF NATURAL LIGHT IN THE
STRUCTURES

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3.2 Design features

The house has a rustic elevation, actively blending with nature. There is a careful
orchestration of contrast like concealing and revealing, dark and light and of opening to
the landscape at the end of a narrow passage which helps to enrich the feeling of
movement through the building and provide an architectural complexity to an otherwise
simple site. The heavily shaded areas have surfaced in stone and lead across changing
levels to doorways mysteriously hidden behind curved walls. Grant entrance having a dog
house just above it. The large Kerala style window at the end of the bedroom provides
both light and a good view.

4. ARCHITECT ROLE
The architects are acknowledged especially for urban planning. According to smart cities
mission Indian government major aim was to develop 100 sustainable cities throughout
the country, in which architect involvement was very inadequate to turn their voices into
conversation.

4.1 Changes in social and cultural fabric

Architect not need to look just building but cities too. Major cities in India are facing lot of
issues like infrastructure, sanitation, and basic planning, though in these issues an
architect involvement is required but they gain negligible attention. “Considering how
architecture can affect the socio-cultural imprint of a city, the social responsibility of an
architect is being profoundly displayed by a handful of architects in the country such
as Brinda Somaya, Pratima Joshi, PK Das and Abha Narain Lambah” (Apurva, 2018)”.
The architects are now working on community architecture as well trying to preserve Indian
heritage socio culture fabric. Now from all over country they are connecting through social
movements and focusing on people need instead of what they are being offered.

FIGURE 27
WALL HOUSE BY ANUPAMA KUNDOO ARCHITECTS SOURCE: RESEARCH PAPER (APURVA, 2018)

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4.2 The shift in design sensibilities- optimising usage of glass, steel and aluminium

In India housing demand has increased due to growing population and economy, hence
extending architectural work and creating opportunities throughout the country. This is the
main reason foreign countries are attracted towards developing architectural firms in India.
Therefore, resulted in form of infrastructure shortage as well created burden over cities,
turned out as new opportunities to design and bring some change throughout the country.
All foreign graduate architects returning to practice architecture field in India, has led to
grown the rate of Indian architects and are helpful in shaping the country toward
development. Western world had a great influence on Indian art and architecture by
implementation of glass over the building, more over when we are moving toward
vernacular style and sustainable design the use of glass material seems out of context. As
country is moving toward globalization the architects are influenced most. They are seeing
exploration at the same time realised the need of using localize materials and techniques.
“Glass, steel and aluminium might remain as ‘fashionable’ materials, but there has been a
shift in sensibilities with the revival of Indian crafts” (Apurva 2018). this is when the role of
vernacular and sustainable architecture begins by using natural and local building
materials like mud, brick, bamboo, clay, wood, stone, etc. By incorporating these materials,
we will be able to relate building to surrounding nature, moving towards sustainability.

FIGURE 28
SHADOW HOUSE BY SAMIRA RATHOD DESIGN ASSOCIATES SOURCE: RESEARCH PAPER
(DUTTA 2018)

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Showing Indian culture by incorporating vernacular architecture, sustainability, creating
architecture by reflecting nature. Many of the famous architects like BV Doshi, Charles
Correa, Laurie Baker, Raj Rewal , Shiv Datt Sharma, their work represented India overall
the worldwide. Young architects such as Sanjay Puri Architects, Morphogenesis and
Mathew & Ghosh Architects late Revathi Kamath, Neelam Manjunath and many more.
Have Change the perspective of society by placing traditional culture and context in a
design, making it more resourceful and meaningful architecture. Through all these major
change in thought process of Indian society the architects are now able to win many
competitions and able take it toward evolution.

FIGURE 29
THE INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED LEARNING BY MORPHOGENESIS.
SOURCE: RESEARCH PAPER DUTTA (2018)

Involvement of these emerging technologies in contemporary world has evolved Indian

culture to next level. Now the architects are more focused toward sustainable design to
incorporate in a building.

FIGURE 30
BAMBOO SYMPHONY BY MANASARAM ARCHITECTS.

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 5. NEED OF THE PROFESSION
Globally the world is moving toward modernization, this what leading to dissipate the
importance of local culture, tradition, and identity. For transforming the lifestyles architect
profession need to contemplate their importance. In India the profession’s despondence
has to a lot in term of architecture education, and been declined throughout time. Well in
term of academic system it is doing well. Smaller firms and organisation have taken the
responsibility to organise small events and programme to train architecture students. As
the country is burgeoning toward setting up of architecture schools.
In Indian context architecture profession should not limited but should be vitalized to
transform the shape of cities. There are limited people left with the thought to bring some
changes in architecture society, here the Indian media should play vital role to promote
the existence and importance of architecture community and make our society to realise
that through designing and planning we can transform the country.

6. ETHICS OF VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

In a modernized world the architecture importance of local community, socio-culture,
construction techniques, and local materials are the basic ethics of vernacular architecture,
we may result in ethical failure if not incorporate these in architectural style. The
importance of vernacular architecture seen to be ethically wrong in comparison to
modernity. Our aim should not to design any structure with modernity but also place
existence of vernacular architecture behind the lens. By embracing these techniques, we
may achieve the advance level of ethical ideal. These important ethical values were
followed by famous architects like BV Doshi, Charles Correa, Laurie Baker, Raj Rewal,
Shiv Datt Sharma in modern world. And now the Young architects such as Sanjay Puri
Architects, Morphogenesis and Mathew & Ghosh Architects, Manasaram architect are
trying integrate vernacular and sustainable architecture behind the lens of modernity.
7.CONCLUSION
In Indian context architecture profession should not limited but should be vitalized to
transform the shape of cities. In a modernized world the architecture importance of local
community, socio-culture, construction techniques, and local materials are the basic ethics
of vernacular architecture. Involvement of these emerging technologies in contemporary
world has evolved Indian culture to next level. Western world had a great influence on
Indian art and architecture by implementation of glass over the building, more over when
we are moving toward vernacular style and sustainable design the use of glass material
seems out of context. As country is moving toward globalization the architects are
influenced most. They are seeing exploration at the same time realised the need of using
localize materials and techniques. Now the architects are more focused toward
sustainable design to incorporate in a building. Architects’ role should not be to design any
structure but also emphasise on vernacular architecture and promote local culture
techniques and artisans. By embracing these techniques as an architect, we will achieve
the advance level of ethical ideal.

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