Presentation on ICH, trivandrum by Laurie Baker. It talks about vernacular architecture used.

1. Indian Coffee House
Trivandrum, Kerala
Laurie Baker

2. One of the prominent landmarks in the Thampanoor area of Trivandrum, where both the railway
station as well as the bus terminal are located, is the Indian Coffee House designed by Laurie Baker.

3. Laurie Baker Architectural
Style
• Followed NEO VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE style. Neo-Vernacular
Architecture that drew on brick, tile, and other traditional materials and
even on vernacular forms in a general reaction against International
Modernism in the 1960s and 1970s.
• Brick jaali walls, perforated brick screen which utilises natural air
movement to cool the interior and create patterns with light and
shadow.
• Avoided energy intensive materials.
• Curved walls to enclose more volume at lower material cost than
straight walls.
• Designs incorporated the existing trees and vegetations and make
them the part of it.
• His main construction material is BRICKS.

4. About
 The form of the building is unconventional &
bears Baker’s trademark jaalis to let in light &
ventilation.
 The building is well proportioned, a cylindrical
brick-red spiral continuing for a couple of floors
and then terminating in a smaller cylindrical
volume on top, giving a very unsymmetrical
balance to the whole structure.

6. About
 The entire building is conceived as a continuous
spiral ramp, with a central circular service core
and with dining spaces provided on the outer
side.
 The table and the seats are built-in.
 Around the circular core are the service areas,
especially the toilets
 The kitchen is placed on the ground floor and has
a separate service entrance

7. Features
 BRICK-
• Locally available material in, and around
Trivandrum
• Ability to absorb and release moisture,
resulting in regulated temperature and
humidity inside.
• Excellent compressive strength
• Fire resistant and sound insulation
 JAALI-
• It is a better substitute for a glass window
• Lets in general subdued light
• Provides ventilation and prevent entry of
rain
• It saves materials resulting in less cost and
speedy construction.

8. Stack Effect
 There is a circular
service core in the
centre, which consists of
2 concentric circles. The
inner smaller circular
core is a narrow vertical
shaft open on the top,
with openings at
different levels.
 This shaft provides
ventilation to the central
areas and works on the
principle of Stack effect,
a very simple but
effective solution that is
so typical of Baker.

9. Stack Effect
 Since buildings are not totally sealed, the
stack effect will cause air infiltration.
 During the heating season, the warmer
indoor air rises up through the building
and escapes at the top either through
open windows, ventilation openings, or
unintentional holes in ceilings, like ceiling
fans and recessed lights.
 The rising warm air reduces
the pressure in the base of the building,
drawing cold air in through either open
doors, windows, or other openings and
leakage.
 During the cooling season, the stack
effect is reversed, but is typically weaker
due to lower temperature differences.

10. Construction Technique
 Rat trap bond is used as the construction in this
building.
 RAT TRAP- is a cavity wall construction with
added advantage of thermal comfort.
 It is an alternative to normal English bond
masonary walls by which 15% of cost can be
reduced without compromising the quality,
appearance and strength.

11. THANK YOU