This presentation is a brief introduction about the cultural factors that affected the overall evolution of pol houses

1. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL
HOUSES, AHMEDABAD
Presented by
Ragahvendra Kattimani, Megha Tyagi, Amanjeet Kaur
16902008, 16902006, 16902001
PhD Scholars- Department of Architecture & Planning 28 Oct 2016
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2. CONTENTS
What ?
• Culture
• Pol houses
why ?
• Significance of Pol houses
How ?
• Culture influences architecture
• Culture influences pol houses
CONCLUSION
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3. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
What ?
Introduction –Culture
Latin word ‘CULTURA’- ‘cultivation’ (Webster’s dictionary)
Roman Orator Caesar “Cultivation of the soul”.
‘’Culture is the folk-spirit having a unique identity.” (Velkley, Richard, 2002)
“Culture is Universal human capacity”. (Taylor, E.B. 1974)
In Anthropological terms,
1. The evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with
symbols and to act imaginatively and creatively.
2. The distinct ways that people, who live differently, classified and represented
their experiences, and acted creatively. (American institute of anthropology)
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4. What ?
INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
Introduction -POL HOUSES
Contrasting footprint of old and new city, Ahmedabad
Definition
“A ‘Pol’ can be defined as a micro neighborhood consisting of a narrow street with houses of
varying sizes on both sides. The word ‘Pol’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Pratoli’ meaning gate or
entry”- AMC (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation)
Source: Residential Cluster, Ahmedabad: Housing based on traditional pols (2009)
Typical Pol cluster in old city of Ahmedabad
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5. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
The wooden door frames and
shutters are engraved
intricately
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6. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
Single line drawing plan of pol house neighbourhood
Public Semi-Public Private
Organisational pattern of Pol house
Diagrammatic representation of a typical pol
housing in the old city of Ahmedabad
The structure consists of wooden posts and beams with infill walls of brick.
The walls are plastered on both the faces to protect them from the weather. Street
façade of the house is heavily treated with wooden structural and
decorative elements i.e. columns, brackets, window shutters and balconies
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7. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
How ?
Culture influences architecture
Aspects of culture
Aspects
of culture
Religion
Geography
LanguageWealth
Time
period
Politics
Location, climate,
terrain, nature,
resources
High and
Low
Roman,
Gothic,
Mughal etc
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8. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
How ? Culture influences architecture
Aspects
of culture
Religion
Geography
LanguageWealth
Time
period
Politics
Power
• Climate is the primary decider
of how we live in a particular
place. Cold , hot, arid, humid
all conditions have influence
on design of built spaces
• Availability of material for
construction
• Earthquake zones
• Communication is medium of
cultural transformation and
learning
• Faith, Values , Beliefs decide how we deal
with our surrounding space, which overlap
with all the aspects of culture.
• Wealth influence once values and
life style, in turn effect living
environment
• Different time periods
show how culture
transforms with
change of power and
climatic condition
• Politics, Religion, faith, beliefs,
wealth and go hand in hand.
Power influence the way lifestyle
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9. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
How ?
Culture influences Pol houses
Case study : A house in Lal Kadva Pol
Location – Dariyapur Ward II
Public
Space
Semi
Public
Space
Private Space
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10. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
How ?
Culture influences Pol houses
Public
Space
Semi
Public
Space
Private
Space
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11. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
How ?
Culture influences Pol houses
• Climate & Material
• Social Set-up
• Religious Activities
• Wealth
• Politics (Safety & Security)
Narrow Front
Dead walls on three sides
Small openings
Rooms Abutting central courtyard
Male Domain
Female Domain
Temple in every Pol
People of same religion living
together
More rooms
Elaborate Carvings
More number of central courtyard
One door to access the Pol
Storage for water and grains
Secret Entry
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12. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
Why? – Sustainable
Significance of Pol houses
Climatic
Chowk provides more surface area
responding to the open space for
light & ventilation
Three walls are common, so reduces surface area
exposed to the sun. Only shorter façade is open for
light & Ventilation
Chowk also acts as vent shaft – which sucks the hot
air from the house, providing thermal comfort in hot
dry climate
The balcony and projections act as a buffer
protecting inner spaces from direct sunlight & hot
winds.
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13. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
Why?- Sustainable
Significance of Pol houses
• Sense of Belonging
Open space between two rows of houses acts as
symbol of coexistence, social life, care for others and
humility, public realm.
Enables space for social community celebration
• Rain water harvesting -storing rain water at bottom
tanks
• Structural materials - surrounding area. Flat bricks-
white clay & Lime as binding mortar –available
around Ahmedabad
• Earthquake resistant
Use of wood in reinforcement, Large flat bricks, wall
orientation, stone base for doors and several materials
Features of structural integrity help to distribute load
among the structural elements and transmit force to the
foundation in a simple and effective way.
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14. INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE EVOLUTION OF POL HOUSES, AHEMDABAD
Conclusion
• The influence of culture is clearly visible in the planning and
construction.
• How built spaces were conceived and executed keeping in
mind the socio-cultural beliefs of people living there.
• The spaces are so designed that they complement and
support cultural activities
• provide inhabitants safety and security when needed.
• Sustainability, climate responsiveness and cost effectiveness
while respecting the social values and cultural beliefs.
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15. THANK YOU !
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16. References
• Agarwal, Kanika. “Residential Cluster, Ahmedabad: Housing based on traditional pols” PLEA 2009- 26th Conference on Passive and low
energy Architecture, Quebec city, Canada. 2009
• Eliot, T.S. Notes towards the Definition of Culture. New York, Harcourt: Brace and Company.1949. Print
• Lambe, Neeta; Dongre, Alpana. “Analysing Social Relevance of Spatial Organisation: A Case Study of Traditional Pol Houses, Ahmedabad,
India.” Canadian center of science and education. Vol 12, No.9. 2016. Accessed on 11 Oct 2016.
• http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ass/article/viewFile/58504/33542
• Lohita. “Ahmedabad, India Pol Houses (Residential Cluster).” Architecture in Development. Accessed on 12 Oct 2016.
• http://architectureindevelopment.org/project.php?id=492)
• Rapoport, Amos. House Form and Culture. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.1969. Print
• Tylor, E.B. “Primitive culture: researches into the development of mythology, philosophy, religion, art, and custom.” New York: Gordon
Press.1974
• Velkley, Richard "The Tension in the Beautiful: On Culture and Civilization in Rousseau and German Philosophy". Being after Rousseau:
Philosophy and Culture in Question. The University of Chicago, Press. 2002
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