Chettinad architecture is known for the opulent mansions built by the prosperous Chettiar trading community in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu between 1850-1940. The mansions had a grid-like layout centered around a courtyard, with rooms arranged around it. They were built with local materials like bricks, tiles, and lime plaster and incorporated design elements from the Chettiars' foreign travels. The architecture was well-suited to the hot, dry climate, using techniques like thick walls, courtyards, verandas, and roofs to keep interiors cool.

1. CHETTINAD ARCHITECTURE

2. • Chettinad is the name of a region located in the Sivagangai and
Pudukottai districts of Tamil Nadu in South India.
• This area is synonymous with many things grand and outstanding.
It has been the home of the prosperous Nattukottai Chettiars
since around the 13th century.
• This prosperous trading and banking community made the
region popular for its famously architected opulent mansions, its
local cuisine, it is world-famous, handmade Aathangudi tiles as
well as the Chettinad saris.
• • KARAIKUDI is known as the capital of Chettinad, which includes
Karaikudi and 74 (traditionally its said as 96) other villages.
Location

3. The Chettiars were basically wealthy
traders famous for their enterprise, hard
work and contributions to society.
They set up 96 villages with 9 major
temples. All the Chettinad settlements have
a unique south-north/east-west grid pattern
to survive the arid heat as well as a well-
developed water system. The Chettiars also
built palatial monuments depicting their
wealth. They brought home numerous items
from their foreign travels and incorporated
them into the huge mansions they built
They built over 30,000 mansions from 1850
to 1940 in Chettinad .

4. Rayavaram is one the rich settlements of chettiand and represent over 150 years of
architecture. Their villages were constructed following precise and sophisticated rules of urban planning orthogonal streets, specific water m
anagement schemes, technical innovation, artistic creativity, etc.
These settlements are also built in harmony with Tamil traditions: rectangular plots, houses with an
inner courtyard. Housing and community spaces in the village are located independent of each other with no distinct interrelation between th
e two
.
The village follows a grid iron pattern to prevent mingling with foreign communities. The houses follow the grid pattern measuring 120X60m. E
ach grid consists of 4 houses measuring about 60X30m.
All houses are self contained and homogenous. Houses in two separate rows arranged
such that their backyards face each other.
Roads in the village are oriented north-south(width=9.1m) and streets are oriented east-west direction(width=7.62m)
Due to the height of the houses on either side of the road andthe small width of the road, a shadow will always be present at any place expect f
or a few hours during the day.
SETTLEMENT
AND ORGANISATION

5. The arts & crafts of Chettinad occupy a distinct position in South Indian
folklore.
Wood carving, silver embellishment, woven saris, palmleaf baskets, gold
jewellery, handmade tiles, architectural styles, and egg plastering
Intricate poetry on wood- richly carved doorway. Elaborate wooden
ceiling in a mansionn
The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices across the
houses of chettinad

6. • The concept of chettinadu house is believed to have arrived from kaveripoompatinam.
• The planning concept was essentially based on occupation of the people and their desires .
• Since they were traders they need spaces for keeping their valuables called inside room and outside
room which served the purpose.
• The dictated introverted planning was adopted to avoid multiple access.
• The scale of spaces like kalyana kottagai and bhojana hall was determined by the religious
and family festivals.
Planning
And
Concept

7. • SERVICE SPACE- the scale for these spaces is not fixed the day to day activities but by the festive usage. Their location in the linear
arrangement follows the living area.
• MULTIPURPOSE CENTRAL OPEN SPACE- located amidst the room and often used as the semipublic and commercial space.
• FEASTING SPACE though this space is less commonly used it is considered as the important space and exists as the
status symbol of the household
• RECEPTION- this is designed to express the stately image of the owner it has level variations and
used both for receiving the guest and for relaxation.
• PATTAGASALAI-
This is used for relaxation as well for the confidential dealings which is usually a raised platform. This space usually mixes with the cen
tral space.
• SECURED AND SECLUDED SPACE-
This space is created to serve the need for storage . The scale and the intimacy of the space reveals the material stored. The composition
is such that the outer room buffers the inner room.
SPATIAL
ORGANISATION

8. • The Chettinad houses are built on a rectangular traversal plot that str
etches across two streets, with the front door
opening into the first street and the back into the second.
• Eye travels in a straight line across a series of inner courtyards,
each a diminishing rectangle of light, leading out to the back door.
• The door leads into the first open air courtyard, with pillared corridor
s running on each side that lead into individual rooms.
Then comes the second courtyard with large dining spaces with
the kitchens,
then leading out to the backyard. The wealthier the merchants the larg
er the house, often spreading out to a second floor.
• The courtyards supply ample light leaving the rest of the house
in deep and cool shadow. The courtyards have tiles
placed exactly under the stormwater drain run right through the house,
with stone stoppers carved exactly for their mouths. Large stone
vats for water and wooden bins for firewood line the inner courtyards.
Typical Chettinad
Houses

9. • Cluster Houses, with East West orientation
• High – rise compound wall Entrance Arch with
stone steps
• Elevated plinth, Tiled Portico, Facade with
stucco sculptures, Verandah Wooden Pillars on
it.
• High door frame with ornate wood
work,Double main door.
• Floors laid with -Italian marble Black and
White, Granite & Athangudi tiles.
Most Important
Characteristic features

10. Climatic
Considerations
• A flat roof enclosed by a balustrade was used so that the lightest breeze co
uld be caught.
• The structure screened the sun’s rays and allowed the wind to penetrate kee
ping the inner apartments cool and fresh.
• The light coloured chunnam (lime plaster) covering the building was very sui
table as a sun radiator during the hot season.
• The building was turned away from the sun and rooms kept cool by thick wa
lls and the whole mass of the building. Proper ventilation was ensured by th
e different parts of the structure being arranged around an open courtyard.
• The double roof system kept the interiors cool while the
• chajjas acted as sun breaker.

11. • ORIENTATION: The entrance of the house is towards east. The main ve
ntilation by which the light enters the house is through central courty
ard.
• On the Westside of the house there is a garden which also acts as a
main source of fresh air into the house which promotes warmth inthe
house, and in the night the
absorbed heat is radiated out through the courtyard.
• The courtyard acts like a thermostat which controls the temperature of
the house.
• Negative pressure is created in the courtyard as it is surrounded by ro
oms and less exposed. This low pressure helps to draw more air towa
rds it.
• NIGHT ANALYSIS: The negative pressure and effect created inside t
he house during the daytime escapes out during the night time d
ue to the floor materials of the courtyard projections.
• DAY ANALYSIS: As the temperature in the day time is high, little amou
nt of heat is absorbed by the ground due to the top opening of the
central courtyard and the light is reflected in the
opposite direction resulting in the rise of temperature inside
the house.
Climatic
Conditions

12. • The foundation is laid for the house is rubble work done in stone combined with mud and mortar
• The foundation is the step foundation Tiles are basically used for flooring. They are the typical Athangudi tiles which are locally
manufactured.
• The color of the tiles is attained by the usage of paints imported from Italy.
• The process of manufacture of these tiles is done with a glass slab and dry cement. The flooring of the mezzanine floor and the
central courtyard is cemented.
• Some part of the central courtyard is covered with mud tiles.
• The walls are of baked bricks, plastered over by sand and lime mortar with a mix of fiber roots which acts as a bonding agent a
nd also coated with egg white to give silken smooth walls which are washable.
• The bricks are made up of red soil available in the local area. These bricks reduce the temperature surprisingly, giving a cool an
d comfortable atmosphere inside the house and also providing an immense stability.
• The pitched roofs are made with alignment of country tiles over wooden bars which rest on wooden logs connected to the wall
. The roofing of the ground floor is done with mud mortar, mud bricks and properly finished with Calicut tiles along the edges
of the wall.
Materials Used

13. • most Chettiar mansions comprised of a public
reception area abutting the street.
• the basic floor plan of a Chettinad house consists of
an outside verandah (thinnai) for guests, with a room
for conducting business on one or both ends;
• an interior courtyard to be used in ceremonies, with a
raised seating area at one or both ends;
• a series of small double rooms opening off the main
courtyard
• xpanded vertically into two-storeyed structures, and
horizontally through the addition of numerous halls and
courtyards that could accommodate guests at marriages
and other ceremonies.
• the rear hall served as the women‟s domain where
the women of the community reared children, engaged
in food preservation and went about other domestic
activities.
• Chettinad architecture stands out for its use of large
spaces in halls and courtyards, ornate embellishmen ts
like Belgian glasswork, intricate woodwork, spectacular
ceramic tiles, stone, iron and wooden pillars
NAGARTHAR HOUSES

14. COMPONENTS OF
NAGATHAR HOUSES
• Each house in chettinad is made up of Mugappu, Valavu,
Irandankattu, Moonankattu & thottam
• Mugappu – The reception; entrance of the house
• Valavu – Living area of the house
• In the valavu, there are 4 platforms that are called as
Pattalai, each at 4 corners of the valavu.
• Pattalai – Living halls of each family
• Along with Pattalai, valavu consists of numerous Irattai
veedu.
• Nadai – Corridor
• Irandankattu – used for dining / with storerooms for storing
crockery/kitchenware
• Moonamkattu – Kitchen(adukala)
• Thottam – Garden • Stables, cowsheds etc.
• The long corridors of second kattu-used for dining

15. • The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices
across the houses of chettinad
• The colorful Belgian Glasswork
• Stucco work was used on the interior & exterior walls; stucco
sculptural work was employed on the entrance tower, façade,
railing wall & compound wall.
• The Reception area with imported Italian Marble flooring
• Extensively carved Wooden CeilingThe pillars around the
courtyard are in Burma teak
• The construction material, decor items and furnishings were
mostly imported, from east Asian countries
• The woodwork and stone work were inspired by French and
other European
• Imported Italian chandeliers- Unique decorated wooden
columns
• The Central courtyard is used for weddings and religious
ceremonies.
• The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices
across the house
RAJA PALACE

16. HOUSE PLAN
1. Munn arai: front room.
2. Murram: courtyard.
3. Talvaram: corridor.
Central, Ceremonial Section of House
4. Kalyana kottakai: marriage hall.
5. Patakasalai, tinnai: the "public" room in a house.
6. Bhojana salai: dining hall.
7. Veliarai: outer room.
8. Ullarai: inner room.
9. Irantam maiya arai: second central hall.
10. Murram: courtyard, roofed or covered with grill
work.
Back (Female) Section of House
11. Murram: courtyard, roofed or covered with grill
work.
12. Talvaram: corridor.
13. Kalanjiyam: store room.
14. Samaiyal arai: kitchen ("cooking room").
15. Pin kattu: backyard.
16. Keni: well.

17. THANK YOU
ANNAPURNA NAYAK
YASHASWINI N
PRATHIMA JADAV