lessons from traditional buildings _ semester 1 of masters of architecture from Chandigarh College of Architecture. what do you understand by traditional architecture? characteristics of traditional architecture, what do you understand by vernacular architecture? difference and similarities between traditional and vernacular architecture

1. SUBMISSION - 1
TRADITIONAL AND VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
submitted to - Proff. Parmeet Singh Bhatt
submitted by - Ar. Prerna Chouhan (m.arch 2020_2022)

2. What do you understand by the term Traditional
Architecture? Discuss.
• Traditional architecture is a dynamic concept that has changed over the years
addressing the many existing issues of housing in our society. It is the way of
building a house using recognizable symbols of a particular culture of unique
people in a special way. Thus, many people have fallen in love with traditional
buildings owing to their special character, location, and history.
y.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OF TRADITIONAL
ARCHITECTURE
• Traditional architecture takes into account the styles that were popular to a
region or area. The characteristics of traditional architecture used by
architects and builders includes a commitment to maintaining a link to the
past styles of building, reuse of materials or designing homes and building to
stay consistent with the overall building design of the area. This creates a
sense of continuity and connection to the past, which helps the area
maintains its traditional look and feel for the residents of the community.

4. FORTS OF RAJASTHAN - example of traditional
architecture

5. ELEMENTS OF RAJASTHAN TRADITIONAL
ARCHITECTURE - Repetitive identity

6. TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE - Example of traditional
architecture

7. ROMAN ARCHITECTURE - Elements of roman
architecture as an example of traditional architure

8. What do you understand by the term Vernacular
Architecture? Discuss.
• Vernacular architecture originated when mankind started to provide
itself shelter according to his circumstances, made from surrounding
materials. It is a mere response to society’s needs that has allowed
man to construct climate-responsive structures even before the
architects.

9. KOTI BANAL FROM UTTARKASHI DISTRICT OF
UTTARAKHAND
• Koti banal structures are earthquake resistant buildings which have been standing since
past 900 years in Rajgarhi area of Uttarkashi and can be anywhere from 2-7 storeys high
although the residences are generally 2 or 3 storeys , where the lower storey is for
keeping cattle and upper storeys are for residing and as attic to store grains.
• The building rests upon a raised platform made from dry masonry over the foundation.
The walls are 50 to 60cm thick and are made up of timber reinforced stone masonry with
the paste of pulse as mortar, the structure has minimum openings so that the heat is
trapped inside the house, single small door access on the ground floor and relatively
smaller south-facing windows are provided, the upper two floors have balconies running
around the whole building cantilevered with the support of wooden logs of the flooring
system with a wooden railing. The roof consists of a wooden frame and is cladded with
slate tiles.

10. KOTI BANAL FROM UTTARKASHI DISTRICT OF
UTTARAKHAND

11. KOTI BANAL FROM UTTARKASHI DISTRICT OF
UTTARAKHAND

12. BHUNGA FROM KUTCH DISTRICT OF GUJARAT
• A typical Bhunga house consists of a single cylindrical-shaped room topped with a conical
thatch roof supported by wooden post and rafter. The walls are made up of mud bricks and
generally have only 3 openings: one for the door and two for windows that are set at a lower
level to draw cooling breeze.
• The circular form of these houses helps to provide insulation against the external environment
by resisting high-velocity desert winds and reducing exposure to heat; it also resists lateral
forces of an earthquake, thus, making the structure earthquake resistant.
• Since, the traditional Bhunga dwelling requires regular maintenance i.e. a regular application of
lime plaster to the walls and floor and replacing dried grass on the roof more and more houses
nowadays are shifting towards Mangalore tiles as an alternative to the thatched roof.

13. BHUNGA FROM KUTCH DISTRICT OF GUJARAT

14. BHUNGA FROM KUTCH DISTRICT OF GUJARAT

15. TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
• indegenious to specific time,
place or group
• more applied in residencial
buildings
• built only to meet necessities
• every type of vernacular
architecture is specific to the
need of specific group
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
• non-indegenious rather
processed; it is carried forward
as a tradition in differt times,
places to represent certain
culture or group.
• more applied in large scale
buildings such as administrative
buildings, forts, palaces, places
of recreation (bhags) and sacred
architecture.

16. • Vernacular architecture is by
the people and for the people
• it is developed to meet the
needs to current situation by
hit and trial method
• locally available material is
used to create setelments
which are climate responsive.
• building designs and material
changes as per climate and
region.
• traditional architecture is done
by skilled labour/ shilpkars/ or
the architects from certain era.
• it is developed to establish
empior and identity.
• best available meterials are used
to create traditional spaces.
materials can be processed and
bought from far away places.
• designs and elements are carried
forward to maintain identity.

17. SIMHACHALAM TEMPLE
FROM VISAKHAPATNAM (TA)
CHUTTILLU FROM
VISAKHAPATNAM (VA)

18. SHANTI STUPA,
LEH LADAKH (TA)
MUD & WOOD HOUSES,
LEH LADAKH (VA)

19. GURUDAWARA ARCHITECTURE-
MAINTAINS STYLE (TA)
HOUSES - MAINTAIN
CLIMATIC RESPONSE (VA)
PATNA
PATIALA
PATIALA
PATNA

20. DIFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Mud house in Rajasthan (VA) Haveli in Rajasthan (TA)

21. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
• Climate responsive architecture
• Optimum use of local material
• Ntural topography remained the base of planning and form.
• Colour and texture of materials were neutral in both as mostly obtained
from local resources
• Both architecture represented society's believes and behaviour

22. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
• The traditional and vernacular buildings constitute a major section of built
heritage in India. They are the ones which highlight the empirical knowledge of
the materials and construction techniques.
• Moreover, these buildings form a physical compendium of the rituals and culture
of a civilization and its people.
• Vernacular buildings consist of all the buildings which use locally available
materials to address the local needs and surroundings. These materials range
from stone to bamboo, earth and wood; helping create a region responsive
architecture.
• These buildings are constructed by local craftspeople, using indigenous
technologies which have evolved over the years.