urban design related data

1. VERCULAR SETTLEMENT OF
UTTARAKHAND AND
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Jitendra Kumar
MURP Sem-3
Urban Design

2. VERCULAR SETTLEMENT OF UTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA
About the need of vernacular planning and settlement
To achieve sustainable growth, a high-quality environment is a prerequisite. In India, the issue of the many
multi-story buildings built in hill villages utilising modern materials and construction methods, which are
placing increasing strain on the land and deteriorating environmental conditions, has become a serious worry.
These settlements are rapidly becoming more urbanised, and as a result, there is environmental degradation
occurring there. This degradation takes the form of increased surface runoff, decreased water table recharging,
increased slope failures, increased soil erosion, increased pollution, and changes in climate and ecology. These
changes not only affect the town itself, but also the surrounding areas, the urban environment, development
patterns, existing buildings, open spaces, and infrastructure. Even with its benefits, vernacular techniques are
rarely used in modern development.
Aim of the study
This article examines the vernacular practices of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with an emphasis on the
customs around construction methods, materials knowledge, community engagement, and settlement planning.
Features in these regions
Structural detailing and materials used in Koti Banal, Kath-Kuni, Mud Wall Structures, and Dry-Stone Structures
are considered for the study.
Introduction
The Himalayan regions of North India are known for their numerous vernacular practices and styles of
architecture that was developed during the past centuries to meet the requirements of the people. These
vernacular practices are developed by the people, for the people, without any technical/professional training;
with the help of locally available, natural and environmentally friendly construction materials and indigenous
construction techniques which people learned, developed, and refined over centuries. These construction
techniques were mainly influenced by the climatic factors such as solar exposure, wind movement, amount of
snowfall and rainfall, etc.
The need of rapid development, increased urbanization, better transport facilities and need for high-rise
structure promoted the use of contemporary materials like concrete, which are alien to the region. But
the society keeps on demanding improved services, fast and easy modes of construction to meet the needs
of its inhabitants which in turn caused a severe damage to the fragile environment in and around the
settlements. To minimize the impact of the damages caused by the contemporary techniques on the
environment, the use of vernacular practices needs to be revived.
Sustainable practices of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
In the hilly region, local construction work force is using modern materials in their construction
without technical knowledge of reinforcement, curing, structural stability of frame structures and load
transfers It is important to develop a strategic approach and detailed analysis to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of vernacular practices and contemporary practices for a long-term development of the built
environment which is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Here the local people have developed
several vernacular practices for creating a better built environment for themselves, without any formal
training of construction techniques and knowledge of material, but have proven to be resistant against harsh
climate by using local natural raw materials and evolving by studying the nature itself.
Koti Banal / Kaath Kuni Style
Koti Banal in Uttarakhand and Kaath Kuni in Himachal Pradesh is one of the oldest architectural styles followed
in the Himalayan region. This architectural style had evolved in the region as early as 1000 years before
present.

3.  These multi-storeyed houses are found with abundant use of wooden beams and stone bases.
 The buildings are constructed using the locally available building materials such as long thick wooden logs,
stones, and slates.
 The height of these structures varies between 7 to 12 metre above the base platform which consists of dry
stones.
 These structures are generally built till four or five floors and are found to withstand many of the major
earthquakes in the region.
 This architectural style is one of the most suitable for construction in these regions if a suitable replacement
can be found for timber as wood is scarce nowadays.
 This style proves to have the minimum environmental impact and maximum earthquake resistance.
Dry Stone Construction
This type of construction style is found in the areas of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh where the
precipitation rate is high in terms of both rainfall and snowfall. This design is popular in areas where people
have been forced to abandon their conventional building methods due to a lack of wood. Thus, this construction
style is similar to other traditional housing style omitting the wooden elements.
 The walls made of stones are load bearing in nature with a thickness of 500mm and a height of 2.5m.
Whole structure is constructed using undressed stones which are locally available.
 These stones of varying sizes are packed together without the use of mortar.
 Windows and doors are made up of deodar or Kail, locally available wood.
 Sloping roof system is used in these regions as they receive high amount of rainfall in monsoon and
snowfall in winters.
Roofs are covered with slate stone while deodar or Kail is used for making rafters and beams. Dry stone houses
response during earthquake is excellent and construction economics also favors it thus making it a viable
option in the present day scenario.

4. Mud Wall Construction
Mud wall construction style is practiced in the cold desert areas of Himachal Pradesh.
The houses developed in these regions have a load bearing wall system with each wall dimension varying
between 300mm to 500mm thickness.
The main building material used is mud which is easily available with field stones being used to raise the level
of house from the ground.
The efficient way of construction by using mud, which is easily available locally and suits the harsh climate
makes this style an efficient option for present day development.

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF VERNACULAR SETTLEMENTS IN UTTARAKHAND AND HIMACHAL
PRADESH
The settlements are generally planned on relatively flatter terrain as compared to slopes in surrounding areas
as they are considered more stable for construction purpose (Figure 9 and 10).
The settlements are generally developed on southern slope for relatively more solar exposure and protection
from northern winds, making the conditions suitable for living.
Selection of site mainly depends on the proximity of the site to surface water source, as it is difficult to
construct water structures (like well) due to the instability of ground water table.
Planning and design of buildings depends on the type of settlements, which are broadly classified into
three categories as ridge, mid land and valley settlements . Temples, markets, schools, and public areas are
designed in ridge settlements while open grounds are located in valley areas. Housing is located on sloped
terrains.
Contours play a major role in design as the buildings are constructed along them to reduce the site work.
Housing buildings are located around an open ground/courtyard which is used by the residents for communal
activities. Buildings are placed in such a way that no building cast its shadow on other building and each of
them having a proper opening for ventilation and maximum solar exposure.
The buildings in these settlements are generally rectangular in shape, constructed using local materials
and techniques.
CONSIDERATIONS FROM VERNACULAR PRACTICES FOR CONTEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION
Hill settlements can be used to formulate the consideration for planning and design of modern buildings, which can be
categorized into three groups as, considerations at settlement level, cluster level, and site level.

6. Settlement Level
Vernacular patterns of settlement can be formulated to develop the pattern for new development in different
zones for hill settlement broadly classified as ridge, midland and valley settlements. Temples, markets, schools,
and public areas are designed in ridge settlements while open grounds are located in valley areas. Housing is
located on southern side of sloped terrains.
Traditional settlements on hilly areas merge well with nature and cause minimum damage to the environment.
This can be the basis of deigning new buildings such that they merge with surroundings and cause minimum
damage to environment to become the integral part of the nature.
Cluster Level
Vernacular practices such as, clustering of building should be done around open spaces where all the residents
are able to use that open space for community interaction and social activities.
The orientation of building and open spaces should be designed in such a way that the buildings have maximum
solar exposure and minimum wind exposure. The placement and height of built structures should be decided in
a way that they should not cast shadows on other buildings in the area.
The buildings may look similar to one another due to the use of similar kind of materials, but they are different
in ways such as, spatial organization, size of structure, placement of rooms, facade elements, decoration and
ornamentation.
These principles can be adopted for development of new structures in different zones/settlements to show
their unique identity and at the same time different settlements of different communities woven together to
create a scenic beauty on hills.
Site Level
Vernacular buildings are generally developed along the contour to reduce the amount of site work. The same
principle could be adopted for development of modern buildings minimizing the effect on the surrounding.
New buildings should adopt the feature of smaller footprints, similar to vernacular settlements. They should
have openings on the longer side of the structures, while the shorter side is kept intact for better seismic
response.