This document outlines two potential topics for electives on vernacular architecture: 1) Indigenous building practices in Kumaon, India and 2) Goan houses. For the first topic, it describes the traditional multi-story earthquake-resistant architectural style called Koti Banal that has been used for over 1000 years in Kumaon, located in a high seismic risk area. The second topic covers the architecture of Goan Catholic houses from the 18th-20th centuries, which exhibit a mix of neoclassical and neogothic styles reflecting Portuguese, Mughal, and Indian influences.

1. (TOPICS FOR ELECTIVES)
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
1.INDIGENOUS BUILDING PRACTISES IN KUMAON
2.GOAN HOUSES

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INDIGENOUS BUILDING PRACTISES IN KUMAON
INTRODUCTION
DESPITE BEING LOCATED IN A HIGH SEISMIC RISK AREA, THE KUMAON IN THE
HIMALAYAN STATES OF UTTARAKHAND EXHIBITS AN ELABORATE TRADITION
OF CONSTRUCTING MULTISTORIED HOUSES.
A NUMBER OF DISTRICTS HAS A LARGE NUMBER OF INTACT MULTISTORIED
TRADITIONAL HOUSES WITH MARKED ANTIQUITY AND DISTINCT
CONSTRUCTION STYLE THE REGION HAD EVOLVED A DISTINCT AND
ELABORATE EARTHQUAKE-SAFE CONSTRUCTION STYLE AS EARLY AS 1000 YRS
BP.THIS IS KNOWN AS THE KOTI BANAL ARCHITECTURE
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINNENT VERNACULAR STYLE OF OUR
COUNTRY STILL BEING PREVALENT AND BEING USED SO EFFECTIVELY. THE
TRADITIONAL HABITATS REFLECT THE LOCAL CULTURE, MATERIALS AND
CRAFTS OF THE REGION. . IT EXHIBITS ELABORATE PROCEDURES FOR SITE
SELECTION, PREPARING THE PLATFORM FOR RAISING THE STRUCTURE, AS ALSO
FOR DETAILING THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED ON PRINCIPLES
SOMEWHAT AKIN TO THAT OF FRAMED STRUCTURES OF THE PRESENT TIMES.
LOCALLY AND THEN ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE WOOD WAS JUDICIOUSLY USED
IN THESE STRUCTURES.

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LOCATION
KUMAON REGION OF UTTRAKHAND –INCLUDING DISTRICTS LIKE
ALMORA,PITHORAGARH RANIKHET AND OTHERS
RATIONALE
A PROMINENT STYLE TO STUDY AND NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TECHNIQUES
WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AS AN EFFECTIVE MEASURE TO RESIST THE
EARTHQUAKE EFFECT WITH ALL THE LOCAL RESOURCES
.
AIM
TO STUDY THE KOTI BANAL STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE IN DEPTH

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OBJECTIVES
 UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF
THE KOTI BANAL ARCHITECTURE:
(I) SIMPLE LAYOUT,
(II) CONSTRUCTION PATTERNS
(III) JUDICIOUS USE OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE BUILDING MATERIAL,
(IV)INCORPORATION OF WOODEN BEAMS
(V) SMALL OPENINGS
(VI) SHEAR WALLS.
 INTIALIZATION PROCESS AND HISTORY RELATED TO IT
 UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE ASPECTS RELATED TO HOUSES
METHODOLOGY
DATA ANALYSIS
5.devising drafts & its review 6.culmination of report
DATA COLLECTION
3.chapterisation 4.assigning text to the classified chapters.
CASE STUDY(PRIMARY SOURCE)
1.site visits of different
regions,interviewing residents.
2.photography of places and activities

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SCOPE
 UNDERSTANDING TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO A SUSTAINABLE
INFRASTRUCTURE
 DETAILS RELATED TO THE WOODEN MATERIAL FOR CONSTRUCTION
PURPOSE
 SAFTEY RELATED ISSUES TO BUILDINGS AGAINST EARTHQUAKE EFFECTS
LIMITATIONS
 COMPARISON SCENARIO BETWEEN MODERN AND TRADITIONAL
TECHNIQUES
 TECHNICAL DETAILS AND EQUATIONS PERTAINING TO THE SAFETY OF
HOUSES IN HILLY AREAS AGAINST EARTHQUAKE

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GOAN HOUSES
INTRODUCTION
THE ARCHITECTURE OF GOAN CATHOLICS HAS STRONG PORTUGUESE, MUGHAL,
AND INDIAN INFLUENCES. MOST OF THEIR HOUSES STANDING TODAY WERE
BUILT BETWEEN THE 18TH CENTURY AND THE EARLY PART OF THE 20TH
CENTURY. THEY DISPLAY A MIX OF NEO-CLASSIC AND NEO-GOTHIC STYLES.
LOCATION

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RATIONALE
THE EESENCE OF THE CLASSICAL AND MODERNISM IN GOA HAS BEEN
PHENOMENAL IN GOA IN TERMS OF THE DESIGN OF HOUSES.
THIS FUSION IS INTERSTING TO LEARN
AIM
TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND THE TYPICAL COLONIAL GAON STYLE BUILD
HOUSES
OBJECTIVES
 UNDERSTANDING THE CHARACTERISTICS
 GETTING MORE INFUSED WITH THE COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
 GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCAL MATERIALS AND OTHER
ASPECTS
SCOPE
 LEARNING THE ANGLO INDIAN CULTURE
 TRANSVERE TO INDIAN TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS FROM PORTUGESE
STYLE
LIMITATIONS
 THE ORIGINAL STYLE IN PORTUGESE AND THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL
ARCHITECTURE
 DISTINCTIVE STUDY OF EACH AND EVERY TYPE