The document summarizes traditional vernacular architecture in Chattisgarh, India. Houses are constructed without formal plans or measurements, instead using body measurements like hands. Walls are typically built in multiples of hands. Common housing elements include otlas (outdoor platforms) and kothis (granaries). Windows are rarely used due to the hot climate, with ventilation occurring through the roof gap and perforated roof. While traditional mud construction was common, it is being replaced by brick-and-cement homes seen as a status symbol.

1. Vernacular Architecture
IN CHATTISGARH
SUBMITTED BY :
AMIT VERMA
M.ARCH., 1ST SEM.
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
2020-2021
TRADITIONAL WISDOM

3. Design and Construction :
● One very interesting characteristic of this architecture is- how they scale their spaces.
Construction, here, happens without yardstick and drawings. Design is decided as people talk amongst
themselves.
● The dimensions of the structure are decided with the help of their own body. The measurement unit
is one hand which is almost equal to one and a half feet. The rural people of India consider one hand as
the distance between wrists and elbow only.
● The spaces are usually in multiple of one hand. In fact, hand is used for deciding almost every
measurement in the building- from foundations to thickness of the walls and roof. For instance, the
foundation of a house in Phulgoan village of North India goes up to 6 feet (4 hands), width of the wall 3
feet (2 hands), and height of wall 9 feet (6 hands) and so on.

4. ● The locals undertake multiple responsibilities of visualizing, designing, material procuring, and
building. It is an all together different approach to design and construction where design decisions are
limited to talks between the family members. Surprisingly, a few even allocate function to the spaces
only after they are built.
PLOT AREA : 7 X 5 = 35 SQM
FRONT ELEVATION
2 M
3 M
2 M
2 M 3 M

5. A House in Chattisgarh State :
The houses in each region of India follow some underlying
patterns :The custom of building linearly prevails in chattishgarh
state.
● As the need arises, new spaces are added eventually
forming a central courtyard.
● All the houses of
Chattishgarh region have
a few common elements-
like the otla, kothi
(granary).

6. Otla :
● Unlike the urban houses where privacy is the
prime consideration of design, the rural India
gladly bring a part of their private life at the edge
and let it blend with their social life.
● It is not uncommon to find people interacting,
children playing, women cutting vegetables at
otla.
● The otla is a platform outside the house. It is
essentially present in every house only in different
scales.
● Sometimes, the goes up to 2.1 meter that a
person can easily sleep in the space, sometimes
it is as little as 0.3 meter- a space meant for
sitting only.

7. Kothi :
● Another element commonly found in
chattishgarhi houses are Kothi.
● Kothi is a granary which is designed with
suspended floors for air circulation and protection
from rodents and insects.
● These are always detached from the external
walls to avoid moisture penetration.
● A granary also acts as an element to divide the
space. Depending on its placement, a granary
separates the storage area from the living area, or
cooking area from the living area.
● Small vents are also noticed in the area below the
granary to perhaps to supply oxygen to the
cooking area.

8. ● Windows are practically absent in the
chattishgarhi rural houses. The prime
reason of this lies in the climate of the
region.
● Where temperature goes as high as 45˚ C
in summers, it is advantageous to have
thick walls without windows.
● Ventilation happens through the perforated
roof and also the gap between the roof and
the wall.
● In the absence of window, kitchen filled
with smoke from burning wooden fuel is
hardly a sight here.

9. ● Though this practice of building one’s own shelter in the rural India continued for a long time, now it is
rapidly replaced by pakka makan (brick and cement construction).
● One of the prime reasons for choosing pakka makan over kaccha (mud houses) is pakka makan is a
status symbol. Other reasons are maintenance, cost and lack of skilled labour.
● Desire to have permanent structure, symbolises stability. Due to lack of awareness, we might witness
the death of this art.

10. ● Roof is made up of redland clay tile on a
structure supported by wooden slabs