Post on 26-Jan-2023
A RENAISSANCE OF VERNACULAR ECO-ARCHITECTURE
SELF-BUILT HOUSING IN BIR, INDIA
Julie Rogers Varland, Committee ChairRyan Madson, Committee MemberScott Jackson, Committee Member
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Building Artsin Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Architectureat
The Savannah College of Art and Design
Ankita Jayesh Gandhi
Savannah
© August 2019
“Here, for years, for centuries, the peasant had wisely and
quietly exploited the obvious building material, while we, with
our modern school-learned ideas, never dreamed of using
such a ludicrous substance as mud for so serous a creation
as a house. But why not? Certainly, the peasant’s
houses might by cramped, dark, and inconvenient, but this is
no fault of the mud brick. There was nothing that could not be
put right by good design and a broom.”
Fathy ( 1973 : 4)
D E D I C A T I O N
This thesis is dedicated to the beautiful
families of Bir that welcomed me in their
dwellings and their lives.
Having spent time volunteering at the
Dharmalaya institute, I had the fortune of
meeting people that I can call my family.
Pushpa Didi, Rajendra and Raju, I hope that
someday you will be able to build your own
house, a house that you grow, nurture and
love, a house that represents you, a house
that you deserve.
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T
I would like to thank my family and friends for
the love and support. I would especially like
to thank my wonderful parents and the best
brother anybody could ever have, for their
undying faith in me and their constant love
and support.
An extra special thanks to my committee
members, Julie Rogers-Varland, Ryan Madson
and Scott Jackson for your knowledge and
support and for always believing in me.
A special note to Professor Varland :
You have inspired me every single day that I
had the privilege of being your student. Your
faith in me made me want to excel and be a
better person.
I cannot thank you enough for your
contribution to my life and the opportunities
that you’ve presented me with. I promise to
always cherish your lessons, and hopefully
one day be as inspirational to others as you
were to me.
A B O U T
Along side my experience with the professional
aspect of architecture, I sought to learn deeply about
materials with a more hands-on approach. I participated
in two workshops in Auroville in Pondicherry, India, from
renowned institutes like ‘Auroville Earth Institute’ and
Auroville Bamboo Centre’ which gave me a more
comprehensive understanding of materials like Bamboo
and Earth. Working with these materials first-hand,
designing and executing compositions with efficiency and
their eco-friendly nature, made me want to explore the
field of construction with natural materials. This led me to
volunteer at Dharmalaya - an institute for compassionate
living, in Himachal Pradesh, India. Helping build structures
with natural materials acquired locally without disrupting
the surroundings was an extremely rewarding experience.
The compassion emanated by the people echoed through
its valleys and humbled me in more than one way and
deepened my interest in sustainable building and living. I
was transfixed by the idyllic homes in the mountains and
was amazed to learn that most of these houses were built
by unskilled locals. This makes me think about everything
that I have to offer along with the dream to strengthen
these skills to help create a healthier environment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES 1
THESIS ABSTRACT 8
THE ISSUE & THESIS STATEMENT 11
HISTORY & CHALLENGES History behind the issue 14Challenge posed by the issue 15Impacts of issue on society 17
EXPLORATORY LITERATURE What are natural buildings? 20Decline of natural buildings and the vanishing vernacular 21Human impulse to build vs the industrialized evolution 23IDENTITY, CLASSICISM, SPACE AND CULTURE 25
EMPIRICAL LITERATURE Natural Buildings and sustainability 30Natural materials : Specifications, limitations 31Developing nations and the use of building codes 33Divide between architects and natural builders 35Architect’s professional liability : Not everybody can afford and architect 37Is there still a place for natural buildings in the modern world? 39Can homeowners build their own home? 41
LITERATURE REFLECTION Building materials : Local, sustainable, innovation 44Industrializing natural resources : growing building materials 45Affordability revisited 47
CASE STUDIES Innovative traditional systems : Hunnarshala foundation 53Dhajji dewari : Earthquake resistant construction, jammu and kashmir 57
SITE ANALYSIS STUDIES Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India 64Site analysis | Site location 65Site analysis | Earthquake zones 66Site analysis | Contextual mapping 67
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT Design development | Vernacular form analysis 77Features of a vernacular dwelling 79Schematic program 80
MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION 1Material resources in Bir 82Construction techniques | Vernacular technique analysis 83Materials | Short listed 85Building Modules 86Wall design | Building block variation 87Wall detail | Foundation to wall to floor connection 89
SYSTEMS Heating | Rocket mass heating system 93Ventilation 95Lighting | Light studies 96
TECHNICAL MANUALTechnical manual | Conception 99Technical manual | TOC 103Technical manual | Development 106
FINAL BOARDS 115
EXHIBITION 131
CONCLUSION 141
BIBLIOGRAPHY 143
| 1 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 1.1 | Author : Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 9
Fig 1.2 | Author : Vernacular homes in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 11
Fig 1.3 | Author : Vernacular homes in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 13
Fig 1.4 | Author : Local boy in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 19
Fig 1.5 | Author : Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 29
Fig 1.6 | Author : Construction of a strawbale shelter, Strawbale Studio, Michigan 40
Fig 1.7 | Author : Construction of a strawbale shelter, Strawbale Studio, Michigan 40
Fig 1.8 | Author : Sustainable life skill : Mushroom Inoculation, Strawbale Studio, Michigan 42
Fig 1.9 | Author : Strawbale Studio, Michigan 42
Fig 2.1 | Author : Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 43
Fig 2.2 | Author : Construction of an adobe structure, Bir, Himchal Pradesh, India 46
Fig 2.3 | Author : Making mud adobes, Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India 46
Fig 2.4 | Author : Earth home, Auroville, India 48
Fig 2.5 | Author : Structure made of CSEB, Auroville, India 48
Fig 2.6 | Author : Thesis Diagram 49
Fig 2.7 | http://www.hunnarshala.org 51
Fig 2.8 | https://issuu.com/hunnarshala/docs/hunnarshala_a_d 53
Fig 2.9 | https://issuu.com/hunnarshala/docs/hunnarshala_a_d 54
Fig 3.0 | http://www.hunnarshala.org 54
| 2 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 3.1 | http://www.hunnarshala.org 56
Fig 3.2 | http://www.spaenvis.nic.in 56
Fig 3.3 | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273322286_Traditional_Earthquake_Resistant_Systems_of_Kashmir 58
Fig 3.4 | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273322286_Traditional_Earthquake_Resistant_Systems_of_Kashmir 58
Fig 3.5 | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273322286_Traditional_Earthquake_ Resistant_Systems_of_Kashmir 60
Fig 3.6 | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273322286_Traditional_Earthquake_ Resistant_Systems_of_Kashmir 60
Fig 3.7 | Author : Thesis diagram II 62
Fig 3.8 | Author : View from site, Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India 63
Fig 3.9 | Author : Site location and surroundings 65
Fig 4.0 | Author : Earthquake hazard map | Himachal Pradesh, India 66
Fig 4.1 | Author : Land use map | Bir-Billing area 67
Fig 4.2 | Author : Connections and nature zones | Bir-Billing 67
Fig 4.3 | Author : Site Plan | Dhanari, Bir, India 68
Fig 4.4 | Author : Model showing nearby developed areas and density 69
Fig 4.5 | Author : Model showing distances to nearby business, religious places 70
Fig 4.6 |Author : Diagrams showing temperature, rainfall, hazards 71
Fig 4.7 | Author : Site analysis and kuhl irrigation 72
Fig 4.8 | Author : Diagram showing site planning strategy 73
| 3 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 4.9 | Author : Typical village settlement in Bir, India 75
Fig 5.0 | Author : Diagram showing vernacular form analysis 77
Fig 5.1 | Author : Proposed plot expansion 77
Fig 5.2 |Author : Site analysis and kuhl irrigation 78
Fig 5.3 | Author : Diagram showing features of the vernacular dwelling 79
Fig 5.4 |Author : Diagram showing the spatial planning and daily lives of the villager 80
Fig 5.5 | Author : Natural rock formation in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India 81
Fig 5.6 | Author : Diagram showing material resources in Bir, India 82
Fig 5.7 |Author : Diagram showing the kath kuni construction system 83
Fig 5.8 |Author : Diagram showing wooden joinery in the vernacular form of housing 83
Fig 5.9 | Author : Section of the vernacular form of housing 84
Fig 6.0 | Author : Diagram showing the kath kuni construction system 84
Fig 6.1 | Author : Diagram showing short listed materials for proposed dwelling 85
Fig 6.2 | Author : Diagram showing the proposed wall composition 86
Fig 6.3 | Author : Model showing proposed typical wall section 87
Fig 6.4 | Author: Model showing proposed typical wall section 87
Fig 6.5 | Author : Model showing variation in proposed wall for modifications 88
Fig 6.6 | Author : Diagram showing proposed wall system 89
Fig 6.7 | Author : Sketch showing proposed construction system 90
Fig 6.8 | Author : Sketch showing dwelling expansion patterns 90
| 4 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 6.9 | Author : Diagrams showing the rocket mass heating system 94
Fig 7.0 | Author : Diagrams showing ventilation in the proposed dwelling space 95
Fig 7.1 | Author : Light study models 96
Fig 7.2 | Author: Diagram showing wall components 97
Fig 7.3 | Author : Technical manual table of contents 99
Fig 7.4 | Author : Technical manual table of contents 100
Fig 7.5 | Author : Sample manual format 101
Fig 7.6 | Author : Sample manual format 102
Fig 7.7 | Author : Revised manual table of contents 104
Fig 7.8 | Author : Revised manual table of contents 105
Fig 7.9 | Author : Technical manual | Material processing 106
Fig 8.0 | Author : Technical manual | Material processing 107
Fig 8. | Author : Technical manual | Material processing 108
Fig 8.2 | Author : Technical manual | Material processing 109
Fig 8.3 | Author : Technical manual | Material processing 110
Fig 8.4 | Author : Adobe Experiment 111
Fig 8.5 | Author : Technical manual | Proposed adobe wall course 112
Fig 8.6 | Author : Technical manual | Proposed adobe wall course 113
Fig 8.7 | Author : Technical manual | Open source page 114
Fig 8.8 | Author : Final boards | Site study 117
| 5 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 8.9 | Author : Final boards | Systems and structure 119
Fig 9.0 | Author : Final boards | The vernacular form analysis 121
Fig 9.1 | Author : Final boards | Ornamentation 123
Fig 9.2 | Author : Final boards | Quotes 124
Fig 9.3 | Author : Final boards | Site section 125
Fig 9.4 | Author : Final boards | First floor render 127
Fig 9.5 | Author : Final boards | Verandah render 127
Fig 9.6 | Author : Final boards | Dining area render 128
Fig 9.7 | Author : Final boards | Verandah render 128
Fig 9.8 | Author : Final boards | Exterior render 129
Fig 9.9 | Author : Exhibition | Full exhibition 132
Fig 10.0 | Author : Exhibition | Site panel, systems and structure panel and renders 133
Fig 10.1 | Author : Exhibition | Quotes and site section panel 134
Fig 10.2 | Author : Exhibition | Study models and sketches 134
Fig 10.3 | Author : Exhibition | Render panel and study models 135
Fig 10.4 | Author : Exhibition | 1/2 scale wall model 135
Fig 10.5 | Author : Exhibition | Systems and structure and render panels 136
Fig 10.6 | Author : Exhibition | study model and sketches 136
Fig 10.7 | Author : Exhibition | Jali pattern sketches 137
Fig 10.8 | Author : Exhibition | Jali study model and staircase module 137
| 6 |
| LIST OF FIGURES |
Fig 10.9 | Author : Exhibition | Vernacular form analysis, ornamentation, study models and renders 138
Fig 11.0 | Author : Exhibition | Reception 139
Fig 11.1 | Author : Exhibition | Reception 140
Fig 11.2 | Author : Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India 143
| 8 |
THESIS ABSTRACT
A RENAISSANCE OF VERNACULAR ECO-ARCHITECTURE
ANKITA GANDHI
August 2019
The time that I spent at the Dharmalaya Institute helped me be a part of a routine where people lived a
self-sustaining lifestyle. This included growing their own food and building their own homes with everything that
was available on site. The time spent there was extremely rewarding and made me want to take the path to
introducing this form of a lifestyle into my life. That being said, apart from a small group of people that still follow
this in the region, the others have unfortunately chosen a path that was not as sustainable. With the advent of
industrialization and the villagers being more exposed to the western world, the vernacular methodology of
construction and lifestyle has been lost. Concrete, glass and other non-indegenous materials have been on a
steady increase, hampering the land, culture and the lives of the people. The vernacular housing of this area is
now being looked at as an inferior form of dwelling. Himachal Pradesh being an extremely earth quake prone
zone, does not support the non-indegenous forms of materiality and construction and one might see a lot of
damaged structures over a period of time. The vernacular techniques on the other hand, have aseismic
properties and can withstand earthquakes with minor damages. This thesis is about an extensive research and
the re-introduction of the vernacular methods of construction and materiality to help the people of Bir build their
own homes that can coexist in today’s world. This proposal will allow the villagers to build their own homes with
materials that are found on site, making it economically viable and aesthetically pleasing.
Keywords : Vernacular architecture, sustainable design, natural resources, local resources, indigenous
materials, local craftsmanship, sustainable lifestyle, animal husbandry, natural building.
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Natural and alternative building construction is indissolubly linked to the good health of the environment. Natural
building practices and materials have become obsolete despite being practiced for centuries and being an
obvious solution to the environmental crises. There remain several barriers of using natural building products
and materials in the mainstream construction industry. In this paper, influential environmentalists,
preservationists and architects explain varying theories and factors that may be affecting the practice of natural
building. The biggest factor causing this effect is the influence of the western building model and technology on
developing nations. Other major factors include the aesthetics and irregularity of natural material being
unappealing which leads to the perception that these materials are low-tech and have poor performance.
Nonetheless, esteemed designers and social historians point out to the human impulse to shape their dwellings
to address their ever changing needs. Each human being also has their unique vision of a home and that vision
shouldn’t be tarnished by the industrial influences. Taking this into account, it is also important to address the
changing cultural and social needs of today. There is an obvious social stigma against these kind of buildings
and are deemed “primitive” dwellings. Architects and writers form an analysis where they think the impact of the
western building model nature had only little to do with the function of architecture and it mostly extended to
social identity and classicism. This poses a critical question about the practicality of building the homes of the
future with these ancient solutions.
Following this, award-winning journalist, civic activist and architects discuss the profession of architecture and
an architect’s qualifications and obligations as an esteemed professional to design to protect the environment
and for the people in need. They also present the reasons there is a gap between the practice of architecture and
natural buildings leading to why there might be a divide between architects and natural builders. This perception,
however, is changing. There is a growing body of research that is quantifying the performance of natural building
materials and showing that they can compete with conventional building materials. This could help address the
ever growing housing issue and help provide potential solutions to mitigate that. To address this crisis, the paper
discusses a sustainable self-built updated housing model that is affordable, adaptable and socially responsible.
These self-built modules are meant to induce a high quality of living and create successful communities by
engaging and empowering them with having control over their own sustainable building materials.
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THE ISSUE
Deteriorating conditions of the environment as a result of the adoption of the industrialized building industry
which has resulted in the decline of natural building practices and the use of sustainable materials. Additionally,
developing nations, that are facing an affordable housing crises, are affected severely by the western housing
model. Being unprepared to manage the aftermath of western building construction, these nations experience
the most grave environmental degeneration and resource depletion. Further, owing to this westernization, these
nations are losing their character, identity and social nature of housing and community.
Fig 1.2 |Vernacular homes in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
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THESIS STATEMENT
The proposal puts forth the idea of sustainable self-built houses and managing one’s own building materials
being an “option” in a world where buying houses is commonly observed. To bring into practice, the rare
combination of owner-builder-designer-master craftsman, all to a human and livable scale. Acknowledging the
role that individualism plays in a house design and how it needs to address the ever-changing needs of a human
being. Additionally, sustainability can be achieved by revolutionizing the perception and use of building
materials. While using local, sustainable harvested materials, and purchasing only the essential manufactured
building materials enhances the sustainability of the structure, a fresh perspective on building materials is
proposed biological products could become a major resource for the construction industry. This entails that
people could potentially grow and their own building materials to address their ever changing housing needs
thereby, “Growing their own homes”.
|
| H I S T O R Y |
| C H A L L E N G E S |
Fig 1.3 |Vernacular homes in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
0 1
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Natural building practices and materials have become obsolete despite being practiced for centuries and being
an obvious solution to the environmental crises. That being said, the influence of the western world and
technology aren’t the only reasons for the decline of natural buildings. It is also due to the negligence of codes
and regulations in natural building practices that has lead them to become unpopular.
Every human being also has their unique vision of a home and that vision shouldn’t be tarnished by the industrial
influences. This investigation highlights why there has been a decline in the construction of natural buildings
and in the usage of vernacular building techniques and the rise of industrialization and its widespread adoption.
Natural and alternative building construction are indissolubly linked to the good health of the environment.
That being said, there is a general notion that these sustainable solutions are inferior and are branded as unsafe,
unstable and less efficient. There is an obvious social stigma against these kind of buildings and are deemed
“primitive” dwellings, which is why it is also important to address the changing cultural and social needs of today.
Along with this mind-set, the lack of knowledge about the regulations and codes required to support this
methodology, has resulted in the decline of natural buildings. This poses a critical question about the practicality
of building the homes of the future with these ancient solutions.
HISTORY BEHIND THE ISSUE
A
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B
CHALLENGE POSED BY THE ISSUE
1. Environmental Imperative
The construction industry has a significant impact on local environments and nature. Lynne Elizabeth in the book
Alternative Construction, states the air and water impacts of the construction industry. Elizabeth points out to
the American building construction being responsible for a huge percentage of the greenhouse gas emissions
affecting climate change and are responsible for 38% of all CO2 emissions. Adding to that, buildings not only use
a substantial amount of water, which may lead to depletion of the world’s water resources, but also contribute
to a large amount of wasted and toxic water. Buildings use an estimated 13.6 percent of all potable water in the
world and cause pollution of water via numerous sources such as diesel, fossil fuels, paints, solvents, etc.
That said, it isn’t just the methods, materials and the construction process that contributes to the deteriorating
environmental conditions but it also how the building is meant to operate.
According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC), buildings account for an average of 41% of the world’s
energy use. The developing nations that are trying to keep up with the western construction culture, often have
less stringent requirements for the disposal of the highly toxic constructions waste, resulting in a severe local
environment deteriorating that follows when a building is built.
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2. Losing individuality and culture
The forces that shape primitive dwellings, give them clearly identifiable characteristics. These forces haven’t
been architects or designers historically. Having said that, some of the dominant characteristics of a primitive
or vernacular settlement lose force with the greater institutionalization and standardization of modern life. The
current view of time displays linearity in the concept of progress as opposed to a more cyclic approach of the
primitive man. This has resulted in a loss of hierarchies within societies and all houses seem to have equal
prominence. This has also resulted in the dehumanization of modern settlements and the cosmological
orientation and the relationship with the land and site. This has therefore, weakened the link between form,
culture, individuality and behavior.
| 17 |
C
IMPACTS OF ISSUE ON SOCIETY
1. The effects of the west on the east
The world was exploding with technology in the 1960s and people were no longer satisfied with just the basic
necessities. This glittering lifestyle eluded the east into desiring to lead similar lifestyles. Author,
environmentalist, preservationist Bob Berkebile, who was also the founding chairman of the American Institute
of Architects’ National Committee on the Environment, states in the book Alternative Construction, that the
people in developing countries are trying to “Imitate” the American lifestyle, even though these kind of sprawled
settlements lack the communal element that indigenous communities enjoy. What is worse is that this industrial
model that they desire consumes our resources about 20 times more than the houses in the rest of the world.
Further, there have been several unintended consequences of the western industrial building model. With the
developing nations being responsible for a large percentage of the material resources related to the building in-
dustry, thus responsible for a fairly large and rather disproportionate share of the world’s resources. The impact
of the western buildings is astonishing where what happens in the most developed countries strongly influence
the developing nations. In the developed nations, labor is replaced by the available resources while it is just the
opposite in developing nations, where there is an abundance of low-cost labor and resources and technology
tend to be unaffordable. These nations that are culturally rich and have highly evolved manual craft and skills,
are now trending toward the industrialized building model thus hampering social and environmental well-being.
The indigenous methods are condemned that they are ‘primitive’ and are used only by poverty-stricken societies.
This has heavily impacted the continued use of traditional construction.
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b. Social hierarchy and status symbol
If provision of a dwelling to provide shelter is a passive function, then its active function is to create a life best
suited for its inhabitants; In other words, the social unit of a space. While designing a settlement, the specific
characteristics of a certain culture and the socially acceptable ways need to be considered since they affect the
form of the settlement. Keeping that in mind, the imitation of the way of life of the west that is seen emerging in
the east not only takes away their cultural depiction in the settlements but also makes them idolize the western
model and treat it as a status symbol. Even when the possibilities of the physical form of a dwelling may be
numerous, the actual choices may be restricted due to sociocultural forces.
|
E X P L O R A T O R YL I T E R A T U R E
0 2
Fig 1.4 |Local boy in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Author of the book “Earth Architecture”, William Morgan, explains the term natural building also known as Earth
Architecture, as a study devoted to the architectural uses of earth in shaping the environment of humankind.
This is an umbrella term that describes any building that is accomplished using natural materials as opposed
to man-made or industrialized materials. The main objective of this kind of construction is to build with simple
techniques that does not disrupt or pollute the surroundings and prohibits the extraction of resources of the
Mother Earth.
Morgan points out that although creating individual earth buildings is a familiar practice in many parts of the
world today, the practice of reshaping the earth to create new human environments is little known.
WHAT ARE NATURAL BUILDINGS?
A
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BDECLINE OF NATURAL BUILDINGS AND
THE VANISHING VERNACULAR
With the world exploding with technology, the western world was no longer satisfied with small local stores or
electric fans. People in America were reinventing their lives with the help of tools that could provide them with
constant comfort and luxuries like having homes that were always warm and transportation that could get
them to places faster and farther than they had ever dreamed of. These comforts were the hallmark of life in
America and the rest of the world watched with the feeling of longing for the same kind of lifestyle.
Environmentalist Bob Berkebile, in the book Alternative Construction, expresses that while the earth’s population
is ever-growing, every other living system is in a state of decline. Even though the knowledge of this serious reality
is spreading, conflicts over the resources continue to escalate and the belief that technology could potentially fix
all problems still persists. Berkebile states that “We have been unable to discriminate between technologies that
meet our needs sustainably and those that reduce the earth’s carrying capacity”
Inhabitants of the developing nations often try to imitate the American way of life even though the communities
in America lack the spirit and sense of place of indigenous communities enjoy. What is even worse is that they
seem to be oblivious that this model consumes the world’s resources at 20 times the rate of the average. It is
an unfortunate situation that America promotes this lifestyle so pompously and trying to sell the idea of this
lifestyle and entice the rest of the world into desiring it, while completely ignoring the environmental impact
and the outcomes of the same. With the success of the adoption of this lifestyle will there be a collapse of the
global commons.
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The positive aspect of this lies in the growing unrest amongst certain people in the USA. They feel the discomfort
in the excessive nature of this lifestyle. A lot of people understand that the lifestyle doesn’t translate as
advertised in real life. There is a growing awareness that by embracing technology as the ultimate solution,
humans have separated themselves from nature. In the book, Berkebile quotes environmental activist Wendell
Berry who states that “It is not only possible, but altogether probable, that by diminishing nature we diminish
ourselves... We seek some kind of peace, even an alliance between the domestic and the wild”
We, architects understand the impact of the profession on our world and hence, we are looking for solutions that
celebrate this alliance with nature and try to integrate natural systems with sophisticated technologies to create
sustainable environments.
Besides the codes and regulations and safety, the traditional natural building may also be an uncommon
practice because of its aesthetics. Czech American writer, architect, collector, teacher, designer, and social
historian Bernard Rudofsky, the author of the book “The Prodigious Builders” states that the main difference
between formal and vernacular is not the lavishness versus artlessness, but it is a set of peculiarities like
symmetry and order. According to him “Symmetry is implicit in every noble building; it is the birthright of
pedigreed architecture”. The attributes of power and faith have been expressed by mirror images, ever since
architecture has come of age. That being said, one doesn’t always see vernacular structures expressing these
visual disciplines. Their form is mostly organic and this asymmetry often translates as being unsophisticated.
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CHUMAN IMPULSE TO BUILD VS THE
INDUSTRIALIZED EVOLUTION
As author and art critic David Bourdon states in his book ‘Designing the Earth’ that human beings didn’t only
survive but also chose to redesign a lot of earth’s original surface, seldom with any regret. He said that during the
Stone Age, many homemakers developed their housekeeping skills in their natural caves. In case they weren’t
content with their floor plan, all they had to do was hack away the additional earth and they had the freedom
to expand their living spaces or adjust them according to their comfort. As human beings, we have constantly
changing needs and wants and unique desires and tastes for the spaces that we live in. Bourdon states a really
interesting example of human instincts to build when he talks about how wondrous it is that historically, people
on different ends of the world that are usually unknown to each other, demonstrated similar inventiveness in
reconfiguring their landscapes. He questions how it was so apparent to farmers to terrace their hillsides or for
the religious to build rock-cut temples and churches.
Humanity’s place in nature and the natural world’s place in human society, a space where mutuality, respect,
enriching relation can and should exist at all levels and emerge as the norm rather than exception.
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There seems to be a general conception that industrialization must mean the design of a product for large serial
production along with the design of the components that are standardized. A lot of literature on industrialized
buildings entails that modular coordination and standardization are twin principles that have their rationale in a
mass-production process. The common mindset is that the ultimate goal will be achieved by the unity of style.
This way of thinking was bolstered by scholar P.H.Scholfield in the book “The Theory of Proportion in
Architecture”, who stated that, “A building where all its parts are of different shapes, fabricates a chaotic visual
image”. According to him, using more repetitive and standardized shapes created the highest degree of order.
Scholfield states that the choice available to designers was providing numerical sizes for these standardized
elements, which was the only way that variety could be achieved through mass production.
While a certain degree of standardization of components may be essential to facilitate an undemanding
building process, it can most certainly be achieved without ‘modular’ standardization. If architects choose to
adhere to these universal standards, it may not be possible to make any drastic change to elements that fall
outside of these standards. It may potentially lead the building industry to be stuck within this misconstrued
idea of technology.
On the other end of the spectrum, are natural builders. They produce a scale of building components that are
limited in quantities and are unique. Their process typically involves manually operated, simple machines, each
performing a limited number of operations. These alternatives to industrialized building techniques are proving
insufficient to meet the requirement of the building industry’s rapidly changing needs.
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D
IDENTITY, CLASSICISM, SPACE AND CULTURE
In his book Architecture and Identity, architectural writer, theorist, teacher and author Chris Abel discusses the
analogies that have been drawn between the symbolic function of architecture and emergence of social
identities and classism. The importance of having a personal connection with architecture, mostly in the area of
dwelling, in order to give a proper expression to the personalities and the social status of its inhabitants.
Mathematical psychologist and architect Amos Rapoport argues that a ‘self-built’ house not only plays an
important role in addressing the need for low-cost shelters for the poor but gives equal opportunities for those
expressions of personal and social identity which come from having control over one’s own dwelling. It is the style
of architecture that tends to be formulated as the result of cultural and social forces.
The different forms taken by dwellings can range from all possible explanations that center around the theme of
people with very different attitudes and ideals responding to varied physical environments. Author Amos
Rapoport in his book “House Form And Culture”, states that a house is an institution and not just a structure, that
is created for a complex set of purposes. Since building a house is a cultural phenomenon, its form and
organization are heavily influence by the cultural sphere is belongs to. Even for the primitive man, housing was
way more than a shelter. Shelter being the passive function of the house, the creation of an environment best
suited to the way of life and social aspects was its purpose. Rapoport further states that the specific
characteristics of a culture, like the accepted way of doing things, the things that are socially unacceptable and
the unstated ideals, all need to be considered while building a housing or settlement form.
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That being said, above all, what finally decides the form of a house may not be a certain climate or materials
available or the constraints and capabilities of the technology available, but it is the “vision of an ideal life” that
people have that molds their spaces. This may be the reason why solutions for an ideal home vary from person to
person that reflects their beliefs, social relations, livelihood and not just their biological needs and requirements.
On the other hand, the forms of primitive and vernacular houses are more the aims of the community for an ideal
environment affected by their climatic conditions, materials available and choice of site and has very little to do
with their desires.
This idea of social control on the way a home or community is shaped in traditional cultures, may no longer
apply to the more institutionalized and industrialized systems of today. In these circumstances, the link between
culture and the form and looks of the dwelling has weakened considerably. However, the spaces and their use
still reflect the culture through their organization and the way of life.
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E
HUMAN IMPULSE TO BUILD AND GROW
All human beings want is to see themselves reflected and expressed through different mediums. On a day to
day basis, this can be seen as expressions in forms of paintings, dance, art, choice of cars, clothing, and most
widely, through their dwellings. According to author Richard Burnham of the book “Housing Ourselves”, houses
have been a good medium for self-expression for several years and have historic evidence. He states that in this
culture, each person expresses himself by individualizing his dwelling, whatever the type of settlement may be.
With the addition of objects and elements to one’s domicile, an individual configures his space to make his spirit
known to himself and others. Representative elements like patriotic flags, religious shrines, choice of
automobile, all express the nature of a person; his soul, economic success, etc.
In today’s age of lack of affordable housing, our culture of self-exhibitionism has taken a backseat and everybody
seems to be living in houses that are clones of each other, thereby lacking individuality and personal
character. That said, there needs to be a more realistic outlet for personalization. Burnham suggests that one
way of expressing individuation could be that it can be the creative element in the concept of self-built housing,
which could prove to be a more substantial way to express ourselves.
Burnham states that the idea that housing design is in the hands and tastes of the owner-builder, is central to
today’s contemporary approach to affordable housing. With a culture that has valued self-expressionism for a
long time now, it has only been confined to private houses because only a few have self-built. The rest of the
houses ended up looking like each other without much of a choice. The question is whether we, the new
millennium can dig deep into who we are and understand the importance of expression through dwelling and can
find a more affordable and viable solution to the housing problem.
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In order to have a home that can expand overtime, as and when funds are available or to accommodate
changing needs, the plan must be generalized and not be overly rigid. Author Richard Burnham asserts that,
“If we wish to express ourselves in building, we must have an avenue that encourages experimentation and
personal freedom”. The house designed, would reflect the owner-builder’s self and desires. Burnham states
that, a house that uses local materials, one that responds to personal desires, acknowledges regional influences
and respects the land and its resources, addresses the characteristics that are missing in a lot of contemporary
houses. That being said, these contemporary houses lack character because of the viability, convenience and
economics of standardization.
Burnham states that structural regularity in construction is indeed economical and easier for amateurs to build
as opposed to complex structures. It is undeniable that uniformity is useful in a lot of cases. However, we as
individuals can deviate from many standardized things. When it comes to a building a house, we might want
regularity and standardization for cost saving purposes, but at the same time be able to have a certain level of
variation as and when required and important to us. A non-standardized, custom designed house doesn’t
necessarily mean that it reaches a high level of uniqueness that makes it too expensive and difficult to build.
Structural regularity can be thought of as a central system of economic construction that can include a few
irregular elements to meet the special needs of the inhabitants and that address the uniqueness of the land.
|
E M P I R I C A LL I T E R A T U R E
03
Fig 1.5 |Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
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More often than not, natural buildings and vernacular forms are regarded as an obstacle on the road to progress,
which is often replaced by house forms and lifestyles that fit the western notion of basic housing needs, even
though these houses do not represent their culture or values or address the climatic conditions. This attitude
towards natural buildings maybe shortsighted since, today’s age faces numerous environmental challenges and
the ever growing population adds to that in significant proportions. One of the most important concerns for the
environment would be the onerous challenge of housing billions of people that inhabit the world, in culturally
and environmentally sustainable ways. The positive contribution that natural buildings make to the ever-growing
issue of global housing shouldn’t be ignored. The other challenge that goes hand in hand with the housing
issue is the recent widespread use of non-indigenous materials to support the process of building fast and easy
dwellings.
NATURAL BUILDINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY
A
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BNATURAL MATERIALS:
SPECIFICATIONS, LIMITATIONS
Natural building materials and methods are traditionally considered primitive therefore inferior to the
more industrialized materials and bolsters the notion that these processed materials are safer, more durable
and perform more efficiently. This can be argued on several grounds. With regards to the obvious environmental
concerns, the production of the industrialized building products, consumes a significant amount of energy and
has hence, created a notable demand for raw materials to supplement that process. The problems associated
with extraction of these raw materials include environmental degradation and a loss of diverse ecosystems. Not
only are we experience the depletion of our vital resources but also pollution of sorts of a high magnitude that
includes smog, acid rain and a high contribution to global warming. This environment in turn affects the health
of the people due to inferior air quality.
In the book ‘Alternate Construction’ Author Cassandra Adams claims that environmental impacts are not all
equal and some are more critical than others hence, they should be prioritized accordingly. She has categorized
them into four categories; 1. Impacts that have a more widespread influence than others. 2. Impacts that last for
a longer duration than certain impacts 3. Impacts that are more harmful to human health than some. 4. Some
impacts are permanently damaging while others are somewhat reversible.
This goes to prove that when there is a direct relationship between an impact of a high magnitude and a certain
practice, it should be avoided or mitigated. The discontinuation of a practice of this nature with help improve the
environmental situation.
Natural builders often face criticism for not adhering to the codes and norms of buildings design. Due to the
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environmental impact of “industrialized” buildings, there’s an interest and desire to use more natural building
methods and materials, not only in rural areas but also in industrialized regions. The group of people that exhibit
this interest are usually natural builders or people that want to build with natural materials and techniques to
reduce the cost of construction. These people usually evoke resistance from the regulatory industrialized
community that has very little experience with these non- standardized building systems. David Eisenberg, in the
book Alternative Construction states that even though these natural building systems have been used around the
world for centuries, they are being judged for being inferior to their industrial counterparts and are considered
“primitive” and “obsolete” in most of the developed world. He bolsters his statement by adding that the
developed countries have thus ignored the consideration of these non-industrialized materials while developing
the building codes. The reason the building codes are so restrictive is because the building code organizations
and officials take responsibility and strive to protect the users of the building from any harm that could be caused
by the built environment. That being said, the important thing to address is that codes are written and revised
by people. The growing unrest within certain natural building communities have resulted in the development of
codes for certain types of natural buildings.
In conclusion, it is important to understand that both, natural builders and the code officials share similar goals
and intentions. The basic difference would be that the code community needs to understand, acknowledge and
incorporate the system of sustainability measures taken by the natural building community. While they both
largely cater to the needs and protection of the people, their definitions and ideas of safety may be different.
Which is why the establishment of a corporative atmosphere between the two communities is vital for the
acceptance and integration of the alternative building systems in an industrialized environment.
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CDEVELOPING NATIONS
AND THE USE OF BUILDING CODES
As discussed above, we understand that a lot of dominant characteristics of vernacular architecture get lost in
translation over a period of time as the modern life paves way for industrialization and specialization. The
linearity of the progress of mankind has replaced the more primitive concepts of design and materiality. Amos
Rapoport suggests that this modernity may have resulted in the modern man stressing on the concepts of
“change and novelty.” The hierarchy observed in primitive settlements is obviously lost as the modern dwellings
have equal prominence in communities. These dwellings represent man’s progress, success and social standing
and the house form acts as a domain of fashion. This problem arises from the frivolous “freedom of choice”. The
factors that are crucial to the creation of a meaningful dwelling which were employed by the primitive man are
lost due to the problem of excessive choice driven by the sociocultural factors. The sense of community has also
been diminishing over the years. The modern model of a house is a freestanding dwelling on a defined plot of
land. What is being tried to achieve is the symbol of an ideal life, which entails that one’s home is a representa-
tion of his success and is one’s own castle and needs to be private and isolated to foster the sense of
independence. A modern dwelling that may be derived from more primitive forms or using the same materials
that were used historically and representing those values may be contradicting the values of the modern man,
which are success, prosperity and independence.
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Natural buildings are perceived as unstable, unsafe and inefficient. This is largely due to a lot of them being
examples of non-code compliant buildings. That being said, there has been a largely growing interest in natural
and alternative building methods and this interest has generated in a change in the regulatory system to gain
code approval for these methods. Having said that, it is important to acknowledge that building codes were
created by man and they go back thousands of years. It is historically proven that people who design and build for
others are held accountable for their work. The problem is that the desire to use nature materials for
construction of the buildings today stimulates resistance from the community that has very little experience with
non-industrialized systems.
The biggest influence on the building codes is largely the building industry itself and with the right type of
support, the code changes can be made through development, adoption and enforcement. Though, the greatest
challenge lies is gaining regulatory and institutional acceptance for natural alternatives in industrial context that
a building is viewed in today.
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DDIVIDE BETWEEN ARCHITECTS
AND NATURAL BUILDERS
In the book “Design Like You Give A Damn”, award-winning journalist, data scientist and civic activist Kate Stohr
points out that for decades architects have been called upon to provide solutions for shelters for people in need
or during crises times. However, as architects and designers adopted the idealism of the industrialized age that
was increasingly technology driven, the ideas they produced often deemed to be unrealistic and failed to
resonate with the people that struggled with day-to-day realities of food and water shortage and sanitation
issues. Thus, there was a divide between the worlds of basic housing and development and the worlds of
architecture and design. Such a disconnect, according to Stohr, would eventually lead to a “crises of faith”. This
statement brings up questions like what role would design really play in providing basic shelter or how could
architects address the needs of the people that struggle with housing? The real debate here is whether design
should be considered a luxury or a necessity. This is an issue faced by not only architects, but also natural
builders where the primary struggle would be to achieve a balance between the logistics of providing a basic
shelter with the human instinct and longing to create an atmosphere that they can call home.
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The primary divide between architects and natural builders was driven by the introduction of building codes that
resulted in a significant change in the practice of architecture at the beginning of the twentieth century. The focus
of the architects had shifted to utopian concepts driven by modernism that often did not resonate with the people
in need. According to Stohr, this was the time when the “social reformers” turned their attention to the housing
conditions of the people in need.
That being said, there are architects that have been reformers that cater to the needs of people that couldn’t
afford specialized housing. The biggest example was German architect Walter Gropius, who was an early pioneer
of prefabrication. He considered the architect to be a public servant and an educator and one that encourages
socially conscious design. Gropius, along with architect and designer Marcel Breuer, are credited to design the
first slab apartment block. This building type, that became a prototype for many future affordable housing
projects, was formulated to overcome crammed tenement housing, which has risen due to the rampant land
speculation. Both Gropius and Le Corbusier, who was the pioneer of modern architecture, believed that mass
manufactured dwelling would be the face of modern housing. Meanwhile, in America, the industrialization of
architecture took a very different route and while it uses the same principles of mass manufactured components,
the tasteful functional homes have now transformed into quick, cheap, yet affordable dwellings.
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EARCHITECT’S PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY:
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD AN ARCHITECT
In the book “The future of Housing”, American lawyer, author, urbanist, and housing expert Charles Abrams
bolsters the profession of architecture by stating that, “of all the participants in the business of home building,
the architect is the only one qualified to guide the house and its environment towards a civilized form.” Abrams
further adds that with years of rigorous training and with the possession of practical experience, it is the duty of
an architect to intellectually aware to prevent abuses, develop innovative methods and add originality to each of
this designs that unique to people and places. In conclusion of his statement, he believes that despite these at-
tributes, the architect today fails to handle these responsibilities since the improvement of low-cost homes was
not lead by them. The architects were buried under their stylish egos in the chase of wealthy and affluent clients.
Thus, the requirements of an elementary shelter had taken a backseat in this pursuit.
It is question of whether an architect should be just limited to design or should he play a more meaningful role
in providing shelter for those who can’t afford it and need it the most, almost taking over the job of an activist
or a reformer. If so, how could that be implemented in today’s world of plutocracy? The challenges faced by ar-
chitecture, as a profession is whether an architect can withstand being stunned by the power of technology and
economic affluence so that the importance of the people and place is not lost.
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Architecture as a profession, ensures that architects follow the code of ethics and maintain professional conduct.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) are dedicated to the highest standard of professionalism, integrity and
competence. One of the obligations of an architect as listed, is to respect and help conserve the natural and
cultural heritage of communities and help improve the quality of the environment and the life within it. Along with
this, an architect has to fulfill his obligations toward the environment. It is the duty of an architect to be
environmentally responsible and advocate sustainable building and site design.
The house is an institution, not just a structure, created for a complex set of purposes. It is a space that facilitates
the way of life as well as the component for building community. Hence, it isn’t purely a physical thing. But a lot
of people in the world live in substandard housing and are in a desperate need of affordable housing. Author
Richard Burnham confronts a principal factor why so many people cannot purchase a house. He boils it down to
a simple yet glaring truth; they simply do not have the money.
That being said, this criterion of insufficient income isn’t the whole reason. According to Burnham, a lot of people
in the world will never enter an arena where their paychecks will be adequate to purchase a house. One may live
in remote areas where work is unavailable or from areas where they might not have access to adequate
educational facilities. Also, some people voluntarily seek to live on a low income than the government would have
people earn. For these people, “buying” a house or hiring an architect is almost impossible and it isn’t their fault.
Therefore, another option may be the lost practice of “self-building”.
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FIS THERE STILL A PLACE FOR
NATURAL BUILDINGS IN THE MODERN WORLD?
American anthropologist Marshall Sahlins, in his book “What Is Anthropological Enlightenment?” gives an
example of the Siberian Yupik on St. Laurence Island who, despite undergoing an increased incorporation into
the world of capitalist systems and the introduction of the modern means of production, still maintain their
hunter-gather culture and retain their traditions. This goes to show that, rather than succumbing to the pressures
of modernized development, the Yupik have adapted their culture by incorporating certain modern elements that
are mainly technological, but are still distinctly Yupik. Sahlins pre-eminently summarizes this example stating
that the Yupik have, in fact “indigenized modernity” by creating their own cultural niche in the global scheme of
things.
In conclusion, what needs to be employed is an approach that focuses on the dynamic nature of vernacular
traditions that will change and adapt to the ever-changing cultural and environmental factors. It should address
a solution that views tradition as a creative adaptation of the past to the needs of the present, allowing the
accommodation of the needs of the emerging traditions in architecture, design and lifestyle. The vernacular
thinking and methodology can be viewed as a source of architectural knowledge and can be critically examined
in a way, which this understanding of techniques and materials can be integrated in new forms paired with the
latest technologies, thus creating an environmentally sustainable solution.
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Fig 1.6 |Construction of a strawbale shelter, Strawbale Studio, Michigan
Fig 1.7 |Construction of a strawbale shelter, Strawbale Studio, Michigan
| 41 |
GCAN HOMEOWNERS BUILD THEIR
OWN HOME?
Homeowners have been known to build their own homes for generations. To further add to this, most of them
have achieved this without the help of architects, builders and outsider funding. In the book “The Future Of Hous-
ing”, Author Charles Abrams gives an example that even slums are just another form of owner-built housing.
He argues that instead of fueling money into the government-built projects, the government funding be used to
support and empower families in need to ‘upgrade and build’ their own homes. This era of ideas gave rise to the
“self-help movement”.
An example of an architect that has tried to bridge the gap between providing basic shelter and an architect’s
involvement is architect Balkrishna Doshi. Abrams gives the example of the project in 1983 where architect
B.V.Doshi laid the foundations for what would become a vibrant, mixed income community in the city of Indore,
India. This would be achieved by combining the best of the sites-and-service and self-housing models with a more
enhanced sense of design. The demonstration homes that the architect designed included a basic service core
and surrounding that were balconies, patios and other harmonizing details. This kind of module was designed
to encourage new owners to expand their dwellings progressively as time and money permits, according to their
tastes. In the book “Housing Ourselves”, author Richard Burnham simplifies the statement above by stating
that these types of houses could be self-built and could be built by owner-occupants over a period of time. One
doesn’t have to have the money for the whole house before starting construction. All one would be required to
have is a small amount of money for the smallest part of the house within which one can live until they have the
funds to add on.
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Fig 1.8 |Sustainable life skill : Mushroom Inoculation, Strawbale Studio, Michigan
Fig 1.9 |Strawbale Studio, Michigan
|
L I T E R A T U R ER E F L E C T I O N
0 4
Fig 2.1 |Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
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There’s been a revolution in the use of “natural building materials” in the last 30 years. Virtually every revolution
in architecture has been preceded by a revolution in materials. Builders are choosing materials for sustainability,
for less drainage on the earth’s resources. For local availability. The factors that determine the material use for
housing today are factors like their accessibility, the regions that they come from, and how much they have been
modified and processed. Whether they are suited for affordable construction depends on their costs and their
impact on the environmental systems and whether they are used in the right context. That said, not all materials
that are acquired from a local supplier are from the region itself and are hence not sustainable. Richard Burnham
in the book “Housing Ourselves” gives an example of timber as a material and its usage. According to him, there
is a very slim chance that the timber that one buys from a local supplier is from the immediate environment.
These materials, for most of the times, travel long distances because of the supply and demand. In the end, all
homeowners and architects or builders are looking for is an economically viable material, which is why most of
them do not care where the material comes from. All they are concerned about is finding a material that
minimizes the cost and produces an effect of aesthetic sensibilities.
Contrary to that, local materials are key to affordable housing since they encompass several principles along
with their economic viability. They display the unique characteristics of the region and are sustainable. Local
materials, when minimally finished, cost significantly lesser than their equivalents that can be acquired at supply
stores, which do the same job. Unfortunately, not all the materials that are used for construction are available
locally. Sometimes materials do not occur naturally in a region. Forcibly using materials from the area to be
“local” and “sustainable” can sometimes prove to be risky. Burnham gives an example of a basic building
necessity; insulation. He states that insulation can be reasonably achieved by using locally available sustainable
materials like fall leaves, sawdust and shavings, but they are extremely combustible and can prove to be fatal.
BUILDING MATERIALS : LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE, INNOVATION
A
| 45 |
B
INDUSTRIALIZING NATURAL RESOURCES : GROWING BUILDING MATERIALS
The 21st century faces a major change in how we source and produce building materials. We now experience a
shift toward breeding, farming, cultivating or “growing” our resources. A conversion needs to be made from
using non-regenerative mineral resources to regenerative agrarian resources. So far, agrarian resources are most
commonly associated with the food industry. Award winning architect and professor of sustainable construction,
Dirk E Hebel, in the book “Cultivated Building Materials”, explores the idea of biological products becoming a
major resource for the construction industry. The author proposes the idea of growing these nurtured materials
in a conventional soil-based agricultural framework or have breeding farms especially dedicated to growing these
materials that can make the use of microorganisms that were once considered useless. With the progress of the
different phases of industrialization, it can now experience a radical paradigm shift by reintroducing biological
aspects in an otherwise mechanized world. That being said, the raw and organic nature of these materials may
not be aesthetically appealing to all. An example of this the “correction” of the biological imperfections in wood,
that is undergoing standardization to meet international standards. Hebel, bolsters this argument by stating that
besides showing interest in material properties, the efforts to mass produce these natural building materials and
to make them more mainstream needs to be achieved by the “normalization” of these materials to ensure their
controllability and acceptance.
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Fig 2.2 |Construction of an adobe structure, Bir, Himchal Pradesh, India
Fig 2.3 |Making mud adobes, Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India
| 47 |
C
AFFORDABILITY REVISITED
People today have opted for a “luxurious” lifestyle and choose to live in a certain place, not because they think
of land as a living entity, but for reasons like the neighborhood being a good or bad choice. Our knowledge about
building materials has undergone a major shift; from using materials in their natural habitat from centuries to
having very little awareness of what is natural versus synthetic.
To address the current housing issue, author Richard Burnham makes a statement saying that, “The future
of self-built housing rests with those who will build their own shelters”. If someone is in need of a house, they
should simply build it rather than thinking that the mass-produced housing is the only way to procure a home for
themselves. Burnham further adds that he thinks the best way to move forward effectively if a person doesn’t
have a piece of land, tools or the finances, is to formulate a design hypothetical piece of land and understand
the realities and economics of a self-built house to set the groundwork for people aspiring to build their own
dwellings.
Since affordability plays a vital part in self-built houses, there are several factors that can be employed to
enhance it. Labor required to construct a building accounts for half the cost of constructing a conventional
house. With houses being built by their owners, the affordability increases considerably since the cost of labor
is zero. Additionally, the levels of sustainability are increased greatly by using building materials that are
self-planted, self-harvested and by reusing rejected building materials.
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ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO BUILDINGANKITA GANDHIGRADUATE SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTUREARCH - 745 - 02
EVOLUTION OF HUMAN DWELLINGS
PRIMITIVE
UNSAFE/UNSTABLE
SOCIALLYBACKWARD
LACKSINDIVIDUALITY
NOTENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY
SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE
AESTHETICALLYAPPEALING
SAFE & STABLE
NOTENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY
TECHNOLOGICALLYADVANCE
UNAFFORDABLE
CULTURALRETENTION
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
INCHARGE OF ONE’S DWELLING
REGENERATION
PROGRESS
TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE
PERMACULTURE
GROW YOUR OWN MATERIALS
GROW YOUR OWN HOME
205020001950190018501800STONE AGE
THESIS DIAGRAM
Fig 2.6 |Structure made of CSEB, Auroville, India
| 50 |
ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO BUILDINGANKITA GANDHIGRADUATE SEMINAR IN ARCHITECTUREARCH - 745 - 02
EVOLUTION OF HUMAN DWELLINGS
PRIMITIVE
UNSAFE/UNSTABLE
SOCIALLYBACKWARD
LACKSINDIVIDUALITY
NOTENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY
SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE
AESTHETICALLYAPPEALING
SAFE & STABLE
NOTENVIRONMENTALLYFRIENDLY
TECHNOLOGICALLYADVANCE
UNAFFORDABLE
CULTURALRETENTION
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
INCHARGE OF ONE’S DWELLING
REGENERATION
PROGRESS
TECHNOLOGY
ARCHITECTURAL KNOWLEDGE
PERMACULTURE
GROW YOUR OWN MATERIALS
GROW YOUR OWN HOME
205020001950190018501800STONE AGE
| 52 |
1. INNOVATIVE TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS : HUNNARSHALA FOUNDATION, BHUJ, GUJA-RAT
2. DHAJJI DEWARI : EARTHQUAKE RESIS-TANT CONSTRUCTION, JAMMU AND KASH-MIR
THE CASE STUDIES DISCUSS AND DEMON-STRATE THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:
A. RE-INHABITATION IN EARTHQUAKE PRONE AREASB. LOCALS BUILDING BEING INCHARGE OF THEIR OWN DWELLINGSC. USING VERNACULAR CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND LOCAL MATEIRALS
CASE STUDIES
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AINNOVATIVE TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS:
HUNNARSHALA FOUNDATIONBHUJ, GUJARAT
The Hunnarshala practice was born with the earthquake in Kutch in 2001. The foundation successfully got the
Gujarat government and their seismic advisors to recognise that Bhunga, a traditional circular home of the
pastorals of Banni had better earthquake engineering design than all the concrete buildings in Bhuj that were
all destroyed by the impact of the earthquake.
The Bhunga (Bhonga) was introduced by the ancestors of Meghwals, post the earthquake of 1819. The
engineers realized and explained that the circular form of the Bhunga could withstand the lateral thrusts of
an earthquake. In the 2001 earthquake, very few bhungas experienced significant damage in the epicentral
region.
The damage that did occur, was mainly due to poor quality of construction materials and improper mainte-
nance of the structure. There were also fewer injuries to the occupants due to the elements that did collapse.
Fig 2.8 |Bhunga form, Bhuj, India.
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Fig 2.9 |Hunnarshala Campus, Kutch, Gujarat
Fig 3.0 |Bhunga : Tradition Kutch building form, Gujarat, India
| 55 |
Architects from various regions that have been affected by earthquakes have all agreed and recognized
traditional knowledge systems as a way to create structurally sound buildings that are earthquake resistant. The
Hunnarshala practice, started by architect Kiran Vaghela, along with several other architects, were able to help
the locals by making technical guidelines using traditional principles for the new construction. Artisans were
also trained and served as supervisors to oversee the reconstruction with these traditional methods.
The Hunnarshala foundation brought together traditional building knowledge, skills and artisans themselves
from all over the world. The local women in Bhuj learnt the Indonesian thatch technique. The institute also takes
into consideration, the waste produced from cities and how it can be used in construction. They have developed
low-cost walls using construction debris. Waste from tile, aggregate and ceramic factories were used for various
types of wall systems.
They developed guidelines for construction in earth technologies for the lack thereof. Along with these
guidelines, they prepared a technical manual for the masons in Gujarati, which is their local language, to
educate them about safe construction practices. These guidelines enabled more than a 100 villages to rebuild
using earth technologies. This also enables to rebuild their homes in a way that didn’t compromise on safety as
well as their cultural expression.
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Fig 3.1 |Construction of the modern Bhunga in Bhuj, Gujarat, India
Fig 3.2 |Local women in Bhuj working on building details, Gujarat, India
| 57 |
Dhajji dewari is a timber frame into which one layer of masonry is tightly packed to form a wall, resulting in a
continuous wall membrane of wood and masonry. The term is derived from a Persian word meaning
“patchwork quilt”. The frame of each wall consists not only of vertical studs, but also often of cross-members
that subdivide the masonry infill into smaller panels, impart strength and prevent the masonry from collapsing
out of the frame.
The earthquake resistance of a dhajji building is developed in the following ways:
1. The mortar, masonry infill panels quickly crack in-plane thereby absorbing seismic energy through friction
against the timber framing, and between the cracks and the fill material. Thus, distributing the earthquake
energy evenly.
BDHAJJI DEWARI
EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, JAMMU AND KASHMIR
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Fig 3.3 |Dhajji dewari facade, Kashmir, India
Fig 3.4 |Exploded axonometric of the construction of the Dhajji Dewari system
| 59 |
2. The timber frame and closely spaced bracing, which essentially remains elastic, prevents large cracks from
propagating through the infill walls. Thus, the possibility of out-of-plane collapse of masonry panels is reduced
considerably.
3. The masonry walls are kept relatively thin. This helps to reduce the mass of the building and therefore the
inertial forces that must be resisted during an earthquake.
In the Dhajji system, the floor joists are sandwiched between the horizontal timber plated that form part of each
storey of the frame, and the beams which support the joists at mid-span are integrated into the frames on the
side. There are often different variations on how the timbers are arranged. Some dhajji houses can be found
which have no diagonals. Instead, they rely on the brick infilling alone for lateral stability. Dhajji dewari is
essentially a timber frame construction rather than masonry bearing wall construction.
The dhajji dewari system has not only significant earthquake resistance, but is also cost effective, uses
indigenous available resources and skill, is swift in construction process and makes it a selective choice for
earthquake disaster re-inhabitation. It is also referred in the Indian Standard Codes as brick nogged timber
frame construction. It has been in practice for more than 200 years and similar forms of construction are found
in various parts of the world.
| 62 |
Challenge posed by the ISSUE
The Environmental imperitive
Losing Individuality and culture
Effects of the west on the east
Social Hierarchy and status symbol
Decline of Natural Buildings
Natural Buildings
Inextricable connection to sustainability
Realities of the specifica-tion of natural materials
The present in Developing countries
Not everybody can afford and architect
Can home owners build their own homes?
Building Materials - Local & Sustainable
Industrializing Natural resources
Affordability Revisited
Industriallized evolution of buildings and
perception of people
Architecture as identity and classism
Space and culture House Design and Individualism
Rational and expandable layout - Incremental
building with modules
Lack of option of housing for people that can’t
afford it
Deteriorating conditions of the environment as a result of the adoption of the industrialized building industry which has resulted in the decline of natural building practices and the use of sustainable materials. Additionally, developing nations, that are facing an affordable housing crises, are affected severely by the western housing model. Being unprepared to manage the aftermath of western building construction, these nations experience the most grave environmental degeneration and resource depletion. Further, owing to this westernization, these nations are losing their character, identity and social nature of housing and community.
SELF-BUILT HOUSING IN BIR
BUILDING WITH STANDARDIZED NATURAL MATEIRALS
THE ISSUE
THESIS STATEMENT
The proposal puts forth the idea of sustainable self-built houses and managing one’s own building materials being an “option” in a world where buying houses is commonly observed. To bring into practice, the rare combination of owner-builder-designer-master craftsman, all to a human and livable scale. Acknowledging the role that individualism plays in a house design and how it needs to address the ever-changing needs of a human being. Additionally, sustainability can be achieved by revolutionizing the perception and use of building materials. While using local, sustainable harvested materials, and purchasing only the essential manufactured building materials enhances the sustainability of the structure, a fresh perspective on building materials is proposed biological products could become a major resource for the construction industry. This entails that people could potentially grow and their own building materials to address their ever changing housing needs thereby, “Growing their own homes”.
REVIEW I
Fig 3.7 |Thesis diagram II
| 63 |
S I T EA N A L Y S I SS T U D I E S
Fig 3.8 |View from site, Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India
0 6
| 64 |
Bir is a village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in
the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. It is located
at in the Tehsil of Baijnath (subdivision), in the district of
Kangra. Geologically, it is situated in the Dhauladar range of
the foothills of the Indian Himalayas.
Bir-Billing area is the gateway to the tribal part of Himachal
Pradesh, which is known as Bada Bhangal. A sizable
community of Tibetan refugees live in the Tibetan colony
located in Bir. The colony was established in the early 1960’s
when H.H. Dalai Lama was exiled from Tibet and many of his
followers chose to live there.
BIR, HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA
| 65 |
SITE ANALYSIS | SITE LOCATION
State Division Country Border
1 km
1.5 km
.75 km
.6 km
.5 km
. 4km
.3 km
.2 km
Water BodyMountainsSite
Fig 3.9 |Site location and surroundings
| 66 |
SITE ANALYSIS | EARTHQUAKE ZONES
State BoundaryCity Boundary
FaultHigh Intensity Earthquake Zone
Medium Intensity Earthquake ZoneLow Intensity Earthquake Zone
8.0 - 5.0 magnitude
Fig 4.0 |Earthquake hazard map | Himachal Pradesh, India
| 67 |
SITE ANALYSIS | CONTEXTUAL MAPPING
Fig 4.2 |Connections and nature zones | Bir-Billing
Fig 4.1 |Land use map | Bir-Billing area
| 68 |
1 km
1.5 km
.75 km
.6 km
.5 km
. 4km
.3 km
.2 km
SITE ANALYSIS | CONTEXUAL MAPPING
Contours
Acess roads
Residential
Religious
1 km
1.5 km
.75 km
.6 km
.5 km
. 4km
.3 km
.2 km
Fig 4.3 |Site Plan | Dhanari, Bir, India
| 70 |
SITE ANALYSIS | CONTEXUAL MAPPING
Fig 4.5 |Model showing distances to nearby business, religious places
| 71 |
These formations consist of schist, quartzite, slates, phyllites, limestones, granites, gneisses, sandstones, conglomerates and shales. These rocks are generally massive and consolidated, devoid of primary porosity and permeability’s. Secondary porosity and permeability has developed due to the tectonic activities along the fractured joints and fault zones. Weathered zone rarely form an aquifer because of less thickness of the weathered mantle.
EarthquakesLandslidesCloudburstWindstormForest �re
NAT
URAL
HAZ
ARDS
MANMADE HAZARDS NATURAL HAZARDS
Fig 4.6 |Diagrams showing temperature, rainfall, hazards
| 72 |
No construction zones
Forest area
Exisiting structures
Architectural infrastructure
Site area
SLOPE ANALYSIS
KUHL IRRIGATION SYSTEM
RiverKuhl CanalMoghasStepped Fields
SELF-BUILT HOUSING IN BIR
BUILDING WITH STANDARDIZED NATURAL MATEIRALS
Fig 4.7 |Site analysis and kuhl irrigation
| 73 |
SITE PLANNING : The site will be planned in phases around the tradtional irrigation system “Kuhl”. The Kuhl forming the central ele-ment around which the rest of the village will be planned, the rest of the elements like the agricultural fields, houses, primary, second-ary and tertiary road systems and the social spaces will all be planned in phases around it.
SCHEMATIC SITE PLANNING
A. IRRIGATION CANAL
F. GREY WATER SYSTEM CONNECTION
G. SECONDARY ROADWAYS
H. ADDING SOCIAL SPACES
B. LOCATING NEARBY FOREST RESERVES
E. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE CANAL
C. SETTING UP AGRICULTURAL TERRACES
D. PAVING PRIMARY ROADS
Fig 4.8 |Diagram showing site planning strategy
| 77 |
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT | VERNACULAR FORM ANALYSIS
Fig 5.1 |Proposed plot expansion
Fig 5.0 |Diagram showing vernacular form analysis
| 78 |
DESIGN DIRECTION
MATERIALS LOCALLY AVAILABLEPHASE I
BUILD YOUR OWN HOME GROW YOUR OWN BUILDING MATERIALS INCREMENTAL HOUSING
PHASE II PHASE III
Community
Social Housing
Shared Resources
Collective Agriculture
Family expansion
Finances permit
Shared Resources
Collective Agriculture
Cultivating Building Materials
EXTRACTING ANDCULTIVATING NATURAL RESOURCES
CONVERTING THEM TO BUILDING MATERIALS WITH TECHNOLOGY
MODULARIZING AND STANDARDIZING ELEMENTS
BUILDING USING CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
CREATING THE CORE SHELL
ADDING CUSTOMELEMENTS
DESIGN DIRECTION
Fig 5.2 |Site analysis and kuhl irrigation
| 79 |
FEATURES OF THE VERNACULAR DWELLING
SMALL DOOR AND WINDOW OPENINGS
FEATURES THAT DIDN’T WORK FEATURES THAT WORKED
LACK OF VIEWS
HEAT LOSS
SCARCENATURAL LIGHT
POOR INSULATION
LINE UP IN LINE WITHCONTOUR OF SITE
ORIENTED TOWARDS THE SOUTH FOR MAX SUNLIGHT
VERANDAH WRAPPED AROUND ROOMS ON TOP LEVEL TO PROTECT FROM THE COLD
GROUND FLOOR FORSTORAGE AND CATTLE
SPACE FOR WORK ADJACENT TO HOME
FEATURES OF A VERNACULAR DWELLING
Fig 5.3 |Diagram showing features of the vernacular dwelling
| 80 |
SCHEMATIC HOUSE PROGRAM“House form is not simply the result of physical forces or any single causal factor, but is the consequence of a whole range of socio-cultural factors”
- Amos Rapoport
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PAHADI MAN AND WOMAN
SECTION SHOWING A PAHADI MAN AND WOMAN DOING THEIR DAILY CHORES
HOUSE PROGRAM
SPACE FOR CATTLE
STORAGE
SPACE FOR WORK
VERANDAH
KITCHEN
LIVING ROOM
BED ROOM
BATHROOM
SCHEMATIC PROGRAM
Fig 5.4 |Diagram showing the spatial planning and daily lives of the villagers
|
M A T E R I A L S&
C O N S T R U C T I O N
08
Fig 5.5 |Natural rock formation in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India
| 82 |
Fissured formations consist of schist, quartzite, slates, phyllites, limestones, granites, gneisses, sandstones, conglomerates and shales. These rocks are gen-erally massive and consolidated, devoid of primary porosity and permeabili-ty’s. Secondary porosity and permeability has developed due to the tectonic activities along the fractured joints and fault zones.
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE AND MATERIALITY IN BIR
EXISTING BUILDING TYPOLOGIES TRADITIONAL BUILDING TYPOLOGIES MATERIALS LOCALLY AVAILABLE
SANDSTONE
ADOBE STRUCTURE
CONCRETE STRUCTURES
TRADITIONAL WOOD AND STONE CONSTRUCTION
TRADITIONAL WOOD AND STONE CONSTRUCTION
TRADITIONAL WOOD AND STONE CONSTRUCTION
GRANITE WOOD
EARTH
SCHIST
QUARZITE
SLATE
MATERAL RESOURCES IN BIR
Fig 5.6 |Diagram showing material resources in Bir, India
| 83 |
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES | VERNACULAR TECHNIQUE ANALYSIS
Fig 5.8 |Diagram showing wooden joinery in the vernacular form of housing
Fig 5.7 |Diagram showing the kath kuni construction system
| 84 |
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES | VERNACULAR TECHNIQUE ANALYSIS
Fig 6.0 |Diagram showing the kath kuni construction system
Fig 5.9 |Section of the vernacular form of housing
| 85 |
MATERIALITY
CATEGORY 1ON SITE MATERIALS
Earth
G | Floor extention board
A | Overlap adobe
B | Reinforceable Insulation adobe
C | Wood overlap block
D | Connection block
E | Overlap connector block
F | Reinforcable corner block
H | Reinforcement / Hinge pins
Foundation
Slate / Natural rocks
Cedar Wood
Bamboo
Corn
Agricultural by-products
CATEGORY 2 NATURALLY GROWN
MATERIAL RESOURCES
CATEGORY 3CULTIVATED BUILDING
MATERIALS
MATERIALS | SHORTLISTED
Fig 6.1 |Diagram showing shortlisted materials for proposed dwelling
| 86 |
BUILDING MODULES
BUILDING MODULES
Removing and adding blocks to create
desired sizes of openings
Adding floor boards to create verandahs
Bamboo used as rein-forcement for expansion
and as hinge pins for openings
AF
G
H
BE
CD
WALL AXONOMETRIC BASED OF THREE PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY
Fig 6.2 |Diagram showing the proposed wall composition
| 87 |
WALL DESIGN | BUILDING BLOCK VARIATION
Fig 6.4 |Model showing proposed typical wall section
Fig 6.3 |Model showing proposed typical wall section
| 88 |
WALL DESIGN | BUILDING BLOCK VARIATION
Fig 6.5 |Model showing variation in proposed wall for modifications
| 89 |
WALL DETAIL | FOUNDATION TO WALL TO FLOOR CONNECTION
Fig 6.6 |Diagram showing proposed wall system
| 90 |
Fig 6.8 |Sketch showing dwelling expansion patterns
Fig 6.7 |Sketch showing proposed construction system
| 93 |
ROCKET MASS HEATER AND ROCKET STOVE
A rocket mass heater is a space heating system developed from the rocket stove, a type of efficient wood-burning
stove, and the masonry heater. Its fundamental characteristics are an insulated combustion chamber where
fuel (generally wood) is burned with high efficiency at extremely high temperatures, and a large thermal mass in
contact with the exhaust gases which absorbs most of the generated heat before the gases are released to the
atmosphere
The rocket mass heater in the housing unit also serves as a rocket stove. The heat from the heating chamber
rises through steel pipes and is channeled into an earthen mass which serves as a stove top for cooking. the
rest of the heat rises and is distributed to the rest of the house through vents and heated masses facilitated by
steel pipes.
An internal vertical insulated chimney, the combustion chamber, ensures an efficient high-temperature burn and
creates enough draft to push exhaust gases through the rest of the system
HEATING | ROCKET MASS HEATING SYSTEM
| 95 |
VENTILATION
The ventilation of the structure is a crucial element of the design. Traditional vernacular settlements have
extremely small door and window openings due to the cold winter winds.
This design facilitates cross ventilation by providing adequate openings. The ground floor is protected
by the verandah on the upper storey and the verandah itself is protected by a wooden jali that wraps around
the entire upper storey thereby protecting the inhabitants from strong winds. The nature of the jali is such that
it allows the passage of wind at a controlled level. It also protects from other external factors like birds and
other animals.
Fig 7.0 |Diagrams showing ventilation in the proposed dwelling space
| 96 |
LIGHTING | LIGHT STUDIES
THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT AND VIEWS IN PAHADI SETTLEMENTS
The Pahadi homes in Bir lack both natural lighting and views due to extremely small openings to shield
themselves from the hard winter and the winds. The Jali screen prove to be instrumental in providing both
controlled natural lighting and views to the holy mountains. At a spatial level the jaIi allows one to connect with
the outside while maintaining a certain of privacy.
Design of the jali can help bring in indirect light. The villagers have the option to play with the design of apertures
to bring in diffused light - depending upon the direction in which the jali is desired. At a spatial level the jaIi
allows one to connect with the Outside while maintaining a certain of privacy. Design of the jali can help bringing
in indirect light.
Fig 7.1 |Light study models
| 97 |
T E C H N I C A LM A N U A L
1 0
Fig 7.2 |Diagram showing wall components
MATERIALITY
CATEGORY 1ON SITE MATERIALS
Earth
G | Floor extention board
A | Overlap adobe
B | Reinforceable Insulation adobe
C | Wood overlap block
D | Connection block
E | Overlap connector block
F | Reinforcable corner block
H | Reinforcement / Hinge pins
Foundation
Slate / Natural rocks
Cedar Wood
Bamboo
Corn
Agricultural by-products
CATEGORY 2 NATURALLY GROWN
MATERIAL RESOURCES
CATEGORY 3CULTIVATED BUILDING
MATERIALS
| 98 |
MATERIALITY
CATEGORY 1ON SITE MATERIALS
Earth
G | Floor extention board
A | Overlap adobe
B | Reinforceable Insulation adobe
C | Wood overlap block
D | Connection block
E | Overlap connector block
F | Reinforcable corner block
H | Reinforcement / Hinge pins
Foundation
Slate / Natural rocks
Cedar Wood
Bamboo
Corn
Agricultural by-products
CATEGORY 2 NATURALLY GROWN
MATERIAL RESOURCES
CATEGORY 3CULTIVATED BUILDING
MATERIALS
| 104 |
01 02
03 04
05 06
SITE SELECTION
KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY SITE SAFETY
MAKING BUILDING BLOCKS SUSTENANCE!
KNOW YOUR NATURAL RESOURCES
07FOUNDATION
Materials on SiteAgricultural Products
Cultivated natural materials
What to wearPrecautions
Tools you will need
Culture and LifestyleThe Vernacular dwellingForming a barter system
Plot SelectionLand Preparation
Space for future expansion
ExcavationMaterials used
Material PreparationTips for stability
Himachali Dham(Traditional lentil and rice recipe)
AdobeWood blocks
Bamboo Corncrete
Wood foam
HarvestingProcessingRefinement
Uses
Fig 7.7 |Revised manual table of contents
| 105 |
08
09 10
11 12
FLOOR SYSTEMS
WALL SYSTEMS
HEATING SYSTEM ORNAMENTATION
ROOF FRAMING
13 14HOUSE LAYOUT OPEN SOURCE FORUM
Laying out Exterior WallsLaying out Interior Walls
Wall variationsExpansion systems
Roofing Prep WorkBamboo Trusses
SkylightsWater Collection
Bamboo Primary Grid SystemBamboo Secondary Grid
Wood Flooring Boards
The JaliOrnamental PanelsStaircase, Ramps
Partitions
Rocket Mass HeatingRocket Stove
Proposed House FormLayout VariationsMulti-Core Homes
ExperimentationWhat WorkedWhat Didn’tComments
Fig 7.8 |Revised manual table of contents
| 106 |
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
1
2
3 4
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
RECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPE THE MIX
TECHNICAL MANUAL | DEVELOPMENT
Fig 7.9 |Technical manual | Material processing
| 107 |
1
2
34
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE ADOBE
1. Earth2. Sand3. Straw4. Water5. Adobe mix6. Hydrafoam processor7. Interlock adobe8. Interlock adobe variation9. Reinforce-adobe10. Biological nutrients
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE [ Adobe is not software ] THE MIX
Fig 8.0 |Technical manual | Material processing
| 108 |
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE
TEST THE MIX!
[ Adobe is not software ]
Shovel dirt onto the screen
[ Add water to taste ]
BORA - Wheat bag
Ready to use in “x” days
Elementary
Screened dirt ready for mix!
THE MIXRECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE [ Adobe is not software ] THE MIX
Fig 8.1 |Technical manual | Material processing
| 109 |
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE
It is very important to have a thoroughly homogenous mixture. Mix dry, mix wet and remix before you use the earth mix!
ADOBE
Add enough water to moisten the soil mix
TEST : First step
A handful of the mix, when pressed forms a ball that doesn’t wet the palm
Drop the ball from a few feet above ground level
Too Dry Just right Too wet
TESTING THE MIX
!Fig 8.2 |Technical manual | Material processing
| 110 |
Shovel dirt onto the screen Screened dirt ready for mix!
Let it sun dry for about 3 - 4 weeks
HANDMADE ADOBE
Wet the mold before you chuck the mix in. The mix has to be just the right consistency. Too wet and it will slouch. Too dry and it will refuse to come out of the mold!
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE
Fig 8.3 |Technical manual | Material processing
| 111 |
Adobe Mix : Clay, Concrete, sand,fibers and water
Adding water to get the right consistency
Adobe Mold
Adobe Mold Fresh out of the mold adobes Partially dry adobes
HANDMADE ADOBEEXPERIMENT
This experiment included the use of additional materials like concrete and fibers to accelerate the drying process.!
CONSTRUCTION ADOBE
Fig 8.4 |Adobe Experiment
| 112 |
Adobe Mold
OVER LAP ADOBE
INSULATION REINFORCE ADOBE
ADOBES JOINED VERTICALLY WITH CLAR MORTAR
ADOBES CONNECTED HORIZONTALLY WITH LAP
JOINTS
ADOBES CONNECTED ON FLAT HORIZONTAL SIDE
WITH MORTAR
MAKING A WALLCONSTRUCTION ADOBE
Fig 8.5 |Technical manual | Proposed adobe wall course
| 113 |
TYPICAL ADOBE COURSE
WINDOW VARIATION WALL
Bamboo Reinforcement
A typical adobe course would comprise of the reinforce adobe to be sandwiched in between rows of the overlap adobe. These can typically be stacked for a one-storey structure without any additional support.To go higher, bamboo reinforcements need to be passed through the reinforce adobes.
More wall variations can be achieved by removing adobes to create niches or to create a brick jali pattern!
MAKING A WALLCONSTRUCTION ADOBE
For a window in an adobe wall, simple skip the bricks in place of the opening. To finish the opening, you can either finish the jagged edges with clay mortar.Additionally, a wooden frame can be added to support a window
Fig 8.6 |Technical manual | Proposed adobe wall course
| 114 |
OPENSOURCE
WHAT WORKED?
WHAT DIDN’T?
ADOBEADOBEADOBE [ Adobe is not software ] THE MIX
Fig 8.7 |Technical manual | Open source page
| 117 |
Fig 8.8 |Final boards | Site study
A Renaissance of Vernacular Eco-Architecture Self-Built housing in Bir, India
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
Deteriorating conditions of the environment as a result of the adoption of the industrialized building industry which has resulted in the decline of natural building practices and the use of sustainable materials. Additionally, developing nations, that are facing an affordable housing crises, are affected severely by the western housing model. Being unprepared to manage the aftermath of western building construction, these nations experience the most grave environ-
mental degeneration and resource depletion. Further, owing to this westernization, these nations are losing their character, identity and social nature of housing and community.
The proposal puts forth the idea of sustainable self-built houses and managing one’s own building ma-terials being an “option” in a world where buying houses is commonly observed. To bring into practice,
the rare combination of owner-builder-designer-master craftsman, all to a human and livable scale. Acknowledging the role that individualism plays in a house design and how it needs to address the
ever-changing needs of a human being. Additionally, sustainability can be achieved by revolutionizing the perception and use of building materials. While using local, sustainable harvested materials, and
purchasing only the essential manufactured building materials enhances the sustainability of the struc-ture, a fresh perspective on building materials is proposed biological products could become a major resource for the construction industry. This entails that people could potentially grow and their own
building materials to address their ever changing housing needs thereby, “Growing their own homes”
Material Resources
WOOD
STONE
EARTH
BAMBOO
SLATE
GRANITE
STONE
CULTIVATE
HARVEST
PROCESS
ORNAMENTATION
AGRICULTURISTS
FARMERS
WOOD WORKERS
SCULPTORS
Local skills and assets
BARTER SYSTEM
SUSTAINABLEEARTHQUAKE PROOFINDIVIDUALTIYTRIPLE BOTTOM ECONOMICS
COMMUNITYBUILDING
AESTHITICALLY PLEASING
ANCIENT TECHNIQUES OF CONTRUCTION IN BIR
Challenge posed by the issue
How the issue impacts the society
Exploratory Studies
Empirical Research
The environmental Imperitive Losing Individuality and culture Lack of housing option for people that cannot afford to buy houses
What makes these techniques successful?
Kath - KuniStone carving Dhajji Dewari Wooden carving
Allows movement during seismic
activities
Resilient, Insulative Low seismic impact due to constructuion in
sections
Aesthetically Appealing
WesternInfluence
Social Status:Vernacular = Primitive
Lack of skill Lack of awareness of local resources
UnfinessedWeak UnsustainableVulnerable
strategy for sustainable communitydriven development.
HOW TO LINK MICRO-ASSETS TO THE MACRO-ENVIRONMENT?
Why aren’t these techniques common practice anymore?
Current form of housing in Bir
How could one address this issue?
ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Issue
Bir is a village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh innorthern India. Bir is a noted centre for ecotourism, spiritual studies, and meditation.
Bir is also home to a Tibetan refugee settlement with several Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa.
Bir is located at in the Tehsil (administrative subdivision) of Baijnath, in the District of Kangra in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated approximately 50 km (31 mi) southeast of
Dharamshala at a distance of two to three hours by road. It is 14 km south of Billing, which lies on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal. Geologically, Bir is situated in the Joginder Nagar Valley, Dhauladhar Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. Bir,
along with the whole Kangra Valley is extremely earthquake prone.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable organisation devoted to education and empowerment for compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, contempla-
tive service-learning, immersive ecotourism, and the preservation and adaptation of traditional
wisdom.
MissionDharmalaya’s mission is to unite the best of traditional wisdom with creative innovation to
produce compelling possibilities for sustainable and compassionate living in the Himalayas and beyond.
VisionThey envision local and global communities that apply humanity’s gifts of intelligence, creativ-ity, and caring to synthesize the very best of both tradition and modernity, particularly as man-
ifest in ecological sustainability, applied compassion, and shared prosperity
Dharmalaya Institute offers volunteer and service-learning opportunities through activities including natural building (eco-friendly earthen architecture), organic farming and landscap-
ing, and other fields related to sustainable and compassionate living. A few years ago, I got the opportunity to volunteer at Dharmalaya and help the locals build
their own houses. This experience proved to be a platform of knowledge exchange where the volunteers got to work with the locals and learn indigenous construction techniques from
them and in turn got to help them refine these techniques based on modern day construction principles.
The Site
Dharmalaya
Volunteering Opportunity
Thesis Statement
Proposed form of dwelling
Design StrategiesResearch
Effects of the west on the east
Why natural Buildings?
Decline of natural buildings
The vanishing vernacular
Industrialized evolution of buildings and perception of people
Architecture as identity and classism
House Design and Individualism
Rational and expandable home layout
Building materials - Local, sustainable, harvested materials
Industrializing natural resources - Growing building materials
Revisiting affordability
Natural buildings and their inextricable connection to sustainability
Natural materials and the reality of their specification
Restrictions of using non-industrial methods in an industrial environment
A look at the present in developing countries
Architects – qualifications, responsibilities and professional conduct
Not everybody can afford an architect
Can home owners build their own home?
Social hierarchy and status symbol
Site Planning
Natural rivers
Khul Irrigation canals
ArchitecturalInfrastructure
Single Unit Homes
Community Homes
Forest Area
Volunteering at Dharmalaya
Construction at the Dharmalaya institute
Pahadi women engaged in daily chores
Wood working practices in Bir
Argicultural Area
Social Spaces
“Here, for years, for centuries, the peasant had wisely and quietly exploited the obvious building material, while we, with our modern school-learned ideas, never
dreamed of using such a ludicrous substance as mud for so serous a creation as a house. But why not? Certainly, the peasant’s houses might by cramped, dark, and inconvenient, but this is no fault of the mud brick. There was nothing that could not be put right by good design and a
broom.”- Fathy ( 1973 : 4)
| 118 |
A Renaissance of Vernacular Eco-Architecture Self-Built housing in Bir, India
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
Deteriorating conditions of the environment as a result of the adoption of the industrialized building industry which has resulted in the decline of natural building practices and the use of sustainable materials. Additionally, developing nations, that are facing an affordable housing crises, are affected severely by the western housing model. Being unprepared to manage the aftermath of western building construction, these nations experience the most grave environ-
mental degeneration and resource depletion. Further, owing to this westernization, these nations are losing their character, identity and social nature of housing and community.
The proposal puts forth the idea of sustainable self-built houses and managing one’s own building ma-terials being an “option” in a world where buying houses is commonly observed. To bring into practice,
the rare combination of owner-builder-designer-master craftsman, all to a human and livable scale. Acknowledging the role that individualism plays in a house design and how it needs to address the
ever-changing needs of a human being. Additionally, sustainability can be achieved by revolutionizing the perception and use of building materials. While using local, sustainable harvested materials, and
purchasing only the essential manufactured building materials enhances the sustainability of the struc-ture, a fresh perspective on building materials is proposed biological products could become a major resource for the construction industry. This entails that people could potentially grow and their own
building materials to address their ever changing housing needs thereby, “Growing their own homes”
Material Resources
WOOD
STONE
EARTH
BAMBOO
SLATE
GRANITE
STONE
CULTIVATE
HARVEST
PROCESS
ORNAMENTATION
AGRICULTURISTS
FARMERS
WOOD WORKERS
SCULPTORS
Local skills and assets
BARTER SYSTEM
SUSTAINABLEEARTHQUAKE PROOFINDIVIDUALTIYTRIPLE BOTTOM ECONOMICS
COMMUNITYBUILDING
AESTHITICALLY PLEASING
ANCIENT TECHNIQUES OF CONTRUCTION IN BIR
Challenge posed by the issue
How the issue impacts the society
Exploratory Studies
Empirical Research
The environmental Imperitive Losing Individuality and culture Lack of housing option for people that cannot afford to buy houses
What makes these techniques successful?
Kath - KuniStone carving Dhajji Dewari Wooden carving
Allows movement during seismic
activities
Resilient, Insulative Low seismic impact due to constructuion in
sections
Aesthetically Appealing
WesternInfluence
Social Status:Vernacular = Primitive
Lack of skill Lack of awareness of local resources
UnfinessedWeak UnsustainableVulnerable
strategy for sustainable communitydriven development.
HOW TO LINK MICRO-ASSETS TO THE MACRO-ENVIRONMENT?
Why aren’t these techniques common practice anymore?
Current form of housing in Bir
How could one address this issue?
ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Issue
Bir is a village located in the west of Joginder Nagar Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh innorthern India. Bir is a noted centre for ecotourism, spiritual studies, and meditation.
Bir is also home to a Tibetan refugee settlement with several Buddhist monasteries and a large stupa.
Bir is located at in the Tehsil (administrative subdivision) of Baijnath, in the District of Kangra in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated approximately 50 km (31 mi) southeast of
Dharamshala at a distance of two to three hours by road. It is 14 km south of Billing, which lies on the way to the Thamsar Pass leading to Bara Bhangal. Geologically, Bir is situated in the Joginder Nagar Valley, Dhauladhar Range of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. Bir,
along with the whole Kangra Valley is extremely earthquake prone.
Dharmalaya is an Indian charitable organisation devoted to education and empowerment for compassionate living, with a practical focus on sustainable village development, contempla-
tive service-learning, immersive ecotourism, and the preservation and adaptation of traditional
wisdom.
MissionDharmalaya’s mission is to unite the best of traditional wisdom with creative innovation to
produce compelling possibilities for sustainable and compassionate living in the Himalayas and beyond.
VisionThey envision local and global communities that apply humanity’s gifts of intelligence, creativ-ity, and caring to synthesize the very best of both tradition and modernity, particularly as man-
ifest in ecological sustainability, applied compassion, and shared prosperity
Dharmalaya Institute offers volunteer and service-learning opportunities through activities including natural building (eco-friendly earthen architecture), organic farming and landscap-
ing, and other fields related to sustainable and compassionate living. A few years ago, I got the opportunity to volunteer at Dharmalaya and help the locals build
their own houses. This experience proved to be a platform of knowledge exchange where the volunteers got to work with the locals and learn indigenous construction techniques from
them and in turn got to help them refine these techniques based on modern day construction principles.
The Site
Dharmalaya
Volunteering Opportunity
Thesis Statement
Proposed form of dwelling
Design StrategiesResearch
Effects of the west on the east
Why natural Buildings?
Decline of natural buildings
The vanishing vernacular
Industrialized evolution of buildings and perception of people
Architecture as identity and classism
House Design and Individualism
Rational and expandable home layout
Building materials - Local, sustainable, harvested materials
Industrializing natural resources - Growing building materials
Revisiting affordability
Natural buildings and their inextricable connection to sustainability
Natural materials and the reality of their specification
Restrictions of using non-industrial methods in an industrial environment
A look at the present in developing countries
Architects – qualifications, responsibilities and professional conduct
Not everybody can afford an architect
Can home owners build their own home?
Social hierarchy and status symbol
Site Planning
Natural rivers
Khul Irrigation canals
ArchitecturalInfrastructure
Single Unit Homes
Community Homes
Forest Area
Volunteering at Dharmalaya
Construction at the Dharmalaya institute
Pahadi women engaged in daily chores
Wood working practices in Bir
Argicultural Area
Social Spaces
“Here, for years, for centuries, the peasant had wisely and quietly exploited the obvious building material, while we, with our modern school-learned ideas, never
dreamed of using such a ludicrous substance as mud for so serous a creation as a house. But why not? Certainly, the peasant’s houses might by cramped, dark, and inconvenient, but this is no fault of the mud brick. There was nothing that could not be put right by good design and a
broom.”- Fathy ( 1973 : 4)
| 119 |
Fig 8.9 |Final boards | Systems and structure
Bamboo Roof Detail
Bamboo Joinery
Adobe Modules
Wood Block Modules
Overlap
Bamboo Beam
Bamboo Roof Framing
Bamboo Roof Framing
Expansion
Reinforced
Expansion
Expansion
Footing
Footing
Bamboo pile
Bamboo pile
Stone Plinth
Stone Plinth
Reinforced
Filler
Foundation to Plinth
Foundation Detail
Systems and StructureConstruction Strategy
Flexible construction system to allow movement in case of an earthquake. Modular system to allow expansion and modifications. Floor system: Bamboo cross beams resting on the walls. 1 inch dia bamboo rafters rest on beam structure. This struc-ture supports wooden floor boards
Potential Issues
1. Walls not being levelled and this results in an uneven level finish of the entrire building2. Not being able to go higher than two storeys3. Air gaps4. lack of insulation5. Racking of structure.
Proposed Solutions
1. To level out the foundation surface evenly with the use of adobes and mortar so that all the walls are levelled. 2. Thick walls ensure stability and insulation3. Bamboo reinforcement that connects on each level and to the flooring right down to the foundation level allows the walls to go higher than two storeys.
Rocket mass heater and rocket stove
A rocket mass heater is a space heating system developed from the rocket stove, a type of efficient wood-burning stove, and the masonry heater. Its fundamental characteristics are an insulated combustion chamber where fuel (generally wood) is burned with high efficiency at extremely high temperatures, and a large thermal mass in contact with the exhaust gases which absorbs most of the generated heat before the gases are released to the atmosphere
The rocket mass heater in the housing unit also serves as a rocket stove. The heat from the heating chamber rises through steel pipes and is channeled into an earthen mass which serves as a stove top for cooking. the rest of the heat rises and is distributed to the rest of the house through vents and heated masses facilitated by steel pipes.
An internal vertical insulated chimney, the combustion chamber, ensures an efficient high-temperature burn and creates enough draft to push exhaust gases through the rest of the system
The house form
The house plan has been oriented and planned based on a Mandala since most of the villagers are predominantly hindu and some buddhists. The mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the universe. In common use, a mandala is used as a diagram, chart or a geometric pattern that rep-resents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically .The basic form of a mandala is a square with one focal centre point. This cosmic grid systematically structures the housing unit. Hindu homes, are especially planned based on vastu shastra, which is similar to fengshui. Vastu Shastra gives the directive princi-ples regarding construction of buildings so as not to displease the Vastu Purusha who is a mythical cosmic super human created by the hindu gods. The pro-portions of this superhuman fit the mandala in a way where it dictates the planning of each room of the house.
Heat map on ground floor
Axonometric showing heat distribution
Heat map on first floor
Rocket mass heater
Section through heating chamber
Rocket stove
Ground floor plan First floor plan
Grey water flows into kuhl canal
Legend
1. Space for cattle
2. Storage
3. Animal wash
4. Heating chamber
5. Living room
6. Bathroom
7. Kitchen and dining
8. Verandah
1
23
4
5
67
8
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
| 120 |
Bamboo Roof Detail
Bamboo Joinery
Adobe Modules
Wood Block Modules
Overlap
Bamboo Beam
Bamboo Roof Framing
Bamboo Roof Framing
Expansion
Reinforced
Expansion
Expansion
Footing
Footing
Bamboo pile
Bamboo pile
Stone Plinth
Stone Plinth
Reinforced
Filler
Foundation to Plinth
Foundation Detail
Systems and StructureConstruction Strategy
Flexible construction system to allow movement in case of an earthquake. Modular system to allow expansion and modifications. Floor system: Bamboo cross beams resting on the walls. 1 inch dia bamboo rafters rest on beam structure. This struc-ture supports wooden floor boards
Potential Issues
1. Walls not being levelled and this results in an uneven level finish of the entrire building2. Not being able to go higher than two storeys3. Air gaps4. lack of insulation5. Racking of structure.
Proposed Solutions
1. To level out the foundation surface evenly with the use of adobes and mortar so that all the walls are levelled. 2. Thick walls ensure stability and insulation3. Bamboo reinforcement that connects on each level and to the flooring right down to the foundation level allows the walls to go higher than two storeys.
Rocket mass heater and rocket stove
A rocket mass heater is a space heating system developed from the rocket stove, a type of efficient wood-burning stove, and the masonry heater. Its fundamental characteristics are an insulated combustion chamber where fuel (generally wood) is burned with high efficiency at extremely high temperatures, and a large thermal mass in contact with the exhaust gases which absorbs most of the generated heat before the gases are released to the atmosphere
The rocket mass heater in the housing unit also serves as a rocket stove. The heat from the heating chamber rises through steel pipes and is channeled into an earthen mass which serves as a stove top for cooking. the rest of the heat rises and is distributed to the rest of the house through vents and heated masses facilitated by steel pipes.
An internal vertical insulated chimney, the combustion chamber, ensures an efficient high-temperature burn and creates enough draft to push exhaust gases through the rest of the system
The house form
The house plan has been oriented and planned based on a Mandala since most of the villagers are predominantly hindu and some buddhists. The mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the universe. In common use, a mandala is used as a diagram, chart or a geometric pattern that rep-resents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically .The basic form of a mandala is a square with one focal centre point. This cosmic grid systematically structures the housing unit. Hindu homes, are especially planned based on vastu shastra, which is similar to fengshui. Vastu Shastra gives the directive princi-ples regarding construction of buildings so as not to displease the Vastu Purusha who is a mythical cosmic super human created by the hindu gods. The pro-portions of this superhuman fit the mandala in a way where it dictates the planning of each room of the house.
Heat map on ground floor
Axonometric showing heat distribution
Heat map on first floor
Rocket mass heater
Section through heating chamber
Rocket stove
Ground floor plan First floor plan
Grey water flows into kuhl canal
Legend
1. Space for cattle
2. Storage
3. Animal wash
4. Heating chamber
5. Living room
6. Bathroom
7. Kitchen and dining
8. Verandah
1
23
4
5
67
8
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
| 123 |
Ornamentation and Self-Expression
The Jali
Jali can be described as a perforated screen, usually with an ornamental pattern. Containing minute carved, delicate geometrical and floral designs, these perforated screens become an integral component of self-expression of the dwellings of the people of Bir.
The jali is proposed to be an effective element replacing modern day glass for a transparent view and yet improving on the glass by controlling glare and allowing breeze.
The jali helps the inhabitants with better aesthetic grace as well as with managing the environment within socio-cultural denominations of privacy and security.
The proposed low cost Jali module, also serves as a window, giving the inhabitant more control over the atmosphere they desire.
Carved Panels
The ornate nature of the vernacular houses in Bir, take after their temples. A wooden temple is a subtle reproduction of a deodar tree in form and spirit. If nature has bestowed deodar tree to conceptualize a temple, the people of Bir believe that man has contributed his artistic talent, ingenuity and skill to make it beautiful. Thus, a wooden temple identifies itself with the divine wood, not only materially and externally, butspiritually and internally.
The knowledge and skill of woodworking has hence been passed on from generation to generation, thus building a community full of skilled woodworkers. This gives theinhabitants of the dwelling the means to decorate their space with their idea of representation.
The Staircase Module
The staircase module can easily be made by assembling rounded wooden panels in an overlapping pattern and passing a dowel through the holes in these overlapping areas.
This modular and flexible typology creates a system that is multi-purpose, multi-functional, and resistant to seismic forces since it allows movement.
This module has been proposed primarily to act as a modular staircase where heights can be added or adjusted as required by the inhabitants. It can also serve as a ramp, furniture and partitions.
This staircase module gets attached to a wood plate that is mounted on the wall with bolts, allowing easy renovations in the future. The protruding dowels creates an opportunity for innovative solutions for handrails. The bamboo handrail proposed, allows for the dowel to pass through it and latches on to the ceiling, creating a safe perforated screen effect.
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers VarlandFig 9.1 |Final boards | Ornamentation
| 125 |
1
2
34
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE ADOBE
1. Earth2. Sand3. Straw4. Water5. Adobe mix6. Hydrafoam processor7. Interlock adobe8. Interlock adobe variation9. Reinforce-adobe10. Biological nutrients
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE [ Adobe is not software ] THE MIXRECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
1
2
3 4
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
RECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPE THE MIXRECIPERECIPE RECIPE BAMBOORECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPE
Material resources and processing
Earth Wood Bamboo
Single Level Expansion Multi Level Expansion Community blocks
Dwelling expansion patterns
Site Section
Site planning phases
Phase 1: Khul irrigation canal
Phase 4: Grey water system
Phase 2: Natural Resources
Phase 5: Road Network
Phase 3: Agriculture
Phase 6: Social Spaces
Phase 4: House location
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
Fig 9.3 |Final boards | Site section
| 126 |
1
2
34
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE ADOBE
1. Earth2. Sand3. Straw4. Water5. Adobe mix6. Hydrafoam processor7. Interlock adobe8. Interlock adobe variation9. Reinforce-adobe10. Biological nutrients
RECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE [ Adobe is not software ] THE MIXRECIPE ADOBERECIPE ADOBE
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
1
2
3 4
6
7
9
10
5
8
RECIPE WOOD FOAM
1. Resource cultivation2. Tree logs3. Wood chips4. Water5. Fibrilation process6. Foaming agent7. Thermal treatment8. Cultivated building element9. Biological decomposition10. Biological nutrients
RECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPE THE MIXRECIPERECIPE RECIPE BAMBOORECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPERECIPE
Material resources and processing
Earth Wood Bamboo
Single Level Expansion Multi Level Expansion Community blocks
Dwelling expansion patterns
Site Section
Site planning phases
Phase 1: Khul irrigation canal
Phase 4: Grey water system
Phase 2: Natural Resources
Phase 5: Road Network
Phase 3: Agriculture
Phase 6: Social Spaces
Phase 4: House location
Ankita Gandhi
ARCH 799: Graduate Architecture Studio
Thesis II, Spring 2019
Prof. Julie Rogers Varland
| 127 |
“Small Pleasures of life”
- Peter and Alison Smithson
What are the small pleasures of life?
- To see the sunlight spread across the floor
- To stand inside your dwelling and look out without glare
- To look at mountains, vegeta-tion, trees, while sitting
- To be in a warm and cozy space in the cold months of winter
- To sit and eat a meal with your family
- To read a book or write by a window with creepers
People that live closely with their
animals
Nearly 90% of the population in Himachal Pradesh is spread in small villages. The rural population has traditionally depended upon agriculture and animal husbundary as prime economic activities . Thepatterns of the built forms and settlements reflect the centrality of these activities.
For the people of Bir, the animals are not just a source of income, but are members of the family. They work and dwell with them and are a part of several recreational activities and religious practices.
Asset Based Community
Development
The community of Bir comprises primarily of agriculturists, farmers, wood workers and sculptors. They follow a sustainable community driven development by identifying andmobilizing existing, but often unrecognized assets, and thereby responding to and creating local economic opportunity.
Aesthetics of craftsmanship
Fashioned out of a limited palette of materials, tools and construction techniques, the indigenous houses of Himachal reflect not just remarkable thematic unity of material practice but also exhibit a range of creative details from wood carving, joinery, surface articulation, door handles that are all an integral part of building construction. Each detail is justified functionally which shows the material sensibility and ingenuity in handling.
The Verandah
“The best part of the present house is the
veranda,” the U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes journaled in 1873. “But I would enlarge it. I want a veranda with a house
attached.”
The verandah makes up an integral part of the house that lets its inhabitants embrace indoor-outdoor living. The aspectss that the villagers of Bir dream of having as a part of their dwelling space is mainly natural light and large openings.
The Verandah facilitates that by providing abundant natural light and views to the Holy mountains through the pivoting Jali system.
The jali helps the inhabitants with better aesthetic grace as well as with managing the en-vironment within socio-cultural denominations of privacy and security.
The Simple Pleasures of Life
The western-central Himalaya’s native heritage of aseismic construction is being rapidly lost, due to theincreasing numbers of reinforced cement concrete structures. This decline is due to a variety of factors, including changing cultural values, demographic and economic transitions, and rural development programmes.
This change has resulted in a loss of traditional functional and ornamental features like the Jali and other elements of self expression.
The proposal puts forward an idea of a space that brings back the vernacular features combined with an aseismic building typology, thereby letting the villagers experience “ The simple pleasurs of life”
Fig 9.5 |Final boards | Verandah render
Fig 9.4 |Final boards | First floor render
| 128 |
“Small Pleasures of life”
- Peter and Alison Smithson
What are the small pleasures of life?
- To see the sunlight spread across the floor
- To stand inside your dwelling and look out without glare
- To look at mountains, vegeta-tion, trees, while sitting
- To be in a warm and cozy space in the cold months of winter
- To sit and eat a meal with your family
- To read a book or write by a window with creepers
People that live closely with their
animals
Nearly 90% of the population in Himachal Pradesh is spread in small villages. The rural population has traditionally depended upon agriculture and animal husbundary as prime economic activities . Thepatterns of the built forms and settlements reflect the centrality of these activities.
For the people of Bir, the animals are not just a source of income, but are members of the family. They work and dwell with them and are a part of several recreational activities and religious practices.
Asset Based Community
Development
The community of Bir comprises primarily of agriculturists, farmers, wood workers and sculptors. They follow a sustainable community driven development by identifying andmobilizing existing, but often unrecognized assets, and thereby responding to and creating local economic opportunity.
Aesthetics of craftsmanship
Fashioned out of a limited palette of materials, tools and construction techniques, the indigenous houses of Himachal reflect not just remarkable thematic unity of material practice but also exhibit a range of creative details from wood carving, joinery, surface articulation, door handles that are all an integral part of building construction. Each detail is justified functionally which shows the material sensibility and ingenuity in handling.
The Verandah
“The best part of the present house is the
veranda,” the U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes journaled in 1873. “But I would enlarge it. I want a veranda with a house
attached.”
The verandah makes up an integral part of the house that lets its inhabitants embrace indoor-outdoor living. The aspectss that the villagers of Bir dream of having as a part of their dwelling space is mainly natural light and large openings.
The Verandah facilitates that by providing abundant natural light and views to the Holy mountains through the pivoting Jali system.
The jali helps the inhabitants with better aesthetic grace as well as with managing the en-vironment within socio-cultural denominations of privacy and security.
The Simple Pleasures of Life
The western-central Himalaya’s native heritage of aseismic construction is being rapidly lost, due to theincreasing numbers of reinforced cement concrete structures. This decline is due to a variety of factors, including changing cultural values, demographic and economic transitions, and rural development programmes.
This change has resulted in a loss of traditional functional and ornamental features like the Jali and other elements of self expression.
The proposal puts forward an idea of a space that brings back the vernacular features combined with an aseismic building typology, thereby letting the villagers experience “ The simple pleasurs of life”
Fig 9.7 |Final boards | Verandah render
Fig 9.6 |Final boards | Dining area render
| 129 |
“Small Pleasures of life”
- Peter and Alison Smithson
What are the small pleasures of life?
- To see the sunlight spread across the floor
- To stand inside your dwelling and look out without glare
- To look at mountains, vegeta-tion, trees, while sitting
- To be in a warm and cozy space in the cold months of winter
- To sit and eat a meal with your family
- To read a book or write by a window with creepers
People that live closely with their
animals
Nearly 90% of the population in Himachal Pradesh is spread in small villages. The rural population has traditionally depended upon agriculture and animal husbundary as prime economic activities . Thepatterns of the built forms and settlements reflect the centrality of these activities.
For the people of Bir, the animals are not just a source of income, but are members of the family. They work and dwell with them and are a part of several recreational activities and religious practices.
Asset Based Community
Development
The community of Bir comprises primarily of agriculturists, farmers, wood workers and sculptors. They follow a sustainable community driven development by identifying andmobilizing existing, but often unrecognized assets, and thereby responding to and creating local economic opportunity.
Aesthetics of craftsmanship
Fashioned out of a limited palette of materials, tools and construction techniques, the indigenous houses of Himachal reflect not just remarkable thematic unity of material practice but also exhibit a range of creative details from wood carving, joinery, surface articulation, door handles that are all an integral part of building construction. Each detail is justified functionally which shows the material sensibility and ingenuity in handling.
Fig 9.8 |Final boards | Exterior render
| 130 |
“Small Pleasures of life”
- Peter and Alison Smithson
What are the small pleasures of life?
- To see the sunlight spread across the floor
- To stand inside your dwelling and look out without glare
- To look at mountains, vegeta-tion, trees, while sitting
- To be in a warm and cozy space in the cold months of winter
- To sit and eat a meal with your family
- To read a book or write by a window with creepers
People that live closely with their
animals
Nearly 90% of the population in Himachal Pradesh is spread in small villages. The rural population has traditionally depended upon agriculture and animal husbundary as prime economic activities . Thepatterns of the built forms and settlements reflect the centrality of these activities.
For the people of Bir, the animals are not just a source of income, but are members of the family. They work and dwell with them and are a part of several recreational activities and religious practices.
Asset Based Community
Development
The community of Bir comprises primarily of agriculturists, farmers, wood workers and sculptors. They follow a sustainable community driven development by identifying andmobilizing existing, but often unrecognized assets, and thereby responding to and creating local economic opportunity.
Aesthetics of craftsmanship
Fashioned out of a limited palette of materials, tools and construction techniques, the indigenous houses of Himachal reflect not just remarkable thematic unity of material practice but also exhibit a range of creative details from wood carving, joinery, surface articulation, door handles that are all an integral part of building construction. Each detail is justified functionally which shows the material sensibility and ingenuity in handling.
| 134 |
Fig 10.2 |Exhibition | Study models and sketches
Fig 10.1 |Exhibition | Quotes and site section panel
| 135 |
Fig 10.4 |Exhibition | 1/2 scale wall model
Fig 10.3 |Exhibition | Render panel and study modelsnders
| 136 |
Fig 10.5 |Exhibition | Systems and structure and render panels
Fig 10.6 |Exhibition | study model and sketches
| 137 |
Fig 10.8 |Exhibition | Jali study model and staircase module
Fig 10.7 |Exhibition | Jali pattern sketches
| 142 |
Through this exploration and a series of
experiments, I have been able to experience
the art and joy of building manually using
resources that are readily available and are
hence extremely cost effective. It also instilled
a sense of pride and bolstered my knowledge
about the construction methodologies.
Along with the dream to strengthen the skills
from my volunteering and natural building
opportunities, I aspire to continue to learn
more about sustainable and regenerative
structures. This thesis has helped me realize
that with constant research and
determination, I will someday be able to help
people build their own homes. I know my future
is in design innovation, bringing solutions that
improve the local and global environments.
| 143 |
B I B L I O G R A P H Y
1 4
Fig 11.2 |Vernacular home in Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh, India
| 144 |
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