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GUJARAT ARCHITECTURE
- PRIYANKA GUPTA
A Report on
STUDY OF
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
Subject In charge
AR. KAJAL ARSHI
Submitted by:
PRIYANKA GUPTA: - 21020
Batch 2010
Department of Architecture
CANDIDATES DECLARATION
I hereby certify that the work which is being presented in this report entitled STUDY
OF URBAN Bhunga Houses AND RURAL Bhunga Houses OF GUJARAT is an
authentic record of my own work under the guidance of Ar Kajal Arshi.
Priyanka Gupta
Roll No.21020/10
University Reg. No. 100312036020
This is to certify that the above statement made by the candidate to the best of my
knowledge is true.
Ar. Kajal Arshi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the people who helped in different
capacities at various stages that led to the completion of this report.
My earnest gratitude to my teacher Ar. Kajal Arshi, whose knowledge and support,
guided me with constant encouragement and imperative directions throughout.
I am grateful to my parents, Mr. Ramesh Kumar Gupta and Mrs. Santosh Gupta, for
always supporting me.
I am indebted to my friends who have always helped me.
ABSTRACT
GUJARAT, being the semi arid state of India, contrasts the architecture of
Urban and Rural development in the region. On one side, where the Urban
Development contrasts the use of Modern Building Techniques in a formal
and decorative style, the Rural Development of Kutch District highlights
the use of vernacular materials in a prominent way making it much and
more earthy and beautiful.
This research includes various case studies. The analysis encompasses
projects that aim at the transmission of self-construction techniques either
through introduction of innovative technologies, or through reiteration of
existing building techniques comparing the Rural and Urban Building
typologies of Urban and Rural Gujarat.
For instance Bohra Havelis in Siddpur ( an urban development) and Nani
Daddhar, a settlement located in Banni region, was rebuilt following the
pre-existing village layout. New dwellings are recognizable thanks to a
different roof (tiles are now commonly used rather then thatch), while
they also appear to perfectly merge into the landscape. A sequence of
thatched and tiled roofs confirms the coexistence of old bhungas and new
ones, while the mural ornamentations provide a common cultural
background to both new and pre-existing houses.
Starting from such case studies, it was particularly interesting to foresee
the potential for development of earthen dwellings in regions where they
are already implemented and accepted by the inhabitants.
CONTENT
2.7
2.8
INTRODUCTION
LOCATION
CLIMATE SIGNIFICANCE
BUILDING TYPOLOGY
SPACE TERMINOLOGY
TYPOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
COMPARISON OF TYPICAL PLANS
COMPARISON OF TYPICAL FACADES
BUILDING MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
STREETS
STRUCTURE
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
LOCATION
CLIMATE SIGNIFICANCE
SETTLEMENT PATTERNS
TYPOLOGICAL FEATURES OF BHUNGA
BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
2.6.1 TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES
2.6.2 ALTERNATE TECHNOLOGIES
2.6.3 INFLUENCE OF ALTERNATE
TECHNOLOGIES ON LOCAL HABITAT
INTERVIEW WITH RESIDENT - SELF BUILDERS
TYPOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
The Bohra settlements are largely located in the central and northern parts of
Gujarat where the climate can be called extreme hot and dry.
The traditional habitats of Bohras in Gujarat, found in cities and towns
such as Surat, Siddhpur, Dahod, Godhra, Kapadvanj, Khamhbat,
Ahmedabad, Palanpur, Bhavnagar, Dholka, Surendranagar, Morbi,
Jamnagar.
1.2
LOCATION
The typical Bohra house is a long, narrow unit between two parallel walls
with various spaces in a hierarchical sequence
The sense of privacy increases as one goes away from the street into the
house.
6
Symmetrically and centrally placed doorways lead one from one space to
another.
The spatial activities in the house, particularly the ground floor, change
during the day.
The individual courtyard becomes an air and a light shaft where the cooler
air sink below and the hotter air escapes out of the roof.
The ground floor has a semi-enclosed space at the entrance that
permanently protects it from direct sunlight and rain.
Architectural projections provide shading and reduce sun exposure while
increasing the mass of the building group.
A sense of lofty spaciousness is achieved in the interiors without the loss
of the human scale.
Three to four storeys - high houses arranged in a high density layout.
A special indigenous element of an air-vent was found in some of the
houses and is used to bring cooler air into the house while avoiding the
sun.
Traditional houses in Gujarat are conspicous by the absence of furniture.
In all houses carpet were extensively used.
The open cupboards are used for displaying decorative objects besides
adding to the interior.
Many Bohra houses use the combination of pitched roofs and terraces to
minimize flat surfaces.
SECTION A-A
ORDO:
The most important space on the ground floor, very private and formal, used
for entertaining and welcoming family friends, sometimes used as a
sleeping space at night.
PARSAL:
An extension of the avas, the semi-enclosed space.
OTLA:
An open or semi-open space that serves as a connection between the
dwelling and the street, visual and symbolic rather than functional,
occasionally used by women in quiet afternoons.
PARSALI:
This is an ante space to the main room used for relaxing by women in the
afternoons.
AVAS:
The main family space and the focus of the house, ventilated by a skylight
at the top, usually includes the kitchen, store and the water place.
DELI:
The transitional space at the entrance acts as a screen between the private
and the public zones, includes the WC, the stairs and a window seat.
SECTION A-A
ELEVATION
10
SECTION A-A
ELEVATION
11
SURAT
SIDDHPUR
DAHOD
GODHRA
CAMBAY
KAPADVANJ
12
SURAT
GODHRA
DAHOD
KHAMBHAT
KAPADVANJ
SIDDHPUR
13
1.9
Brick was used mainly as a load bearing element and as in-fill and wood as
reinforcement to brick. This use helped reduce the thickness of walls.
Stone and brick was used for foundations that often were made with arches.
Wood was not abundantly available locally in Gujarat, it was extensively
used in the 18th and 19th centuries and was exported mostly from Burma
and the Malabar coast.
The masonry was plastered with lime plaster.
The most common technique of flooring was to lay bricks on wooden planks
with the help of lime mortar and then to do an IPS flooring.
In larger houses, the long wall had either brick or wooden columns attached
to it at intervals where the heavy bean met the walls.
Teak was preferred material in Gujarat used for doors and windows.
The elements such as columns, column capital and brackets were well
developed and were profusely ornamented.
The wooden pitched roofs with tiles are able to provide thermal insulation to
the spaces and reduce the transmission of heat.
The ornamental ceilings were made out of wood or Plaster of Paris.
New materials included cast iron mouldings and railings, glass panels,
ceramic tiles and G.I. sheets.
Its outlet was usually near the water place in the houses.
This water was used for drinking and cooking purposes throughout the year.
Fig.1.10: DOORS
1.10 STREETS
14
1.11 STRUCTURE
15
16
Fig.1.19: DOOR
Fig.1.20: FURNITURE
Fig.1.21: HANDLE
Fig.1.22: SHAFT
2.1
INTRODUCTION
The Bohra settlements are largely located in the central and northern parts of
Gujarat where the climate can be called extreme hot and dry.
The traditional habitats of bohras in Gujarat, found in cities and towns
such as Surat, Siddhpur, Dahod, Godhra, Kapadvanj, Khamhbat,
Ahmedabad, Palanpur, Bhavnagar, Dholka, Surendranagar, Morbi,
Jamnagar.
2.2
LOCATION
CLIMATE SIGNIFICANCE
2.3
18
2.4
SETTLEMENT PATTERNS
Until some decades ago most of the villages of Banni were characterized
by similar morphology. Often a village consisted of several small
clusters,usually separated by vegetal fences. The cluster structure aims at
the segregation of different castes or communities. A cluster usually
consists of a settlement providing shelter to six to ten families, each
familys dominion being well defined by raised platforms.
The cluster, the platform and the bhunga (a traditional dwelling with
cylindrical earthen walls and a conical thatched roof), are morphological
features typical of Bannis villages. In most cases a strongly defined
central space for community life is absent. Generally, free spaces between
different bhungas belonging to the same family are used as meeting
spaces, as well as for the familys outdoor activities. It is rare that the
entire community comes together. This generally happens only during
festivals.
19
2.5
The house unit is typically defined by the platform - otla - that is always
raised above the ground, from a few centimetres up to one meter. The otla
defines the domain of the home and the place for outdoor activities. On
this platform rest various structures composing the household: one or
more bhungas (generally up to three), circular houses with diameter
ranging between 3 and 6 meters, covered by a conical thatched roof.
A typical bhunga has a door and three or four small and low windows
symmetrically arranged around the door. In front of the door and against
the wall, lies a low platform, called pedlo, on which traditional furniture are
placed: chaosar kothalo or panjaro, manje, and sanjeero. The chaosar
kothalo, generally placed on the left, is plasterd with earth, and it is
decorated in relief with mirrors. It can be rectangular or cylindrical, and
serves as a grain-food container, while other food is placed on top of it
(butter, vegetables). The manje, placed at the center, is a carved wooden
furniture covered by a pile of patchworked embroidered fabrics - dhadkee produced by the women of the house. This pile increases gradually over
the years and is thoroughly covered with a piece of finely embroidered
fabric called dhadkla (literally, something that covers). The dhadkla is the
most valuable piece of the collection, and shall be brought in dowry from
the bride. To the right of the manje there is a rectangular furniture, known
as sanjero. This has a small front door and contains objects that are
20
21
2.6
BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
2.6.1 TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES
22
EARTH BLOCKS
23
o The blocks are shaped in wooden moulds. After removing the moulds,
they are left to dry and harden in the sun for a day on one side, and
then turned on the other side to dry faster. It takes two or three days to
complete this process. The average block size is 20x30x10 cm.
o Lintels and doors and window frames are inserted where necessary.
o A platform-otla-is then built using rubble stone and earth, up to a height
of about 45 cm. This is completed by a thin layer of mud, called lipan,
which is applied also on the walls of the bhunga to protect them at the
base.
24
25
o The joists vali - are fixed at the top of the cone mann- and to each other
with rope kathi .
o Culms of split bamboo - khapatis - fill the span between valis and are fixed
to them.
o Straw bundles kheep- are then tied to the roof structure starting from the
bottom.
o A ropes net is then dropped from the top of the roof in order to hold.
26
o In some cases the roof is supported by a taller central post that reaches
the plinth, instead of resting on the kingpost supported by a beam.
Instead of being supported on the wall, the beam -adi- can eventually rest
on two posts placed outside the wall, which are completely independent.
These members help to reduce or cancel the pressure on the two support
points of the beam on the wall, so that the wall bears a more uniform load.
o For the design of wall decorations, the walls of the bhunga are covered
with a paste made of donkey dung, earth and Fevicol (a glue). Decorative
patterns are incorporated onto this surface. For colors, minerals are
extracted from a dam near Khavda. These offer a range of five colors:
ochre, red, brown, white and dark gray. The minerals are milled, mixed
with water and used to paint the walls of the bhungas.
o Inside, the mural relief decorations are accompanied by functional
elements such as niches and shelves. The size of a bhunga may vary
depending on limitations imposed by the size of the available wooden
structural components, but generally the diameter ranges from 3 to 6 mt.
The shape of the buildings also varies: rectangular buildings like chowkis
display same materials and construction techniques, along with a pitched
roof.
o The source of materials may also vary. If the earth sourced from Banni is
suitable for mortar, more often local earth is used as a readily available
and appropriate material. Instead of cement mortar, a mixture of cow dung
and earth is also appropriate for foundations.
o Mangalore tiles are sometimes used as roofing components instead of
thatch. Although insulating performance is not the same, small openings
for ventilation can be left between tiles, while taking care to prevent water
seepage.
IN SITU:
Stack wall or in-situ is probably the most instinctive of the three construction
methods analysed. A mixture of clayey soil is moulded into loaves and stacked
using hands to create the wall of the bhunga. This process results in a very
27
resistant monolithic form. A mud coating is then applied to smoothen the surface.
Such dwellings are seen in the coastal village of Tunda Vandh.
o A mixture of dung and clayey earth is then applied onto the wooden structure.
This mixture is applied both inside and outside the membrane.
o The lipan, a smooth layer of plaster obtained with a mixture of earth, cow
dung and water, completes the construction of the wall.
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2.7
The interviews reported here are punctual: unfortunately due to time and language
limitations it was not possible to further investigate the sociological aspects of this
research. The purpose of the interviews is to try and understand the level of
knowledge of the technologies used and how people perceive their habitat, both in
terms of bio-climatic performance, and of structural safety.
Interview with Juda Ali, during the measure drawing of a chowki in the village
of Nani Dadhar, 5 September, 2006.
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Do you know that the use of earth keeps houses cooler compared to cement
plaster?
Yes, we know, but because of maintenance we prefer cement plaster.
Is this house a bhunga or a chowki?
Chowki.
What is a chowki?
A living room and a storage.
Why did you first use earth during the construction of the chowki?
Because there was no cement, and also because with earth the environment
is cooler.
If there had been cement, it would have been used?
Yes
Do you think people will continue to build houses out of earth?
It depends on economic factors, when somebody has more money he builds
with cement.
Are these Bhunga built with cement (stabilized earth) cooler than the
traditional bhunga?
No, because the former bhunga had thatched roofs and were made of earth,
while these bhunga have tile roofs and walls with cement, therefore they heat
faster.
These new bhunga are made with cement to protect them from earthquakes
or rain?
Both.
From where did you get the earth?
From the pond.
How do you make the sun dried blocks?
A wooden mold is prepared, and then a mixture of earth, cow dung and water,
mixed using feet, is poured in the wooden forms.
For how long do you dry them in the sun?
From 8 to 10 days.
Which are the dimensions of the block?
1 x 1.5 feet
How long did it take to make the wooden roof?
One or two days.
Who buys the wood, the carpenter or you?
33
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J.A.
In Kachchh various forms of crafts are still intimately linked to various aspects of
life. Also the construction of the house follows the rhythms of traditional life, by
adjusting to seasonal cycles. Very often a house is built over the lapse of time
between one and another activity, and usually is completed in conjunction with
the marriage of the future inhabitants.
Unstabilized earth construction is more laborious than stabilized earth and it is
marked by several stages, to which the inhabitants of this region are used to, as
to other long and complex procedures necessary for the production of their
refined handicrafts.
Earthen buildings, often completed by refined decorations, are an integral part of
the cultural landscape of Kachchh. Kutchi people are aware of this fact, and this
is also why bhungas could be proposed as permanent shelters during the
reconstruction process.
Communities of builders, like the Harijans, are thoroughly familiar with the
traditional technologies currently in use, and especially with the structural
features of bhungas. Craftsmen engage in woodcarving and leather
manufacturing with endless passion, while women are mainly into embroidery. All
these activities are industrious and creative, similarly to the construction and
decoration of a bhunga. Fatigue associated with maintenance of the house is
usually accepted, knowing that earthen plaster ensures a better thermal comfort
than a cement one. Renovation of Lipan results in a collective ritual during the
festival of Diwali, after monsoons.
These practices are bound to disappear when new economic factors intervene to
modify the local life style. In most remote villages, like Dhumado, earthen building
is the only possible option and at the question of whether concrete would be
preferred to mud, the coherent answer is that cement is good for the city, not for a
village like Dhumadho.
In villages located closer to main roads, like Dhorodo, where trade has already
triggered a certain degree of economic welfare, traditional habitat was altered
with introduction of concrete buildings, of villas and often chaotic urban forms,
34
which do not match with the regional morphology of kutchi villages. In many
cases the inflow of funds for reconstruction has contributed to the spreading of
pucca houses, for which almost everybody strives.
Only in case of economic restrictions stabilized earth was chosen as a viable
alternative, and cost effectiveness remains at present the main incentive to
continue building with earth.
2.8
EXAMPLE 1:
Date: 31/08/2006
Period of construction: 2001, post earthquake
Typology: Bhunga
Interventions posterior to earthquake: none
Location: Nava Vas village, Near Ludia, 70 km north of Bhuj
DRAWINGS:
35
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY:
36
2. INTEGRATED SHELVES
4. MURAL DECORATIONS
5. PEDLO WITH TRADITIONAL FURNITURE: TWO MANJE FOR STORING TEXTILES AND ONE
KOTHALO
6. CENTRAL SUPPORT
Fig.2.30: PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE INTERIORS (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
37
NOTES:
This bhunga appears to be structurally sound: a single transversal beam ortogonal to
the doors axes supports the central post, on which the roof rests. The interior is
enriched by traditional ornamentation, a mural relief emphasized by small mirrors
(ambhla). Construction of these traditional bhungas was promoted after 2001
earthquake by NGO Manav Sadhna, which fostered the reconstrucion of several
settlements around Ludyia, near Kavhda.
EXAMPLE 2:
Date:02/09/2006
Period of construction: previous to earthquake
Typology: Bhunga
Location: Tunda Vandh village, Near Manvi, 60 km south-east of Bhuj
DRAWINGS:
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY:
2. SPIRALLING STRUCTURE
39
NOTES:
In Tunda Vandh bhungas showcase a different roofing system. A central post
reaching to the floor holds the roof, which in addition is resting on the perimetral wall.
Rather than by concentric trusses, the understucture is given by a single truss that
unfolds as a spiral and serves to hold together the twigs and other filling elements,
on which the thatched roof is resting. Presence of grass around the perimetral walls
indicates lack of drainage. This problem can be seen everywhere in the village,
where the grass often reaches the roofs of the bhungas.
EXAMPLE 3:
Date: 04/09/2006
Period of construction: 1985
Typology: Bhunga
Interventions posterior to construction: after the earthquake
addition of a post in order to support the damaged bearing structure
Location: Dhorodho village , 70 km north of Bhuj
40
DRAWINGS:
41
1.
SUPPORT FOR THE 2. WOODEN STRUC.
CENTRAL BEAM
SUPPORTING ROOF
3. SANJERO
4. WOODEN WINDOW
SHUTTERS
42
6. DOOR LINTEL
NOTES:
This bhunga shows one intervention posterior to earthquake: one post was added as
a strengthening measure in order to hold the damaged central beam. On an overall
the building seems to be well maintained, and displays particularly rich and detailed
ornamentations.
The wall is very thick, providing space for niches and shelves in its
upper part.
This bhunga doesnt show the typical 1:1 ratio between diameter
and roof height, the roof being quite narrowed down. The exterior perimetral wall
shows a white color coating, most probably laid on a cement finish, given the smooth
and regular texture of the walls surface.
The floors are also plastered with cement both indoor and outdoor. Cement plaster
was also applied on the interior wall of the bhunga up to the level where clay
ornamentations start.
EXAMPLE 4:
Date:17/08/2006
Period of construction: 2001
Typology: bhunga
Project KMVS and HUNNAR SHAALA
Location: Rudramata village, 25 km north of Bhuj
43
DRAWINGS:
44
MATERIALS USED:
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY:
45
EXAMPLE 5:
Date: 05/09/2006
Period of construction: unknown
Typology: Bhunga
Interventions posterior to construction: none
Location: Ramnagar village, about 50 km north-east of Bhuj
Wattle and daub : the roof understructure is given by twigs and bamboo tied
together, while it was observed that the prevailing material for wattle and daub
walls in this village is bamboo. In both cases, either wood or bamboo, a
framework is made then a compound of soil and dung is applied on the
supporting framework, with lipan as ultimate layer. The roof is formed by twigs
tied together on a bamboo understructure, and it is anchored to the wall
through wooden angular elements, locally called khuta.
DRAWINGS:
46
MATERIAL USED:
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY:
47
4. PEDLO
5. MURAL DECORATIONS
USING NATURAL
PIGMENTS
9. DETAIL OF
KHUTA
NOTES:
The roof is made out of twigs tied together with rope and fixed to the wall through
angular wooden elements -khuta - and jute bags for waterproofing are laid.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
48
49