Expression of Climate Responsive Features of the Traditional Built Heritage of Rajasthan in Contemporary Architecture Shaik Mahammed Azaruddin M.Arch, Dept. of Architecture and Planning, Indian Institute of Technology Technology – Roorkee. – Roorkee.
Abstract
Innovation is deeply rooted in tradition. People in reaction to their environment create spaces and places. If we understand what old buildings are saying to us, we would be less eager to r ip them down, and perhaps might even apply them in our new buildings. Therefore, it is necessary to learn from the past to create better futures. Traditional Architecture of Rajasthan is characterized by compact high density planning, enclosing open space within buildings, massive construction, small openings, water conservation, shaded outdoor spaces, varied visual elements and a strong architectural vocabulary. Though these principles made it possible for people to survive in the desert, not all of these concepts are relevant today. The article begins by understanding the efficient use of passive design strategies in the indigenous buildings of Rajasthan. In addition, the article also reviews the Climate Responsiveness of the built heritage of Rajasthan and discusses its applications in Contemporary Architecture. Keywords : Rajasthan Heritage, Passive Design, Indigenous Architecture, Climate Responsiveness, Contemporary Architecture
1 Introduction
2.1
Havelis of Rajasthan
Architecture is the most reflecting evidence of Human
‘Haveli’ word is derived from a Persian word ‘Hawli’
Culture. Passing of culture to the next generation can be
which means an ‘enclosed place’. place ’. The ‘Havelis of Rajasthan’
through Architectural vocabulary. Innovation, new
carry architecture of Mughal in their style. T hey vary in their
forms, and new solutions to new problems, further forms
typical layput depending on the users - Rajpurohits and
the basis of next innovation. Modern approaches through
Brahmin Ministers, the Marwaris and the Rajputs. (Jain,
computer modelling and application of lessons learned
2004)
from the past experiences can achieve significant energy
2.1.1
The Brahmin Caste
savings and reduction of environmental damage, without
The Brahmins havelis are of two kinds - The first kind
sacrificing functionality or aesthetics. In fact, passively
belongs to the Rajpurohits. And there are The Brahmin
designed indigenous buildings in response to the basic
Ministers.
needs, can greatly enhance the livability, daylight, views
Typical Layout of the Rajpurohit Havelis
and value of a space.
Rajpurohit Havelis often have a square court and the
2 Traditional Heritage of Rajasthan
entrance is located on the North or East direction. They are
The Rajasthan architecture is significantly depend on
usually single or double courtyard havelis. Most of the
Rajput architecture school which was mixture of mughal
Brahmin Havelis have direct entrances opening straight into
and Hindu structural design. Grand havelis, astonishing
the courtyard. In rare cases, these would be multi court
forts and elaborately carved temples are the vital portion
havelis like Purohit’s Haveli in Ganesh Ghatti, Udaipur. This
of architectural architectural heritage of Rajasthan. Rajput’s carries
is one of the grandest examples of a Brahmin havelis. The
the credit of creative builders. Few of most striking and
haveli has a magnificent entrance gate and a distinct chatri
splendid forts along with palaces with parched Aravali
in the inner complex. Ganesh Gatti is located at the highest
land clearly depicts history of Rajasthan’s celebrated
point in Udaipur city. city. It was a rule in Udaipur that no no Haveli
heritage.
could be higher highe r than the palace, but the chatri of Purohit’s
The artistic builders of Rajput designed major
Haveli is at the same height as the palace. T his can be noted
architectural styles which are located in cities like
as another architectural demarcation of the social hierarchy
Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jaipur and Jodhpur.
of royal Brahmins. (Jain, 2004)
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havelis of different brothers opening into one common place) is never found in a Rajput thakur’s haveli as the brothers always stayed apart. Some examples of these havelis are Nachna Haveli in Jaisalmer, Pal Thakur’s Haveli in Jhodhpur, Jhala Haveli in Kota and Shekhawati Thakur’s Havelis in outskirts of old Jaipur. A Kshatriya house should use maximum amount of stone for fortification, a practice that is evident in the massive fortress like havelis of the Rajputs. (Jain, 2004) Figure 1: Plan of Haveli and Nohra of Bade Deevta inKota, Hadoti region.
Figure 3: Plan of Nachna Thakur Haveli
2.1.3 Figure 2: Exterior view of Purohit Haveli in Udaipur, Mewar region showing the chatri that marks one of the highest points in Udaipur skyline.
The Hindu Merchants or Marwaris
Typical features of Marwari Haveli
These havelis are located at prestigious positions on the main commercial streets of a town. The Marwaris havelis are most
Typical Features of the Havelis of Brahmin Ministers
often present as fraternal clusters with a collection of single
The second kind of Brahmin havelis belong to the Brahmin ministers of the rulers.
courtyard havelis, each belonging to one brother opening into a common forecourt. Since all brothers of the family
Havelis of Brahmin ministers had more lavish facades
handled the family business, it was an efficient layout. In
and could range from double to multi courtyard complexes.
case of smaller families, one finds single or double courtyard
2.1.2
The Rajputs
havelis. The baithak in the front portion of the Marwaris
Typical Features of the Havelis
haveli served as their work space where the accountant
The Rajput Havelis are of two kinds one that belonged to
would sit with his bahikhata (accounts record). The havelis
the Rajput thakurs and the other kind belonging to military
are richly decorated. The facades of all Marwari havelis are
in charge and army officials.
richly ornamented-whether it is jali (lattice) and stonework
These are grand palatial havelis with minimum three
in Jaisalmer or paintings in Shekhawati havelis. Some of best
courtyards, an outside one for the servants and stables,
examples of Marwari havelis are in Shekhawati region of
mardana for the men to receive guests and an innermost
Rajasthan. (Jain, 2004)
one or the zenana for the women. The baithak or sitting area of a Rajput haveli was usually elaborate and used for holding meetings like a ruler’s durbar. These havelis had lavish spaces comparable to the ones found in the Mughal palaces
such
as
Diwan-i-aam,
Diwan-i-Khas
and
Naqqarkhana, Rang Mahal, etc. Due to strict purdah system, the Rajput havelis always have a direct entrance into the mardana courtyard and an indirect entrance with a baffle wall into the zenana courtyard. These havelis were designed with defense in mind, hence have fewer openings and are more fortress like as compared to others. They have a big entrance gate called the ‘Hat -hi pol’ (elephant gate) meaning the kind that would allow an elephant to enter
Figure 4: Kothari Haveli in Udaipur, Mewar region. The sloping roof on the left terrace reflects the earlier form of rural clay tiles used in the roof.
inside. A fraternal cluster (i.e a collection of single court 2|Page
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everywhere, it occurs more frequently as one moves 2.1.4
down from Bikaner in north to Banni in the south.
Comparison between the Haveli types on the basis of Climate responsive features.
ii.
Conversely,
the
frequency
of
occurrence
of
A typical town of Rajasthan presents a very compact
courtyards increases as one moves north words.
picture of houses and other buildings huddled together
Rectangular spaces predominate in the northern
so that they not only shade each other but also
parts of the desert.
considerably reduce the exposed open spaces around
iii.
It is, therefore, more convenient to follow the
them. The height of the building compared to the width
administrative boundaries for the purpose of
of the streets is large to create shaded cool environment
protection. Therefore, districts have been retained as
for the pedestrians and other social activities on the
the sub-divisions within the desert regions.
streets. In cases where normal low level dust swirls
iv.
Evolving out of social physical context and due to
within the settlement the interiors of buildings are
local acceptance of its validity over a period of time,
protected by almost blank walls with very small
they have become the traditional type of habit of the
openings. All major streets are oriented almost in the
people.
East-West direction at right angles to the direction of
v.
The
major
contextual
forces
shaping
these
dust storms. The famous havelis with jharokhas and
settlements can be enumerated as climate, locally
decorative facades are located on these streets. The
available materials, technology and culture. vi.
streets are relatively narrow and winding.
In spite of variations in village, street and cluster formation in a region, the thematic expressions
Table 1: Climate Responsive Features in the three types of Havelis
therein are most commonly dictated by the material, construction techniques and life style. vii.
The rural settlements in Rajasthan may be clustered and Semi-clustered settlements.
Figure 5: Houses in Jaisalmer
2.2.2 The Settlement Character of the Rural Tribes of Rajasthan
The settlement character of these tribal groups varies. 2.2
i.
Rural Houses of Rajasthan
Bhils -The Bhils are not gypsies. The whole of the
Rajasthan is a state steeped in culture and history.
Bhil country which is the south-western part of
Rajasthan, or the realm of the Kings, is one of the princely
Rajasthan is mountainous, embracing the wildest
states in India. Besides marvelous forts, palaces and
area of the Aravallis. The Bhils live in pals or
havelis, Rajasthan also treasures the major tribal locations
clusters of detached huts among the hills, each hut
in India. Rajasthan is home to many tribes who have very
standing on a small mound in the midst of its path
interesting history of origin, customs and social practices.
of cultivated land. The settlement or pal is divided
The state comprises of five major tribal people groups with
into a number of paras or phalas which afford cover
many other either being the branches of t hese major groups
and protection in case of attack. A cluster of huts
or minor ones. These five tribal groups are Mina, Bhil,
within a single enclosure forms a typical Bhil
Garasia, Saharia and Gadiya Lohars. (Speaks, 2008)
habitation in Rajasthan. (Speaks, 2008) ii.
2.2.1 The Generic House Form
It is difficult to divide the desert region into distinct zone and to group the house form in each zone with in generic classification. There is persistence, yet gradually changing character in these forms. i.
While the circular enclosed space is formed almost
Garasias - A Garasia settlement is not a cluster of houses. The dwellings are scattered over slopes of hills and mounds and the fields extend in front of them. These solitary dwellings are made of bamboo and leaves and are lightly plastered over with cowdung. (Speaks, 2008)
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3
Techniques and Tools used for environmental Control Traditional Rajasthan architecture is characterized by compact high density planning, enclosing open space within buildings, massive construction, small openings, water conservation, shaded outdoor spaces, varied visual elements and a strong architectural vocabulary. Though these principles made it possible for people to survive in the desert, not all of these concepts are relevant today.
Figure 6: Plan of Roopsi Village
(Gupta A. V., 2010) Various techniques suggested for environmental control in modern buildings are: i. ii.
Shading of building surfaces from sun Damping of temperature variations by thermal mass
Figure 7: Village Courtyard and Stone Masonry Walls
iii.
Meenas -The Meenas who constitute almost half of the tribal population used to live on rocky elevations or in thick forests and their settlements
iii.
Selective ventilation
iv.
Radiation to night sky, and
v.
Evaporation of water.
Tools used in Traditional Building design are as follows:
were called Mewasas. The cluster of their houses
i. Space Use
was also called a pal and was named after the
The single most powerful tool used i n traditional building
gotra to which most of the inhabitants belonged.
design was the willingness and the ability of the users, to
(Speaks, 2008)
organize daily activities in space and time so that not all spaces had to be maintained at equal levels of comfort all
Table 2: Comparison between Tribes and their Settlement Pattern
the time. At any given time the active use of the building could be restricted to the areas most comfortable at that time. In practice this meant that people would not only take off or put on additional clothing as we do today, but that they would physically move from a less comfortable area of the building to a more comfortable one. At times when the entire building became uncomfortably hot, they would move to another building or even to the outside. There are stepwells that were meeting and resting places for men on hot summer afternoons.' In winter when the wells were uncomfortably cool, the same men would meet and rest in the open under the sun.
Table 3: Comparison between Clustered and Semi Clustered Settlements
Figure 8: A step-well, the various pa vilions were used
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as resting places in summer.
the presumption being that it is possible to determine a cut-
In the rainy season the meetings and rest could take place in a verandah. In the Amber Fort there are many cooling devices used, but there is also a garden in the middle of a lake just outside the fort, that would be used for relaxation at uncomfortably hot times. People spend the hot summer days in the lower floors of the buildings but the evenings and nights are spent on the roof-top fully
off date at which sunlight may be allowed to enter or stay out of a building. The only problem is that air te mperatures do not keep pace with the uniform movement of the sun from summer solstice to winter solstice. It is particularly around the cut off dates that there are extraordinary warm and cool periods, resulting in excessive or inadequate sun penetration.
exposed to the cool night sky. In winter the days are spent on the sunny terrace whereas people move into the house at night. (Gupta, 2004)
Figure 11: Shading of Openings and Sun Cut off
The humble traditional movable shading device — the rollup bamboo screen can provide the correct shading not only for the extraordinary weather but also for problematic East and West orientations. (Gupta, 2004) Figure 9: Pleasure garden built in a lake at Amber
iii. Microclimate Modification
Control Of the microclimate around the building was
ii. Flexible Building Envelope
The second important tool used was the ability to vary
always important in indigenous design. This happened not
considerably the thermal characteristics of the skin of the
only for the palaces but for simple dwellings as well.
buildings, the variations taking place according to the
Dense clustering of buildings not only prevents heat gain
time of the day or according to the seasons. By this
but it also keeps hot winds out while ensuring movement
device it was possible to protect the building interior
of cooler air through the buildings and open areas.
from solar radiation in summer, to retain warmth or cool as required and even to cool the building interior by evaporation of water from the skin. The physical mechanism required for this purpose was a framework that defined the building exterior and within which suitable panel elements with different thermal priorities could be fixed at different times.
Figure 12: Town plan of Jaisalmer. The major streets are oriented Figure 10: Typical section through a House. To facilitate the moment of cool air into the house, parapets are not built
These open spaces were either rather s mall and sheltered from sun by the surrounding buildings, or when they were
Window design today consists of a fixed sun-shading device, a louver that is supposed to cut out the sun during
larger, trees, grass and water pools protected them from excessive heat gain. (Gupta V. , 2004)
summer and to allow sunlight into the building in winter, 5|Page
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on a hot summer day when the outdoor is warmer than the
iv. Openings in the Building Envelope
Today we identify apertures in the building with glazed
building interior. To avoid the heating of interior space it
windows, and we expect such apertures to serve a
is essential to treat the air before it enters the building.
number of functions, namely those of providing light,
Unlike what happens in modern buildings, a great deal of
ventilation and view. Having no access to glass as we
attention was given to pre-treatment of ventilation air in
know it, the indigenous builders designed apertures to
traditional buildings. Further air cooling was achieved by
serve one function only. A number of different apertures
passing it over wet charcoal or a fountain.3 In Jaisalmer,
combined together met the needs of light, ventilation and
the courtyard effect is used to ventilate the building, air
view. Not having to worry about the other functions,
getting cooled as it passes over the cool shaded building
each of these apertures could be optimized for one
surfaces in the street. Typical Section of a house shows
purpose, leading to a more satisfactory thermal design.
how the courtyard plan regulates air movement, bringing
There are windows in the Amber Palace which are no
in fresh air only when it is cooler than the building.
larger than 1 cm in diameter, that let in practically no light or ventilation. And yet because the wall is thinned out at this point, these windows can provide a view of the outside.
Figure 15: Typical section through a house. The main building is massive while a light-weight structure is built above it.
vi. Thermal Mass
Control of thermal mass was the sixth planning tool. The climate of hot arid regions being characterized by large diurnalt emperature variations, damping and time-lag were achieved by use of massive construction in some areas whereas other areas were deliberately kept lightweight. A
Figure 13: Small window used for viewing out at Amber Fort
massive structure that takes time to warm up will also take time to cool down. A light weight structure, on the other
An equivalent window in Amber consists of an opening
hand, warms up and cools down quickly. The massive
protected by stone louvers tilted towards the inside.
structure is therefore cool in the day but warm at night.
Frequently, large openings were filled in by "jalis"
Wind pavilions are used for the same purpose in the
(screens) that let in air and some light. At times these
havelis of Jaisalmer.
Jalis also had a built-in shuttered opening for view. (Gupta V. , 2004)
4
Applications in Contemporary Architecture
4.1
Case – 1, NIIT Neemrana Campus
Building a University Campus at Neemrana right at the edge of Thar Desert was a huge challenge. With extreme desert climate, dusty winds, highly eroded landscape, no water supply, no sewerage system and no infrastructure to support, the 100 acre site sits next to a hillock on the foothills of Aravali midway between Delhi and Jaipur. (Gupta A. V., 2010) Figure 14: Window for view and ventilation used at Amber Fort
Design Objective
To use available resources to create a comfortable, healthy and interactive educational campus.
v. Ventilation
Ventilation is needed for comfort and hygiene, more
To address off site and on site environmental issues and
air movement being needed for the former than for the
develop a prototype for future developments in the
latter. Comfort ventilation is required in buildings even
region.
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To apply the concept of environmental and economic
of about 27 degree Celsius inside the building even when the
sustainability as the major determinants for design.
outside temperatures are at 47 degree Celsius. The radical
It is also a study of how buildings need to be designed
architecture of the institute emerges from a fusion of the r ich
in a hot and dry region.
traditional building knowledge bank and cutting edge contemporary architecture. (Pearl Academy of Fashion / Morphogenesis, 2009)
Figure 16: Master Plan of th e Campus Figure 19: Sectional View showing the Water body and the exhibition spaces.
Figure 20: The Jaalis – a Double skin, acting as a buffer between the building and the surroundings. Table 4: List of Climate Responsive featu res adopted from the Heritage of Rajasthan and its modern Implications in Contemporary Architecture Figure 17: Aerial View of the Campus and the surroundings
4.2
Case – 2, Pearl Academy of Fashion
The Pearl Academy of Fashion, Jaipur is a campus which by virtue of its design is geared towards creating an environmentally responsive passive habitat. The institute creates interactive spaces for a highly creative student body to work in multifunctional zones which blend the indoors with the outdoors seamlessly. The entire building is raised over the ground and the resultant scooped-out underbelly forms a natural thermal skin by way of a water body. The water body which is fed by the recycled water from the sewage treatment plant helps in the creation of a microclimate
through
evaporative
cooling.
This
underbelly, which is thermally banked on all sides, serves as a large recreation and exhibition zone.
Figure 18: effect of passive evaporative cooling
Passive environmental design helps achieve temperature 7|Page
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5
Conclusion
References
The day comes when architecture will be for
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function/comfort, and not merely as aesthetic element.
Campus for NIIT Neemrana. Retrieved from Space
With awareness, building with mud has become an
Design
important factor in planning new development. Mud
design.com/Upload/PR0021.pdf
depicts the true and productive link between traditions
2.
and modernity, because of its application in the ancient settlements and vivid use in modern interiors. The
http://www.space-
Gupta, V. (2004). Indigenous Architecture and Natural Cooling. Energy and Habitat .
3.
classical and beautiful architecture of India has been well documented and saved, but the traditions are threatened
Consultants:
Jain, S. (2004). Havelis A Living Tradition of Rajasthan. Haryana: Shubhi Publications.
4.
line, I. (2009, August 15). havelis. Retrieved from
by the new demands for change and development. Still
Indialine:
the importance of this technique of construction cannot
http://www.indialine.com/travel/rajasthan/shekha
be
wati/havelis.html
overlooked
because
of
advantages
of
mud
architecture.
5.
The feeling of comfort is a subjective perception that
Pearl Academy of Fashion / Morphogenesis .
(2009).
Retrieved
from
Arch
daily:
varies from person to person and from one culture to
http://www.archdaily.com/40716/pearl-academy-
another. Measurement of temperature, therefore, will not
of-fashion-morphogenesis
indicate how comfortable the users of a building might
6.
Speaks, H. (2008, 07 22). History Speaks - Tribal
have been many years ago. The measurement of
History.
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http://indiahistoryspeaks.blogspot.in/search/label/
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Tribal%20History
Retrieved
from
History
Speaks:
one may be able to judge how comfortable we might be in a similarly designed modern structure. Never having been exposed to mechanical air-conditioning, the users of this building did not show any signs of discomfort. There is perhaps more to comfort cooling than meets the thermometer. In the era of abundance where everyone wants more of everything, the key to future lies in doing with less. Passive Design and Environmental planning should be done by utilizing the resources in an efficient way to create a built environment that uses less land, less building, less water, less p rivate motorized vehicles and less energy.
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