Kathkhuni Style Architecture

KATHKUNI KATHKUNI STYLE ARCHITECTURE •

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Kathkuni is a indigenous wood and stone construction technique employed by all types of vernacular built forms which can be seen in Sutlej valley of himachal. Both practical and aesthetically pleasing Uses local materials in a systematic process of layering. Walls are made of deodar a mountainous cedar wood! and limestone with rubble acting as insulation .plinth is entirely constructed of stone . Slate shingles which rest on these wooden framework complete and cap  "hey are #$ed to wooden framework using metal nails. nails.  "hese shingles protect the structure from rain % snow snow . &ne peculiar feature is projecting carved stone in one or more corners. studies say that it can be either for a structural purpose or might have some cultural signi#cance too . 'n the well built structure% the wood is very carefully arranged% the beams with thickness around () cms in depth e$tending over the whole length of wall. wall.  * beam on the outside and another beam on the inside% the space in+between is #lled with stones.

TECHNIQUE •

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 "he base of the structural wall is two parallel layers of stones installed ,at. -epending on the sie of the stone the gap in middle is #lled with an in#ll of random rubble.  "he larger stones are stacked stacked up on the outer edge and the corners of the wall to provide stability.  "he wall is constructed by layering both wood and stone. "he materials are stacked horiontally% in alternating rows% parallel to the ground.

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*s the construction proceeds vertically% the height of the stone layer decrease and ultimately it is only the wood frame stacked on another wood frame that completes the structural wall. Slate tiles rest on the wooden framework and cap the building.

FOUNDATION • •

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/ocally *vailable Stone 's Used 0or 0oundation.  "rench 's -ug *bout 1))mm 'n -epth *nd 1))mm 'n Width.  "his "rench 's "hen 0illed With /arge Slabsdry Stones! With *ppro$imate Width &f 1))mm.  "he Similar 2ourses 3o Up "o 4)) "o 5))mm *bove 3round /evel 0orming "he 6linth &f "he 7ouse. 'n some cases where the ground is hard enough no trenches were dug for foundation just a layer of stones up to a height of ())mm is laid for plinth.

WALL SYSTEM *ll "he Walls *re /oad Bearing and &f "hickness 8))mm. 2onstruction 9aterial: •

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Walls *re 9ade Up &f Stones *nd Wood &f -eodar %;ai *nd 6erman "ree Without *ny 9ortar. "hese Walls *re "hen 6lastered With 9i$ture &f 9ud% 2ow+dung *nd Kail% Wood 6owder &r Wheat 7usk. *bove "he ;aised 6linth &f Stones Wooden Beam &f 5))mm  "hickness 's /aid Spanning &ver "he
Kathkuni house comprises of four primary components: • •

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a stone plinth% which creates the base of the house%  wood+and+stone structural walls forming the core of the house with ,oors as an insert% cantilevered wooden balconies acting as the second skin to the house% an overhanging slate tile roof #$ed to the wooden framework% which caps the entire structure.

Case study B7'9*K*/' "<96/< 2&96/<= *" S*;*7*> 9ethod of 2onstruction "he walls of the buildings presented in the comple$ are constructed in kathkuni style . 't is an indigenous style of construction which is evolved in western 7imalayas. 'n ?Kath+kuni@ or ?Kath+kundi@ style a mesh of interlocking horiontal cedar locally deodar! sleepersA logs is created. 'n this mesh

dressed or raw stone are packed without any mortar. *bsence of vertical members for wall construction is a characteristic of this style. With inherent elasticity% the design has an enormous seismic response. "here have been instances% when tremors have dislodged the stones from the frame% and later% have been hammered back into the intact mesh of wood houses.

Part of a!! "reated #$ %at&%u$#

'UILDIN( FORM  "emple comple$ has a variety of building forms. "he two main temples constructed in uppermost courtyard are the #nest e$ample of tower style temples and combination of 'ndo+ 2hinese architecture. "he building form is rather simple but elegant. 't is a combination of slanting pagoda roof over a cubical base. "his cubical base has #ve storeys. Upper storey of the temple is projecting over the lower stories. "he verticality of lower stories is broken by series of coursed of wood and stones. &n the upper stories richly carved windowsA openings are provided in woodwork e$presses the skill and accuracy of the craftsmen of the region wooden sculptures are used on brackets to support projected upper ,oors

9aterials Used Whole of the comple$ is constructed with the use of mainly indigenousA locally available materials. /ocally available sand stone and deodarAcidar wood are the two main building materials which are used in the comple$ for wall construction. >atural slates are quarried from nearby slate mines and used as main roo#ng material over the wooden roof trusses.