Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No.

4, December 2012 62
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring
Abstract--- The major cities of India are going through
huge metamorphosis under the impact of globalization,
population increment, housing demand and tremendous
financial investment in building industry. Rapid development
of high-rise and four-five storied residential buildings are
observed at every possible part of the city. In designing the
city so, residential buildings are being built in quite
standardized forms. Consideration for local climate,
environment, urban context and overall harmony in many
designs are missing. With technological advancements and
new materials introduced for construction of architecture, it
has become a complex system than of previous definitions
about it. Now, especially commercial and public buildings
take unusual forms in non-conventional materials and most of
the buildings are designed as to be centrally air-conditioned
consuming huge energy. On the contrary, there is worldly
concern about global warming and climate change and
environmental impact of buildings and environmental
pollution and a quest for appropriate development that would
be sustainable. To address that, on the one hand, an architect
should follow the much-forgotten classical design approach
based on nature, context, function, beauty and harmony and
on the other hand, his architectural answer should be climate
responsive, energy saving and sustainable. The three-storied
residential building of Mr. Samar Banerjee in Kolkata
designed by the author is one example of modern architecture
that respects all and merges with the old existing urban setting
though being distinct about self.
Keywords--- Climate Responsive Architecture, Energy
Saving, Respecting Urban Context

I. INTRODUCTION
OLKATA has a tropical monsoon climate with excess of
heat and humidity. Annual maximum and minimum
temperatures in summer and winter are generally 39
0
C and
9
0
C and annual average rainfall is about 1651 mm with 80%
of that occurring between June and September [1]. People find
the time from March to October uncomfortable and April to
June non-bearable because of heat and humidity. Installation
of air conditioner in residential units is hugely increasing
raising the total demand of electricity in the city. A competent
architectural solution for adequate comfort condition in
residential buildings more naturally is required.

Dr.Shivashish Bose, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture,
Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India. E-
mail:shivashishbose@yahoo.co.in

DOI: 10.9756/BIJIEMS.1739
In 1996, the author was commissioned by Mr. Samar
Banerjee, an income tax consultant and advocate, to design a
three storied residential building for him on a plot measuring
about 190 sq m at Premises No. 4 on 6m wide Ajmal Khan
Road in south Kolkata. The permissible floor area ratio was
1.75 and total permissible covered area was about 332 sq m.
The design brief stated that the building would be used by the
owners family only and never to let for rental
accommodation; would not look like a block of flats; and that
a chamber for consultancy for him and a provision of car
parking would have to be provided at ground floor. The author
made a visual survey of the site and its surrounding urban area
and found that the site stands on the west side of the 6m wide
Ajmal Khan Road (laid in north-south direction) that has eight
numbers of existing buildings. The road connects two roads
namely Hazi Mahasin Road at south and Iswar Gupta Road (I.
G. Road) at its north side. I. G. Road branches out from the
junction of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road and Southern
Avenue. It was observed that people in cars from Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee Road and Southern Avenue take I. G. Road
to go to Alipore area, Esplanade-Dalhousie (C.B.D.) region
and Howrah Railway Station as a short-cut route and to avoid
busy crossings along Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road,
Ashutosh Mukherjee Road and Chowringhee Road. Hence, the
crossing of I. G. Road and Ajmal Khan Road (on the left) was
identified as a potential spot from where, any person by
impulse from traffic security would look at the left side to
view Ajmal Khan Road for a moment to check out whether
any vehicle or pedestrian comes up to the I. G. Road. At that
moment, the person would also glance at the streetscape, the
west-side skyline, and the detail of the first floor of the
building at the second plot (being Mr. Banerjees plot) as the
centre of visual field from the street-junction in question. That
particular part of the building being within a distance of about
12m (maximum distance for discerning facial expression) to
18m (maximum distance for recognizing a face) [2] from the
viewer has been identified as the most potential part for
attracting a moving persons interest within a second (Fig. 1).
It was further noted that the four other old existing buildings
aged between forty to sixty years on west side of Ajmal Khan
Road are three storied, built somewhat abutting on the road,
and each one occupies floor area more than that would be
permissible under Kolkata Municipal Corporations Building
Rules of 1990. Any new building proposal at any site would
yield a permissible built up area much less than what the
existing building has already occupied. So, demolition of
existing buildings for new ones would not happen, and the
street faade constituted by them would remain intact.

Climate and Urban Design Responsive Modern
Architecture in Existing Setting
Dr.Shivashish Bose
K
Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 63
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring
However, according to the Building Rule of 1990 the new
building to be designed on the only vacant plot would have to
be built leaving 1.2m on both sides and on the front, thus
breaking the harmony of faade-like existing streetscape. In
this case, out of the two possible design approaches one to
merge the new one with the old setting and the other to make a
contrast, the author decided to follow the first approach. The
notable elements on the skyline and streetscape as observed
were the pyramidal (truncated) top of a temple over the
farthest building, the straight line of parapet of the second
floor terrace of the third building from street-junction, the
segmental arched balcony with cast iron grillwork of the first
(corner) building, use of colours like light biscuit, peach, red
and white, and planters at balcony, etc. The three storied new
residential building situated on I. G. Road just opposite to
Ajmal Khan Road has horizontal and vertical fins on the
faades.


Figure 1: The Basis of
Design Approach

Figure 2: Site Plan Showing
Urban Context
From the study of the site and its surroundings, it was
observed that the south side of the site through which air flows
for about nine months in this hot and humid tropical area was
grossly blocked by existing buildings (Fig. 2), though there
were narrow open spaces between two buildings on south side
and open space at the southwestern side (being rear open
spaces of those buildings) through which, some air flow was
expected to ingress into the building. Also, the Ajmal Khan
Road in north-south direction on the east side of the plot was
to be considered as a wind tunnel having wind flow coming
from the south, and the proposed building design should cash
on this opportunity to attract air flow in the building somehow.
Based on all these findings a design approach was taken by the
author.
II. THE DESIGN APPROACH
The architectural design approach was based primarily on
consideration for making the building climate responsive with
acceptable comfort condition in the interior, and on the form
of the building that would correspond to the sites existing
urban setting and traditional cultural aspects.
The objectives set to be achieved were
i) To bring in fresh air flow within the rooms of the
building and vent out the hot air from the building
through spatial planning, design and ventilating
elements, thus inducing a continuous fresh air flow in
the building for physical comfort for habitants;
ii) To have adequate natural light in the interior spaces of
the building;
iii) To respect the urban setting (by existing buildings)
through a humble design with very conventional
materials, balancing forms, matching colours,
accentuating the focal point of visual field when
observed from street junction, creating continuity of
parapet-lines on skyline, etc., thus merging with the
old;
iv) To create unique individuality of the building also
within the existing street faade by the composition of
various form-elements, unseen typology of structure
and massing, various zonal axes overpowered by a
central axis, interplay of solid and void, play of
straight and curved lines and planes;
v) To create beautiful visuals in the interior of the
building through accentuating entrances to the
building, its various floors and common rooms with
gateways and serial visions, articulated staircase, etc.;
vi) To create vibrancy through simultaneous use of
various warm and cool colours in the interior;
vii) To demonstrate art through design of grill works that
appears as calligraphy;
viii) To provide graphic art on floors with various patterns
and colours for enlivening spaces;
ix) To provide spaces with exposed earth at site for
plantation of trees and plants, and dedicated spaces in
balconies for placement of planters; and
x) To introduce symbolically the historic cultural
elements of heritage buildings of Kolkata and forms
from religious-cultural aspects but in a simplified
form like that followed in post-modern design.
The maximum challenge in designing was to induce
continuous fresh air flow into the building and merge the new
building with the old setting while retaining its individuality.
III. THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE
The focal point of the visual field (Fig. 3) when seen from
the junction of I. G. Road and Ajmal Khan Road was
identified as to be the lintel level of southeast side of the first
floor of the building to-be-designed. For this, the author tried
to accentuate the focal point by introducing a strong and
unseen element there. At this corner, a circular column
emerging from the ground and gradually being bigger in
diameter at the top with a bowl-like capital ending at the lintel
level of first floor and as if it were a tree emerging from the
earth was designed as an art-form though it being a structural
column actually (Fig. 4).



Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 64
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring


Figure 5: First Floor Plan Showing Airflow


Figure 6: Building-Section Showing Airflow From Road

A wide balcony has been located on the southeastern road-
side so as to attract the flowing air (from south to north) in the
road and also the morning sunlight inside the building. A
common room for living and dining has been placed on the
south adjacent to the balcony, while the master bed room has
been placed on the northeast side with door and window
openings at south from the balcony and windows at the east
and north for cross ventilation. Another bed room has been
placed on the south side after the common room, and it has
access to a balcony placed in the southwest (more effective in
winter for afternoon sunlight) and a toilet with dressing room
on the northwest (Fig. 5 & 6). Each of the common room and
the second bed room facing the south side has been provided
with two numbers of windows at south side, but one window
each to these two rooms has been placed in such a location
that natural airflow through the narrow open space between
two southern-side buildings can ingress into these rooms, and
they have plenty of sunlight also (Fig. 7). The second bed
room has another window and a door leading to the rear
balcony on the western side for sunlight and air ventilation.
An open-type three-flight staircase has been placed on the
north side flanked by a common toilet on its east side adjacent
to the master bed room, and the kitchen of the family on its
west side. It was expected that fresh air coming through the
east, south and west facing rooms would flow to the northern
side staircase and the hot air would go up and be ventilated

through the open windows at the various floor-levels of the
staircase (Fig. 8) (Fig. 5 & 6).


Figure 7: The Common
Room at Left and Bed Room
at Right at Top Floor

Figure 8: Windows At North
Side Of Staircase, Grill Work
As Calligraphic Art
The main entrance to the building has been through the
covered space at ground floor below the upper floor balcony
with a provision for car parking. That space was given
accentuation by providing a low wall at south side for sitting,
as a symbolic reflection of rock (small open verandah for
sitting at entrance to ground floor) of old buildings of Kolkata;
a geometrical colored floor graphic work with triangles and
circles as alpana (traditional drawing on floor) with
symbolic representation of flowers, kites, fish, etc.; and curved

Figure 3: The Building Respects Existing
Urban Context

Figure 4: Detail of Column
Capital
Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 65
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring
steps (conjugated segmental arcs of three circles and as if
steps from river water to the bank) to enter to the entrance
lounge and the chamber room of the owner. From the entrance
lounge, a curved wall with a glass door opening gives view of
the staircase as the picture-perspective.
The staircase is articulated with grill work, teak-wood
handrail and different colors for tread and riser and opposite
walls (Fig. 8). Each common room in two upper floors has
been delineated with an entrance gateway as access from
staircase lobby having two circular columns with an
entablature on top (with triangular pediment at first floor)
symbolizing old gateways. Floors of rooms were with granite-
finish and those of staircase and balcony were of mosaics. As
Kolkata is very hot and humid and top floors become very hot
inside, so to reduce heat induction from roof, lime terracing of
average 100mm thick has been provided on the roof. Various
classical architectural forms of bygone era, as well as motifs
of rural architecture have been presented symbolically in the
faade design of this building with interplay of masses in
static and dynamic forms, solids and voids, straight and curved
lines, etc. Symmetry of classical architecture has been
demonstrated through various vertical zones with individual
symmetrical lines and finally the grand symmetry has been
imparted by the placement of a triangular roof over a
rectangular box at the top floor. Various colors have been used
in the individual or mixing shades of white, red and yellow to
match with the existing setting. The top floor has been
projected up to permissible limit in such a way and with a
form that the lines of parapets of the building behind it have
been maintained and continued by the lines of parapets of this
new building.
IV. RESULT
By installation of data loggers in various rooms of the
building in the summer month of June of 2011 [3], it has been
revealed that
i. The ground floor is less hot than the floors above.
ii. In the top (second) floor, the southwestern bed room
(marked as Bed Room 2 in Tables) is about 1
0
C hotter
than the common room.
iii. While outside temperature was 35.6
0
C-35.8
0
C at 2:44
pm, the indoor temperature of common room of top
floor was between 31.9
0
C-32.4
0
C, and that of
southwestern bed room was between 33.2
0
C-34.2
0
C.
iv. The indoor temperature of common room and the
southwestern bed room of top floor started to rise
above outside temperature from around 8:00pm and
decrease during the night after around 1:00 am.
Maximum difference in temperature of both top floor
rooms was 2
0
C or less.
v. In the first floor, the southwestern bed room is only
about 0.3
0
C-0.5
0
C hotter than the common room.
vi. While outside temperature was 36
0
C at 2:44 pm, the
indoor temperature of common room of first floor was
32.8
0
C, and that of southwestern bed room was
33.3
0
C.
vii. The indoor temperature of common room and the
southwestern bed room of first floor started to
decrease from about 8:00 pm and remained almost
unchanged during 11:44pm at night to 8:44 am the
next day morning while outside temperature varied
from 30
0
C to 33.4
0
C. Maximum difference in
temperature of both first floor rooms was 1
0
C or less.
(Table 1 & 2)
Table 1: Findings in Top Floor in June 2011
Date Time 2
nd
Floor
Common Room
2
nd
Floor
Bed Room 2
Meteorological Record
of Alipore
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
01.06.2011




02.06.2011







03.06.2011
11:44
14:44
17:44
20:44
23:44
02:44
05:44
08:44
11:44
14:44
17:44
20:44
23:44
02:44
05:44
08:44
31.4
31.9
32.4
32.1
32.1
31.8
31.4
31.2
31.6
32.4
33.1
33.2
33.1
32.8
32.4
32.1
65
62.5
70.1
65.6
70.1
74.3
73.6
78.7
73
69
63.4
63.1
66
68.8
70.3
69.8
32.3
33.2
33
33
33
32.8
32.5
32.3
33.2
34.2
34
34.1
34.1
33.8
33.4
32.7
62.7
59.1
68.6
61.3
69.4
71.7
71.3
72.8
67.9
62.3
60.2
58.8
64.2
66.6
67.7
67.1
35
35.6
33.7
29.4
30.2
29.8
29
32.4
35.6
35.8
34
31
30.2
29.5
29
31.8
58
55
63
75
87
88
84
77
65
67
63
68
84
87
90
74












Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 66
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring
Table 2: Findings in First Floor in June 2011
Date Time 1
st
Floor
Common Room
1
st
Floor
Bed Room 2
Meteorological Record of
Alipore
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
03.06.2011




04.06.2011



11:44
14:44
17:44
20:44
23:44
02:44
05:44
08:44
11:14
32.5
32.8
32.9
32.7
32.4
32.4
32.4
32.3
32.9
64.9
63.4
58.5
70.8
73.6
72.9
73
69.2
66.4
32.9
33.3
33.2
32.9
32.6
32.7
32.6
32.5
33.2
62.9
60.8
57.4
69.2
72.1
71.8
72.1
69
65.9
35
36
34.6
31.8
30
29.6
29.2
33.4
35.6
60
57
58
74
85
88
91
69
62

By installation of data loggers in various rooms of the
building in the monsoon month of August of 2012, it has been
revealed that the rooms at the top (second) floor and the first
floor showed almost the same indoor temperature with little
variations and the temperature started to decrease from 8:00
pm (Table 3). Recording with anemometer it was found that
while airflow at outside was 23.9 m
3
/min, most parts of the
first floor of the building recorded an airflow of 24.4 m
3
/min,
and near the two windows of common room and southwestern
bed room facing the narrow open spaces between buildings at
south were 28.7 m
3
/min and 33.8 m
3
/min respectively proving
the success of positioning the two windows in these rooms at
southern airflow-corridor, and the overall success of natural
ventilation through rooms and balconies and exhaust of hot air


through the windows of northern side staircase. Minimum
air velocity recorded in all rooms was 0.4 m/s while that in
outside was 0.5 m/s. The reading through light-meter showed
presence of plenty of natural light in the major rooms of this
building. The comfort condition achieved in the interior of this
building is primarily because of the induced air flow and the
lime terracing on the roof. Climate-wise, the habitants feel less
hot in summer in the building than while being in some other
buildings of their relatives and friends. A comparison (fig 9),
done on the same dates and for same duration, of indoor
temperatures of a room at the top floor of this building and
that of another modern building constructed six years ago
confirms this fact.

Table 3: Findings in August 2012
Date Time 2
nd
Floor
Common Room
2
nd
Floor
Bed Room 2
1
st
Floor
Common Room
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Temperature
(
0
C)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
26.08.2012




27.08.2012



12:45
14:45
17:45
20:45
23:45
02:45
05:45
08:45
11:45
13:45
30.5
30.8
30.5
30.4
30.2
30
29.6
29.5
29.5
31
79.3
78.9
77.6
81.9
82.5
82
83.1
84.3
84.5
83.6
30.5
30.9
30.8
30.5
30.5
30.4
30.1
29.9
30.2
30.1
84.4
79.4
72.5
80.7
83
82.4
82.6
84
82.2
85.5
30.7
30.9
30.7
30.3
30.3
30.3
30.2
30
30
31
79.8
79.7
76.2
82.5
83.3
83
82.5
84.1
83.5
84.6

























Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 67
ISSN 2277-5056 | 2012 Bonfring

Figure 9: A Comparison of Temperatures in Top Floors of
Samars House and Another House
The building merges with the surrounding architectural
and traditional setting while retaining its own individuality.
People from the junction of the two roads look at the building
and hold their pace for a moment to look at it clearly. The
building has an image of class and quality in the
neighborhood. The objectives mentioned earlier have been
achieved thoroughly. The building covers in total about 324 sq
m built up area in three floors and the total cost of
construction of the project was Rupees eighteen lakh
(Rs.18,00,000/-) as recorded up to finish of project in June
1999 [4]. Till date no air conditioning apparatus has been
required for installation in that building. Jean Nouvels
Foundation Cartier (Fig. 10) of 1994 in Paris maintains the
parapet line by introducing a false steel-and-glass faade
abutting on the street. The authors building (Fig. 11) of 1999
in Kolkata maintains parapet line by following building
bylaws of Kolkata with a front open space of 1.2m and with
allowable projection limit [5].


Figure 10 : Fondation
Cartier by Jean Nouvel In
Paris

Figure 11: The House of
Samar Banerjeein Kolkata
V. CONCLUSION
Power failure in summer is a frequent phenomenon in
many cities in India. Of some reasons, one is the huge increase
in demand of power in the city in summer and failure to
supply that by the state electricity board or electric supply
corporation. In recent years, many households have installed
room air conditioners and many operate two (ceiling and
pedestal) fans in one room to have physical comfort in
summer. There is an impact of the huge urbanization on the
local climate as well as on the demand for power. Gadgets like
air conditioners increase greenhouse gas and are contributor to
global warming. Here comes the need for good planning of
spaces with provisions for adequate natural air ventilation and
natural light in the interior and insulation of the roof so that
the indoor comfort condition is enhanced and energy
requirement is reduced. An architects concern about design of
a building should include the beauty and strength of the
building along with its value for performance on comfort,
climate and energy consumption issues. With the rising
concern about global warming and climate change and energy
crisis, the architects should be more open for exploration and
application of means and ways for making their architecture
climate responsive and less energy consuming for the
safeguard of the environment and humankind of the future
though creating art and beauty in their designs.
REFERENCES
[1] S. Bose, Integrated Drainage Water Management for Environmental
Improvement in Kolkata, Journal of Environmental Sciences &
Engineering (JESE, ISSN: 0367-827X), National Environmental
Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Government of India, Nagpur,
Paper (No. 113/2011) accepted for publication, submitted on
23.10.2011.
[2] P.D. Spreiregen, The Architecture of Towns and Cities, American
Institute of Architects, USA, Pp.71, 1965.
[3] M. Pellegrino, Research on Climatic Performance of Buildings (Case
Study: House of Samar Banerjee), Post-doctoral research done under
supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Shivashish Bose at the
Department of Architecture of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India
during September 2010 to June 2011.
[4] S. Bose, Residential Building for Samar Banerjee, Journal of The
Indian Institute of Architects, JIIA Volume 65, No.11, Pp.38-41,
November 2000.
[5] S. Bose, Climate Responsive Architecture: House of Samar Banerjee in
Kolkata, International Conference on Advances in Architecture and
Civil Engineering (AARCV 2012) held during 21-23 June 2012 in
Bangalore, India, Department of Civil Engineering & School of
Architecture of M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT),
Bonfring, India, Proceeding Volume-II, ISBN: 978-93-82338-01-7,
Pp.695-699, 2012.