WESTERN INFLUENCES ON

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

 COLONIAL INFLUENCE ON TRADITIONAL HOUSES GOA

 BUNGLA TO BUNGALOW
 HOUSING TYPOLOGIES AND SETTLEMENT PLANNING

— COCHIN
— PONDICHERRY
COCHIN
Introduction:
Cochin is located on the southwest coast of India, in the southern state of Kerala. The
city lies at the sea mouth of seven major rivers which start from theWestern Ghats and drain out into
the Arabian Sea.

Climate: Tropical Monsoon

Area of the city:87.5 km²

Much of the city lies at the sea level

Settlement:
 The great flood of1341 made cochin, a natural harbor. Since then,it
became the centre stage of international trade.

 In 1404, the Cranganore(major trade port before the flood)king shifted

his capital yo Mattencherry,a settlement along the backwaters of
Kochazhi(cochin).

 In1500A.D. the portugese after failing to hold on Kozhikode(Calicut),

moved to Mattencherry, marking the beginning of European
colonialism.

 Subsequent conquest of the fort by the Dutch (1663) and the

British(1795) made the local king to move to Ernakulam,thus creating
a three settlement conglomerate of Mattencherry, Fort Cochin and
Ernakulam

Being a coastal area a large number of trading communities had settled

-Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Early Christian communities, local inhabitants-various castes of
Hindus ,sects of Muslims, black &white Jews, Buddhists, Jains -giving characteristic mixed
population.

Mattencherry and Fort cochin had a sharp distinction as the colonists settled at
Fort Cochin and the indigineous people of the place_traders,merchants,craftsmen,etc. settled at
Mattencherry.
Traditional Houses and Foreign Influences:
Until the 16th century and the arrival of the Portuguese in India, roofs of local
buildings were often bamboo framed and covered with thatched palm leaves . The roof system
have been set on mud walls or simple masonry walls.In time this construction technique was
replaced with wood framed roofs (often teak) covered with terracotta tiles set on thick-bodied
laterite stone walls veneered in chunam (a polished lime plaster) .The local components were
thus fused with foreign building techniques introduced by outsiders, first the Portuguese and
later the Dutch and British.

Fort Cochin:
BUILT-FORM:

-3 Typologies

1.Bungalow Form:

 Landscaped wide streets, Large public open spaces

 Buildings set back from street
 Buildings of distinctive colonial character
 Represents high income group residential/institutional area

2.Street Form:

 Small narrow streets, very little public open spaces

 Buildings edge the street, with onstreet 1st floor access

- linear edge-to-edge construction,forming continuous wall along the street

-godowns and stables on ground floor

 low ceiling height(2.5m)

 large openings facing the street
 no plinth, indicating goods movement and storage at lower level

-upper floor(residences) accessed directly by staircase

 large glazed windows of low sills

 Buildings of mixed architectural style, active street interface

 Middle/lower income group residential area

3.Larger Court Form:

 Narrow streets with water access, no public open space

 Buildings on street edge with courts for godowns
 Controlled gates on street side, passive street interface
 Offices located along the roadside, for trade interaction
  Godowns along canal side and backwaters, for movement of goods(depended on
boats) and storage
 The small quantity produces are gathered in large halls and open yards, and
transacted to ships for export

David hall-kochi:
David hall is the world's only surviving Building constructed by Dutch East India Company
in the world.
This is 350 year old bungalow once reflected the might of Dutch Empire with offices and
imperial residences of Dutch Army Commanders

DUTCH CHARACTERISTICS

 The wooden roof is made of flat face rafters as opposed to Kerala architecture where
they stand vertical. These horizontal rafters result in a sag in the wood, which is
supported by trusses across them.
 The shape of the roof is like an upturned hull
 The wall, three feet wide in some places, and the four column windows are other Danish
features.
 Single row of exposed yellow bricks on the front veranda. They are natural stone
brought from Europe as ballast in the ships.

Mattencherry:
Located along backwaters, lead to urban form –more of bazaars

Jew town:
The Jewish refugees from Jerusalem settled near the heart of Mattencherry during the
Crusades, 68AD-1988AD

Streets -narrow, irregular

-runs north-south

-Diverse functions within one structure

-offices/shops infront, residences at back/1 st floor

 Dutch Influence:
-Narrow and deep plan form

-Stepped gables

-High pitch roof

Jewish Synagogue:
The synagogue was constructed in 1568 by the Jewish trading community. This is one of
the very few functional,the oldest synagogue in India and the structure is unique due to
influence of native Hindu-Christian architecture as well as the only synagogue having two
bimahs. The synagogue was built on a land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by Raja
Varma, the then, Raja of Kochi and shares a common wall with the famous Mattancherry Palace
temple.

The Malabar Yehudan or Cochin Jews consisted of three sects of people.

1. White Jews were the high-class professionals and merchants and they were full
members of the Jewish Synagogue. They were descendents of European and
Middle Eastern Jews, who made their way to India during the pre British times.
2. Black Jews, comprising traders and craftsmen were allowed only to pray and as
such, were not admitted to full membership.
3. Meshuhrarim, a group of freed slaves, had no communal rights and no
synagogues of their own. They sat on the floor or on the steps outside.

The synagogue was partially destroyed in the war of 1662 and was rebuilt by the Dutch. In the
mid- 18th century the clock tower was added.

Interiors:
The floors_paved with exquisite hand-painted blue willow tiles from China.

Ceiling_ Belgian chandelier.

Also had - The great scrolls of the Old Testament,

- Copper plates on which were recorded the grants of privilege made by the Cochin
rulers t to the Jewish community in
the 4th century.

- Five finely wrought gold and silver crowns gifted to the synagogue by various
patrons.

MATTENCHERRY PALACE:
The Portuguese,when held sway over Kochi, built a palace at Mattanchery and gifted it
to the Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Cochin, as compensation for a temple they had destroyed, and
also as a bribe to gain favors from the ruling dynasty in 1555A.D.Later, in 1663, when the Dutch
wrestled Cochin from the hands of the Portuguese the palace shifted hands. The Dutch
renovated the palace and hence it is popularly known as ‘The Dutch Palace’.

PLANNING:
-It is a two-storied, quadrangular structure

-built in the “nalukettu” style, with an open courtyard in the middle and rooms on the
four sides

-The central courtyard on the ground floor has a temple of the royal family, devoted to
Pazhayannur Bhagawati. On either side of it are smaller shrines dedicated to Lord Krishna and
Lord Shiva.

It has both European and local architectural features.

The first floor consisted of

 The central hall (Coronation hall) on the upper storey was

once used as venue for coronating Cochin's Raja and has an
intrinsically carved wooden ceiling
 a hall with murals on depicting scenes from Hindu mythologies
like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas
 a dining hall
 a women’s chamber and
 a staircase room.

Later in 1985,first floor has been made as a museum

Several Galleries have been established

-gallery with pictures and maps of the Dutch forts in India, and maps of Kochi of the
Dutch period

- gallery of royal memorabilia that consist of attires, turbans and weapons, from the days
of the rajas of Kochi

- portrait gallery

 Information has been provided on the kings and their achievements.

Photographs of their family members are displayed.
 The important portraits include those of Rama Varma (1790-1805), Rama
Varma (1805- 1809), and Kerala Varma (194-43), popularly called “the
Wise King.”

MATERIALS USED:

The first floor originally had wooden flooring but cement concrete was laid out over it

Its facade is fairly unornamented and is made up of stark white walls, sloping roofs and
trees around it.
BANGLA AND BUNGALOW:
 The contemporary villa or a bungalow is a house which is set apart from adjacent
constructions. The word ‘bungalow’ itself traces its origin to India. The present house-form is
 the product of a long process of adoption and adaptation of the traditional domestic
structure known as bangla in Bengali.
 The term bangla is used to describe the simple hut of the Bengali peasant.
 The average low-income Bengali peasant lived with his livestock in the same hut identically
designed.
 Thatch was used as roofing material which extended a little beyond the walls and protected
them. Privacy was ensured by keeping the openings at a higher level. Chimneys were
unheard of as food was generally cooked outside the hut. The external wall surfaces were
untreated so that cow-dung cakes could be dried on them for fuel. Internal wall surface as
well as flooring were plastered with cow-dung.

CHARACTERISTICS OF BENGALI HUT (BANGLA):

 It had a sloping thatch roof with two gable ends.
 External walls was untreated .
 Internal walls and flooring were plastered with cow-dung.
 Wall niches – oil lamps
 The only opening in the hut was the door. Windows were rare fixtures.
 Materials: Generally hut walls were made of mud.
But at places where good soil was not available straw, grass and split
bamboos were used.
For more sturdy houses mats were used.

COLONIAL INFLUENCE:
 Based on the prototype of the Bengali hut the British developed a new type of domestic
structure by the end of 18th century.
 Easy availability of local masons, construction labour and materials not only facilitated the
construction of this type of house but also ensured low construction costs.
 Inspite of the major modifications and alterations the bungalow maintained a striking visual
similarity with the Bengali hut. This was due to the fact that local masons and labour
experienced in the construction of small houses and huts helped build bungalows too.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANGLO-INDIAN BUNGALOW:

 The Anglo-Indian bungalow, as it was termed was free standing, single storied structure with
raised plinth, sun-dried bricks and mud plastered walls, with a sloping thatched roof and an
encircling verandah.
 They were usually single storeyed with verandahs extending into the lawn. The verandah, a
typical feature of tropical architecture was probably brought by Portuguese to Asia in 15 th
century. It was used for sleeping outside in summers or to provide accommodation for the
domestic servants.
 Large wide porches, often with tapered square columns
 Typically one story, but there are some two story bungalows
  Low-slung roof, often with a flared roof line
 Often small, and have a cottage look and feel
 Normally have a low profile
 Typically simple (and thus less costly) to build

As the British residents of the bungalow had no social interaction with the local people, their
bungalows were set in well- demarcated, large-sized compounds usually away from other
settlements.

They preferred this form of habitation because it ensured complete privacy and helped maintain
their distinct cultural identity as well as authority dignity as colonial rulers.

The bungalows were completely different from the 3 or 4 storeyed residential structures in the city.

CITY HOUSES:
 City houses on the other hand, were densely clustered and reflected the socio-economic
bonds and trends of Indian society.
 The inner courtyard was mostly used by women in strict purdah who rarely went out. It
was the only place where they could breathe in fresh air. The outer walls hardly had any
windows and few which were installed ensured complete privacy.
 The residents of the mohalla or neighbourhood were usually of the same caste and
professed same religion. All the rooms were oriented towards the central courtyard
which provided light and ventilation.

 CLIMATIC INFLUENCE:

As the British became increasingly conversant for the local climate, they evolved ways and means to
find relief from the scorching summer heat.

 Tiles were used over thatched roof to keep out heat and glare,
 Chicks, a type of roll-up blinds which were made up of thin strips of split bamboo were fixed
to the lintel opening
 Heavy wooden screen was fixed to the ceiling height of verandah which could be raised or
lowered with the help of wooden pole.
 Water-cooled khus screens were hung across doors and windows, cooled the hot wind
entering the house
 Punkhah, a heavy cloth fan, was fixed to the ceiling and operated by pulling a rope to ensure
circulation of air.

By the end of 18 th century the concept and design of Anglo-Indian bungalow had
sufficiently matured and crystallized. With the emergence of distinct Anglo-Indian society the Indians
adapted themselves to the blue print of the typical bungalow. The local nobility and affluent class
had already adopted European fashion in their furnishings. This resulted in the marked changes in
the domestic architecture and interior décor.
TRADITIONAL HOUSES OF BENGAL:
A Bengali house can generally be described as the grouping of some isolated rectangular huts
(rooms) around a court (uthan).
The basic layout of a traditional Bengali house has basically two zones without considering the
changes of locations, materials, climates etc. and their impact on the house forms. All the activities
of a house are arranged by following these zones. The zones are specified as,
 Formal zone (male, outer part of the house)
 Informal zone (female, inner part of the house)

FORMAL ZONE:
 The formal zone is the outer most part of the house. All the activities related to agriculture
like crop preparation for cultivation and selling are done here. The built forms like an outer
house (baithak ghar) cowsheds, toilets, general storage and food storage for cattle are
organised in this zone to support those agricultural activities.
 Male persons occupy this portion of the house generally. Women also use this space for
different household works during the time of absence of the outsiders.
 The outer house is used for the entertainment of male persons from out sides (generally not
relatives) and for the persons (kamla) who are employed for the cultivation. Sometimes this
room is used for taking rest and sleeping for them also.
 The outer house is also used as a buffer between formal and informal zones.
 An additional toilet is arranged in this zone for the use of male persons of the family,
workers and visitors.

INFORMAL ZONE:
 All of the functions like sleeping, cooking, washing, taking care of children and rice/crop
preparations are included in this zone. Female members usually occupy this zone. Generally
the rice husking function is associated with the kitchen and done by women of the family.
The kitchen and toilets (for woman and children) are arranged at the corners of the court
and sometimes they are approached indirectly to ensure more privacy
 This zone can be approached from the outside generally by two ways. One indirect entrance
at the corners and sometimes the other entrance is arranged through the baithak ghar.
 All of the rooms with the shaded verandas are oriented towards the courtyard, which is the
most common in a rural house.
 A central and introvert courtyard plays a vital role in keeping the family bondage more
strong so it also has some special symbolic values rather than functional aspects. The inner
court is not used only for the activities of drying the crops or preparing the foods but also for
different family activities like family gatherings, children playing, drying clothes etc. The
uthan is the basic module for the organisation of living spaces in a rural house.
DIVERSITIES OF RURAL HOUSE FORMS:

The house forms can be changed or transformed by different modifying factors like climate, building
materials, construction technology, land features etc. Researchers in this field tried to classify the
house form based on these factors. The classification of house form can be made like:
 Diversities of house forms with the differences of land characteristics, climate and available
construction material
 Diversities of house forms with the differences of cultural factors
 Diversities of house forms with the differences of religious factors

Diversities of house forms with the differences of land characteristics, climate and available
construction material.

GEOPHYSICAL FACTORS:
The geophysical characteristics of Bangladesh can be classified into three categories
Such as,
a. The plain land, which is characterised by flood plains
b. The terrace land
c. The hilly and upland areas

The plain land:

 Roofing material: bamboo and thatch are more common
Clay tiles are used in the areas of dry climate where the soil of lateritic quality
is available.
 Enclosing material: bamboo walled house
Mud walled house
Timber house
Timber and brick build house
hatch/straw build house
C.I sheet build house

The terrace land:

Climate: dry climate and low rainfall.
Latertic content of the soil and the land placed above flood levels altogether influenced house forms
to build with mud walls.
Dry climate also insisted to form the compact house forms and densed settlements to get benefits
from shadows by each other.
The hilly upland areas:
The houses built on raised platforms built with bamboo or timber. Among the tribal people, the
richer ones build wooden platform and bamboo platform by poorer ones. About half a portion of the
platform is used for living room and the rest of the portion as veranda for multipurpose family
outdoor activities. A ladder made with bamboo approaches this platform or veranda. Lower part for
domestic animals.

CULTURAL FACTORS:
Culture is the most powerful factor, which is guiding the evolutionary pattern of households in this
area. Studying at the micro level of human settlements, the impacts of culture in the formations of
house forms can be understood. The traditional Bengali house shows the efficient use of building
materials and evolutions of a house form having relationship with the limit and the possibilities set
by various physical and socio-cultural factors.

 Choushala griha – house with four units on four sides (vita) of the courtyard
 Briti griha - a house completely surrounded by wall made of bamboo, combinations of
thatch and bamboo or jute sticks.
 Atchala griha - an eight roofed house. Sometimes there are several divisions are made
within the room.
 Post griha - a house with raised embankment all around. Sometimes, for rich families the
embankments can be pucca
 Dishala nanda griha – with two houses on either side of courtyard.
 Shusthita griha – rooms have verandahs on all sides.
 Tribal houses
 Adibasi – house of primitive tribes
Among the categories mentioned above, the choushala griha is the most common, where the others
are seen very infrequently.

RELIGIOUS FACTORS:
 Muslim houses
 Hindu houses

Muslim houses:
 The houses of the Muslim families are more introvert in nature, because of some religious
regulations. Usually the Muslims houses have some kind of special walls or partitions around
the entrances for privacy. In a Muslim family, female members are more restricted
 within their inner areas.
 The arrangement of the rooms in the Muslim houses follows strongly the cardinal directions
for the easy recognition of the Kaba direction. The orientations of the sleeping mats, beds
and toilets also follow this direction.
 Some wealthy Muslim families in the rural society have two ponds. One for male and the
other for female. If it is a single pond then there are two ghats (bank of a pond or a river.)
 prepared for male and female separately. The female ghat is surrounded by some kind of
screenings for privacy.

Hindu house:
 In the Hindu religion, cow has a special status. For this reason a special attention has been
given to the cows for the take care in a Hindu house. As the result the cowshed in a Hindu
family looks more neat and clean than that of a Muslim house.
 The Hindu women are allowed to the outer court for taking care of the cows, which is
uncommon in a Muslim family. In a Hindu family it is common that a place is reserved for
planting holy tree tulsi.
 There is also a specific place/room for the worship and for placing the images of gods, which
is unfamiliar in a Muslim family.

Traditional Goan house

Most houses in Goa have their roofs constructed with red "manglorean" tiles. Also notice
that the long stairway leads to a balcony also known as a "balcao" in Konkani and
Portuguese.

Design influences
The following factors affected house design in Goa:

 Protecting oneself from the fierce monsoons was the basis of architectural form
 Goans brought ideas and influences from other countries.
 The Goan master builders executed these ideas using local building materials, making the
Goan house a mixture and adaptation of design elements and influences from all over the
world.

They adopted a European outlook but did not cut themselves off from their Indian roots
completely.

Exteriors
The houses opened into courtyards, and rarely opened onto streets.

. The Catholic houses built were more outward-looking and ornamental, with balcões

and verandas facing the street. The large balcões had built-in seating,open to the street.

These balcões are bordered by ornamental columns. The houses of rich landlords had high
plinths with grand staircases leading to the front door or balcão

. Front doors were flanked by columns or pilasters

 Railings were the most intricate embellishment in a Goan house. Pillars, piers, and colours do
not seem to be influenced by any style in particular; rather they conform to a rather mixed bag of
architectural styles.

Cornices

Country tiles used as a corbel are a feature peculiar to Goa.

Gateways consisted of elaborately carved compound walls on either side of the gate posts.

The walls were made of mud and then later of laterite stone; they were usually plastered then
painted.

Interiors

Most houses are symmetrical with the entrance door occupying the place of honour. Typically this
front door leads to a foyer which then either leads to the sala (the main hall for entertaining a large
number of guests) or the sala de visita (a smaller hall for entertaining a small number of
guests).From here one can also directly enter the rest of the house

Almost all Goan houses have a false ceiling of wood.

Goan Hindu houses

The goan Hindu Architectural style is different from the Portuguese-influenced style. Hindu houses
have little colonial influence. Most of the big houses have a courtyard called as Rajangan in Konkani.

A special place called as Soppo is often used for relaxing. Goan traditional Hindu houses have the
following features:

 Angan (courtyard with a Tulasi Vrundavan)

 Rajangan (a courtyard inside the house)
 Deva kood (a place for daily prayer and other rituals)
 Saal (a hall)
 Raanchi kood (a kitchen with a door which is called Magil daar)
 A room special meant for pregnant and nursing mothers.
 Kothar (store room)
 A hall specially meant for celebrating Ganeshotsav
Se cathedral :

Building raised plinth of laterite,covered over with lime plaster.

Style: portugese-gothic.

Dimension:250ftx181ft.

Tusian exterior with square towers flank.

30.3m high façade.

Frontispiece 115ft high.

Interiors

Intrically detailed Corinthian interior has high pillar 76.2m

It has 15 alters and 8 chapels.

Huge glided revedos above the main alter.