VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE OF PUNJAB
RIMT COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE

SUBMITTED TO:AR.NAVNEET KAUR

SUBMITTED BY:AYUSHI JAIN

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE
OF PUNJAB

The word vernacular derived from vernaculus means native.

Hence vernacular architecture native science of building.
The term "vernacular architecture" in general refers to the informal building of
structures through traditional building methods by local builders without using
the services of a professional architect. It is the most widespread form of
building.
PUNJAB "punjmeaning five andabmeaning water, thus the land of five rivers.

AREAS OF PUNJAB

The area of Punjab can be divided into:

Majhais a historical region of the Indian Punjab
comprising the modern districts ofAmritsar,Pathankot
,GurdaspurandTarn Taran. It lies between riversRavi,
Beasand theSutlej. This region is called the heartland
of Punjab and is celebrated as being the 'Cradle of
Sikhism'.
Doabais the region of Indian Punjab between the
riversBeasandSutlej. The name "Doaba" literally
translates to "land between two rivers" ("Do" two,
"Ab" river; Punjabi). It is one of the most fertile regions
of the world and was the centre of the Green
Revolution in India. To this day, it remains one of the
largest per capita producers of wheat in the world. The
cities in Doaba areJalandhar,Hoshiarpur,Rupnagar,
Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar(Nawashahr),Kapurthala
andMukerian.
Malwais a region of Punjab south to riverSutlej. The
Malwa area makes up majority of the Punjab region
consisting 11 districts. Cities:Ludhiana,Rupnagar,
Patiala,Sangrur,Bathinda,Mansa,
Ferozepur,
Fazilka,Rajpura,MogaandAjitgarhare located in the
Malwa region. Malwa is also famous for cotton

MATERIALS OF PUNJAB

HISTORY OF PUNJAB LINKS WITH ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AS:-The

Indus Valley Civilizationspanned much of the Punjab region with cities such as
Harappa(modern-day Punjab, Pakistan). TheVedic Civilizationspread along the
length of theSarasvati Riverto cover most ofNorthern Indiaincluding Punjab.
This civilization shaped subsequent cultures in the Indian subcontinent.
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION gifted mankind many assets like sewage system,
town planning ,bathing area , ware houses , dock yards , and the most important
use of BAKED BRICKS it can be seen in all excavated sites of indus valley
civilization.
Hence , the backed clay bricks flourished through the years and named as
NANAK SHAHI BRICKS .
There are a no. of others locally available materials that can be used in rural
area.
They can be used with different construction techniques, which does not require
much skilled labour. Some of them are:
Cow Dung
Thatch
Straw
Mud
Timber
Bamboo

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

Nanak Shahi brickwas most commonly used for its intrinsic advantages. They
were the decorated bricks used in Mughal era. The building blocks from the
demolished historic buildings was the Nanakshahi brick a slim brick of 6x4
x(1.25) Traditional small bricks that were burnt with timber and cow dung are far
superior in strength and more resilient than the conventional bricks. This brick
was used judiciously as column cladding, as joints between the block and
column, in the three centered arches and even in the windows apart from being
used in the roof in different patterns.
Nanak Shahi bricks were kind of brick tiles of moderate dimensions used for
reinforcing lime concretes in the structural walls and other components which
were generally very thick. The brick-tile made mouldings, cornices, plasters,
etc., easy to work into a variety of shapes. More often than not, the structures,
especially the Sikh temples (gurudwaras) were a combination of the two
systems, viz, trabeated or post-and-lintal, and acerated or based on arches. The
surfaces were treated with lime or gypsum plaster which was moulded into
cornices, pilasters, and other structural as well as non-structural
embellishments.

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

Brick, lime mortar as well as lime or gypsum plaster, and lime concrete were the
most favoured building materials, although stone: such as red stone and white
marble, were also used in a number of shrines. The Nanak Shahi Bricks found
use more as cladding or decorative material than for meeting structural needs
for well over two hundred years.
Nanak Shahi (from the times of Nanak) brick was most commonly used for its
intrinsic advantages. It was a kind of brick tile of moderate dimensions used for
reinforcing lime concretes in the structural walls and other components, which
were generally very thick.
The brick-tile made moldings, cornices, plasters, etc., is easy to work into a
variety of shapes. More often than not, the structure was a combination of the
two systems, viz, trabeated or post-and-lintal, and acerated or based on arches.
The surfaces were treated with lime or gypsum plaster which was molded into
cornices, pilasters, and other structural as well as non-structural embellishments

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

THESE bricks has variable uses from foundation to superstructure,

ornamentation, arches , domes , even heavy structures and bridges
too .. Yes bridges
Heres the example of JOURE PUL , PUNJAB connecting three cities
Malerkotla , Khanna and Nabha.
This bridge is solely made by nanakshahi bricks with thickness of 30 and thickness.
This was built before independence .
On a average about 50 -75 cars cross this bridge and 100 truckes on
regular basis.
This is aesthetically very much pleasing.

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

THERE ARE MANY BUILDINGS IN PUNJAB WHICH WERE MADE SOLELY BY THESE
BRICKS . FOR EXAMPLE:NANAK SHAHI BRICK FORT (KUCCHA QILLA ), MALERKOTLA
QILLA MUBARAK , MALERKOTLA
KUTIYA (TEMPLE SHARING WALL WITH MOSQUE) , MALERKOTLA

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

EVEN NOW A DAYS WE ARE USING BURNT CLAY BRICKS AT MAX BUT THESE
BRICKS ARE ESILY PRONE TO DISEASE AND DECAY WHY??
IN EARLIER TIMES IT WAS SAID THAT A GOOD BRICK HAS LIFE SPAN OF 200
YEARS WHICH LOWERS TO 100 YEARS IN 20 CENTUARY BUT IN 21 CENTUARY
BRICKS ARE PRONE TO EFFLORESCENCE,
BUT THE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS WHICH ARE MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD .
THEY DONT HAVE ANY EFFLORENSCE AND CRACK WITH NO MAINTEANCE THEY
WITHSTAND ACID RAIN , WIND AND WEATHERING AGENCIES.HOW
?
WHY STILL LOOKS
BETTER
THAN NEW BRICK??

VS

NANAK SHAHI BRICKS

REASONS BEHIND THIS IS WELL KNOWN TO ALL BUT IGNORED JUST TO MEET
THE DEMAND OF BUILDING IN LESS TIME ONE JUST FORGOT THESE:USE OF CEMENT AS BINDING MATERIAL
LACK OF TIME
LOW QUALITY OF LABOUR WORK
LOW QUALITY BRICK MAKING PROCESS
SALINITY OF TOP SOIL WHICH IS BEING USED FOR BRICKS
WHY STILL LOOKS BETTER
LACK OF PROPER WATERING AND SETTING TIME FOR THAN
BRICKSNEW BRICK??

VS

MUD AND RAMMED EARTH

RAMMED EARTH:
Two parallel planks are held firmly apart by metal rods and clips or bolts, or by-small
crosspieces of wood. Stiff mud is thrown in between these two planks and rammed
down with either a wooden or metal ram rod.

When one section is completed and hard, the two boards are moved along and the
process is repeated until the whole plan is completed.

The life of rammed earth walls is usually very long and they can carry heavy floors
and roofs and be used for two and even three storey buildings

MUD:A mud mortar is prepared by simply mixing soil with water until it is in a plastic
{workable) state.
Once applied, a mud mortar sets quite rapidly on drying without the need for
elaborate curing procedures.
Mud can be used as an additive, walls, floor and other finishes.

THATCH

Thatchingis the craft of building aroofwith dry vegetation such asstraw,water

reed, etc. layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof.
It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate
climates.
Thatch is still employed in construction of low-cost structures, for walls, roofs
and additives.
THATCH IN WALLS
These walls are not load bearing.
First the frame is constructed with the wooden posts and then thatch is
tied in sheet form

COW DUNG

Cow dungis thewasteofbovineanimal species.

Cow dung is also an optional ingredient in the manufacture of mud brick
depending on the availability of materials.
It is used to line the floor and the walls of buildings owing to its insect repellent
properties
In cold places, cow dung is used to line the walls of rustic houses as a
cheapthermal insulator.
QUALITIES
Renewable
Local
Durable
Low or nontoxic
Resource efficient manufacturing process

TIMBER AND BAMBOO

It can be used for Door and Window frames and additives.

BENEFITS OF TIMBER
Lesser cost, if locally available
Good strength
Labor needed is easily available
Recyclable source

TIMBER
Timber was limited for ornamentation works, railings , doors and windows
,ceiling as well but there is one of some examples in which timber is also used
as supporting coloumn and that is
MOTI BAZAAR , MALERKOTLA
Same area used in movie phantom released
in year 2015 starrer saif ali khan and katrin kaif

GOLDEN TEMPLE
PLANNING - The main structure rises
from the centre of the sacred pool,
150 metres square, approached by a
causeway about 60 metres long.
An archway on the western side of the
pool opens on to the causeway,
bordered with balustrades of fretted
marble, and, at close intervals, there
are standard lamps, their great
lanterns set upon marble columns.
The 52-metre square-based Hari Mandir,
to which the causeway leads, stands
on a 20-metre square platform. Its
lower parts are of white marble, but
the upper parts are covered with
plates of gold.
On the second storey is a pavilion known
as Shish Mahal or Mirror Room. The
interior of the Shish Mahal is
ornamented with small pieces of
mirror .

GOLDEN TEMPLE
The typical art and architectural
features of the Golden Temple can
be summed up as
1.Multiplicity of chhatris which
ornament the parapets, angles at
every prominence or projection;
2. The invariable use of fluted domes
covered with gilded copper;
3. Balconised windows thrown out on
carved brackets or bay-windows
with shallow elliptical cornices.
4. Enrichment of walls, arches and
ceilings by various forms of mural
art.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES

PROJECTED BALCONIES

ONION DOME

ENTRANCE
GATEWY

SMALL DOME GOLD CARVED ENTRANCE

COPPER GILDED

ROW OF ARCHES

FLUTED DOME

CARVED COLUMNS

CONCLUSION

There are about 300 different patterns on the

walls.
Patta is a decorative border design used around
the Dehin and often depicted through creepers.
The only mural depicting human figures is to be
seen on the wall behind the northern narrow
stairway leading to the top of the shrine. This
includes the work in embossed copper, gach,
tukri, jaratkari and ivory inlay.
Most of the exterior upper portions of the walls
of the Golden Temple are covered with beaten
copper plates, heavily gilded.
Gach work inlaid with coloured glass was known
as tukri work and is to be seen in the second
storey of the Shish Mahal. Jaratkari work
involved the inlaying of coloured cut-stones in
marble and is to be found on the lower portion
of the exterior walls of the temple.
In fact, the work is pietre dure and the inlay
consists of semi-precious stones, such as lapis
lazuli and onyx.

VARIOUS DESIGN FEATURES

The primary element was a single interior living space, which may have been
sub- divided, multiplied, or otherwise modified.
Second, an external space adjacent to or surrounded by the dwelling was
emphasized by use of elements such as low platforms or verandahs.
An average hut measured approximately 5 to 6 meters long and 3 to 4 meters
wide.
These huts were arranged in a linear pattern along the main street of a village,
usually amidst a group of bamboo trees.
The houses were normally surrounded by a fence made of bamboo, shrubs, or
twigs that defined the boundary between the public street and the semi-public
courtyard area in front and at the rear of the hut.

VARIOUS DESIGN
FEATURES

This open-to-sky courtyard acted a prime space

for the house, especially during the day in winter
and in the evenings in summer.
Most day to day activities occurred in this space.
Often there was a well in this courtyard that
served as the source for water for drinking,
bathing, washing, and cooking.
People used this courtyard to dry clothes, crops,
and eatables during the day time.
The house sat on a raised platform made of
compacted earth.
The high thermal mass helped keep the house
cool in the evenings in summer which made it
pleasant for people to rest in the evenings. The
huts normally had minimal fenestration. Often the
only opening on the external walls was the main
door. Some houses had windows, but
they were small and placed high to ventilate the
indoors while, at the same time, acting as
a visual barrier for the private spaces. The small
windows also served to keep the hot
summer sun and cold winter winds out.

VARIOUS DESIGN FEATURES

The roof rested on nine

wooden posts erected in
three rows, with three posts
per row. These posts were
sunk into the raised
platform and tied with
wooden beams and purlins
that supported the roof
structure. The huts usually
had a gabled thatch roof.
Bamboo sticks formed the
mullions to support the
thatch.
The thick thatch used as
roofing material prevented
rain from entering the
house and at the same time
provided insulation to the
building.

SITE PLAN
.

SECTION OF HOUSE

VIEW OF DECAYED THATCH ROOF IN A

HUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

PAINTING ON THE WALL OF A HUT

PASSIVE FEATURES

Summers:
Use evaporative cooling.
Protect against summer heat gain.
Keep the sun out in summers to reduce heat gain and glare.
Flatten day-to-night temperature swings to reduce cooling in summers.
Use vegetative cover to prevent reflected radiation and glare.
Expand use of outdoor spaces during the night.
Night time flush ventilation to cool thermal mass.

Winter:
Let the winter sun in to reduce heating needs.
Protect from cool winter winds to reduce heating.
Expand use of outdoor spaces during the day.

Spring:
Use natural ventilation to cool in spring.
In part, the specific climate of Jharkhand has given rise to particular vernacular
types.
These types will be explored in the next chapter.

VARIOUS DESIGN FEATURES

Trees to shade the west wall

Interlocking burnt clay tiles

Front
verandah
used for
sitting in
winter and to
shade the
light
colored
exterior walls.

Light colored walls to reflect heat

Door and window placed

opposite to each other for
cross ventilation.

Use of courtyard for drying

clothes and food.

View of attic space and

used as store

The spaces too lack windows which reduces heat gain

inside the house but keeps warmer

Thick mud walls

to increase the
thermal capacity
of the wall

Roof with interlocking burnt clay tiles to block rain

from
entering the house.

BRIEF CONCLUSION

AS A WELL SAID QUOTE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IS FOR THE PEOPLE , BY

THE PEOPLE AND FROM THE PEOPLE THAT IS IT IS ARCHITECTURE WITHOUT
ARCHITECTS
THERE ALWAYS A CONFLICT BETWEEN VERNACULAR AND TRADITIONAL .. ALSO
A TOTALLY WRONG NOTION THAT IS VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IS
BACKWARD.
IT IS NOT , ACTUALLY IT IS FAR ADVANCE THAN ONE OF US.. AS IT WORKS ON
ALL ASPECTS OF ARCHITECTURE FROM ECONOMICS TO ASTHETICS.. ALSO
DEALING WITH CLIMATE ,AND DISASTERS.
IT IS AS PER THE HUMAN COMFORT AND WELL BEING .
ITS FAR BETTER WE FELL IN A MUD HUT THAN IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE.
ITS NOT THAT TECHNOLOGY IS WRONG BUT IMITATION WITHOUT ANY
JUDGEMENT IS .LIKE USE OF GLASS IN EXTERIOR FAADE.
NOT ONLY THE MATERIAL ALSO THE DESIGN ASPECTS , BY USING THESE SIMPLE
CONSIDERATION IN PROJECT ONE CAN ACHIEVE ECONOMY , COMFORT.

SITE PLAN
PASSIVE FEATURES:
Reduction of solar heat
gain:
-by orientation of the
bedrooms towards north
-By shading of east and
west walls by neighboring
buildings.
- By shading the windows
and walls with projecting
stone slabs

PLAN ,SECTION, ELEVATION

REDUCTION OF HEAT TRANSFER
TO INTERIOR
- by insulating roof.

INCREASE OF HEAT LOSS

- by ventilation and smoke outlet
through chimney.
Reduction of internal heat gain:

- By placing the kitchen

outdoors in summer(and indoor
in winter)
NORTH ELEVATION