VERNACULAR

ARCHITECTURE OF PUNJAB
 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 "punj meaning five and ab meaning water, thus the land of five rivers”.
 AREAS OF PUNJAB
The area of Punjab can be divided into:
 Majha is a historical region of the Indian Punjab comprising the
modern districts of Amritsar, Pathankot, Gurdaspur andTarn Taran.
It lies between rivers Ravi, Beas and the Sutlej. This region is called
the heartland of Punjab and is celebrated as being the 'Cradle
of Sikhism'.
 Doaba is the region of Indian Punjab between the
rivers Beas and Sutlej. 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
are Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Shahid Bhagat Singh
Nagar(Nawashahr), Kapurthala and Mukerian.
 Malwa is a region of Punjab south to river Sutlej. The Malwa area
makes up majority of the Punjab region consisting 11 districts.
Cities: Ludhiana, Rupnagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa,
Ferozepur, Fazilka, Rajpura, Moga andAjitgarh are located in the
Malwa region. Malwa is also famous for cotton farming.
 MATERIALS OF PUNJAB
‡ HISTORY OF PUNJAB LINKS WITH ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS AS:- The Indus Valley
Civilization spanned much of the Punjab region with cities such as Harappa (modern-day Punjab,
Pakistan). The Vedic Civilization spread along the length of the Sarasvati River to cover most
of Northern India including 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 brick was 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
 Here’s the example of JOURE PUL , PUNJAB connecting three cities Malerkotla ,
Khanna and Nabha.
 This bridge is solely made by nanakshahi bricks with thickness of 3’-0” 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
DON’T 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 THAN
 LACK OF PROPER WATERING AND SETTING TIME FOR BRICKS
NEW 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
 Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, 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 dung is the waste of bovine animal 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 cheap thermal 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
 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 VIEW OF DECAYED THATCH ROOF IN A
.
HUT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

SECTION OF HOUSE 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 FAÇADE.
 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