15-02-2013, 09:50 AM
ARCHITECTURE OF KERALA
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GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATIC ASPECTS
KERALA IS A NARROW STRIP OF LAND LYING IN BETWEEN WESTERN SEABOARD OF PENINSULAR INDIA AND CONFINED BETWEEN THE TOWERING WESTERN GHATS AND ARABIAN SEA.
FAVOURED BY PLENTIFUL RAINS AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE.
THE UNEVEN TERRAIN OF THIS REGION HUMAN HABITATION IS DISTRIBUTED THICKLY IN THE FERTILE LOW-LANDS AND SPARSELY TOWARDS HOSTILE HIGHLANDS.
REGION HAS ARCHITECTURE OF A HUMBLE SCALE,MERGING WITH NATURE.
BUILDINGS WITH LOW WALLS,SLOPING ROOF AND PROJECTING EAVES WAS MOSTLY EVOLVED FROM CLIMATIC CONSIDERATIONS-FOR PROTETION FROM EXCESSIVE RAIN AND INTENSE SOLAR RADIATION.
Materials
LATERITE IS THE MOST ABUNDANT STONE FOUND IN KERALA.
TIMBER IS THE PRIME STRUCTURAL MATERIAL ABUNDANTLY
AVAILABLE IN MANY VARITIES IN KERALA.
CLAY WAS USED IN MANY FORMS – FOR WALLING,IN FILLING THE
TIMBER FLOORS AND MAKING BRICKS AND TILES.
PALM LEAVES WERE USED FOR TATCHING THE ROOFS AND FOR
MAKING PARTITION WALLS.
ROOF STRUCTURES IN TIMBER WERE COVERED WITH PALM
LEAVES AND RARELY WITH TILES FOR TEMPLES AND PALACES
STONE WORK WERE RESTRICTED TO PLINTH EVEN IN IMPORTANT
BUILDINGS .
LIME MORTAR IS USED FOR PLASTERING.
BASIC NEED FOR VASTU
THE INFLUENCE OF FIVE ELEMENTS, EARTH, WATER, AIR, LIGHT AND SPACE, IS GREAT ON HUMAN LIFE. SIMILARLY THEY ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.
THE VASTU SASTRA TELLS THE CRITERIA IN SELECTING A PLOT OF LAND, THE COMFORTS AND CONNIVANCES TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE PLAN AND WHAT CARE TO BE TAKEN AND WHAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED FOR COMFORTABLE AND PEACEFUL LIVING.
THE SHAPE OF THE PLOT, THE NATURE OF THE SOIL, INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONS, FLOW DIRECTION OF WATER, AREA OF THE HOUSE, CONSTRUCTION OF ROOMS FOR HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL LIVING, FIXING UP THE FOUR DIRECTIONS TO THE HOUSE,
THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSE AS WELL THE RETENTION OF THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSES IN THE ROW, THE MAIN ENTRANCE, MAIN GATE OF THE COMPOUND WALL ETC., ARE THE IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT ARE GUIDED BY VASTU PRINCIPLES.
IT ALSO SAYS THE FAVOURABLE DIRECTIONS OF THE HOUSE FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
Priciples Of The Design
THE TRADITIONAL 'NALUKETTU', BARRING THE FOUNDATION AND FLOOR IS MADE OF CARVED AND SLOTTED WOOD AND HAS A CLOSE RESEMBLANCE TO EAST ASIAN GABLED AND THATCHED STRUCTURES. IN LATER YEARS, TILES REPLACED THE COCONUT FRONDS.
THE PROTRUDING ROOFS OF THE 'SALAS' FORMED SHADY VERANDAS AND PROTECTED THE ROOMS FROM DIRECT SUNLIGHT, KEEPING THEM COOL EVEN ON THE HOTTEST OF DAYS.
THE INNER VERANDAH AROUND THE 'ANKANAM’OR ‘COURTYARD’ IS OPEN.
[attachment=50981]
GEOGRAPHICAL AND CLIMATIC ASPECTS
KERALA IS A NARROW STRIP OF LAND LYING IN BETWEEN WESTERN SEABOARD OF PENINSULAR INDIA AND CONFINED BETWEEN THE TOWERING WESTERN GHATS AND ARABIAN SEA.
FAVOURED BY PLENTIFUL RAINS AND BRIGHT SUNSHINE.
THE UNEVEN TERRAIN OF THIS REGION HUMAN HABITATION IS DISTRIBUTED THICKLY IN THE FERTILE LOW-LANDS AND SPARSELY TOWARDS HOSTILE HIGHLANDS.
REGION HAS ARCHITECTURE OF A HUMBLE SCALE,MERGING WITH NATURE.
BUILDINGS WITH LOW WALLS,SLOPING ROOF AND PROJECTING EAVES WAS MOSTLY EVOLVED FROM CLIMATIC CONSIDERATIONS-FOR PROTETION FROM EXCESSIVE RAIN AND INTENSE SOLAR RADIATION.
Materials
LATERITE IS THE MOST ABUNDANT STONE FOUND IN KERALA.
TIMBER IS THE PRIME STRUCTURAL MATERIAL ABUNDANTLY
AVAILABLE IN MANY VARITIES IN KERALA.
CLAY WAS USED IN MANY FORMS – FOR WALLING,IN FILLING THE
TIMBER FLOORS AND MAKING BRICKS AND TILES.
PALM LEAVES WERE USED FOR TATCHING THE ROOFS AND FOR
MAKING PARTITION WALLS.
ROOF STRUCTURES IN TIMBER WERE COVERED WITH PALM
LEAVES AND RARELY WITH TILES FOR TEMPLES AND PALACES
STONE WORK WERE RESTRICTED TO PLINTH EVEN IN IMPORTANT
BUILDINGS .
LIME MORTAR IS USED FOR PLASTERING.
BASIC NEED FOR VASTU
THE INFLUENCE OF FIVE ELEMENTS, EARTH, WATER, AIR, LIGHT AND SPACE, IS GREAT ON HUMAN LIFE. SIMILARLY THEY ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.
THE VASTU SASTRA TELLS THE CRITERIA IN SELECTING A PLOT OF LAND, THE COMFORTS AND CONNIVANCES TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE PLAN AND WHAT CARE TO BE TAKEN AND WHAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED FOR COMFORTABLE AND PEACEFUL LIVING.
THE SHAPE OF THE PLOT, THE NATURE OF THE SOIL, INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONS, FLOW DIRECTION OF WATER, AREA OF THE HOUSE, CONSTRUCTION OF ROOMS FOR HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL LIVING, FIXING UP THE FOUR DIRECTIONS TO THE HOUSE,
THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSE AS WELL THE RETENTION OF THE BEAUTY OF THE HOUSES IN THE ROW, THE MAIN ENTRANCE, MAIN GATE OF THE COMPOUND WALL ETC., ARE THE IMPORTANT FACTORS THAT ARE GUIDED BY VASTU PRINCIPLES.
IT ALSO SAYS THE FAVOURABLE DIRECTIONS OF THE HOUSE FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
Priciples Of The Design
THE TRADITIONAL 'NALUKETTU', BARRING THE FOUNDATION AND FLOOR IS MADE OF CARVED AND SLOTTED WOOD AND HAS A CLOSE RESEMBLANCE TO EAST ASIAN GABLED AND THATCHED STRUCTURES. IN LATER YEARS, TILES REPLACED THE COCONUT FRONDS.
THE PROTRUDING ROOFS OF THE 'SALAS' FORMED SHADY VERANDAS AND PROTECTED THE ROOMS FROM DIRECT SUNLIGHT, KEEPING THEM COOL EVEN ON THE HOTTEST OF DAYS.
THE INNER VERANDAH AROUND THE 'ANKANAM’OR ‘COURTYARD’ IS OPEN.