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West - Arch. of Kutch

The document summarizes the architecture of houses in the Kutch region of Gujarat, India, focusing on Banni houses. It describes the settlement pattern of small hamlets consisting of circular Bhunga huts arranged in open clusters. Each dwelling comprises several round and rectangular mud-brick buildings connected by raised platforms. The circular Bhunga huts have reinforced mud walls, conical thatched roofs supported by central wooden poles or perimeter walls, and interior decorations featuring peacock and tree designs embedded with mirrors. The architectural features help the structures withstand the region's hot, arid climate and strong winds.

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V.K.Jeevan Kumar
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330 views19 pages

West - Arch. of Kutch

The document summarizes the architecture of houses in the Kutch region of Gujarat, India, focusing on Banni houses. It describes the settlement pattern of small hamlets consisting of circular Bhunga huts arranged in open clusters. Each dwelling comprises several round and rectangular mud-brick buildings connected by raised platforms. The circular Bhunga huts have reinforced mud walls, conical thatched roofs supported by central wooden poles or perimeter walls, and interior decorations featuring peacock and tree designs embedded with mirrors. The architectural features help the structures withstand the region's hot, arid climate and strong winds.

Uploaded by

V.K.Jeevan Kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A R C H I T E C T U R E O F K U T C H R E G I O N – BANNI HOUSES

Kutch is an ancient land located in the north west region of Gujarat.

It has a rich history owing to the route to India from the north west
whence many invaders came.

It is a small expanse of flat, arid grassland in Kutch, relates more closely


to desert Rajasthan than to the rest of Gujarat.

It supports a small population of cattle raisers, spread out in hamlets.


SETTLEMENT PATTERN

• The central belt is known as the Banni (named after rice).

• Grouping of houses in small hamlets which constitute the villages. (Ex.)


Dhordo, Gorewali, Ludia, etc,..

• These hamlets consists mostly of circular Bhunga huts, arranged in


clusters. There is no street plan, only paths that wander through the place,
causing the houses to turn away for privacy.
Although these village are in a hot-arid
climatic zone, the clustering pattern of
the dwellings is not characteristic of
other such areas where, typically the
introvert houses are grouped compactly in
shared walls.
• Since this area is affected by strong winds and sandstorms, there is
sufficient reason for this fairly open layout.

• Each dwelling comprises several buildings, with round Bhungas


providing the living space, and smaller, rectangular Chokis as rooms for
washing, cooking and storing water.

• These are linked by a platform, Otla, raised some 18” above the
surroundings and used for all domestic purposes.
Dhordo house..
There are certain subtle divisions defining private, semi-private and
public areas.
The interior space of
bhunga or a choki is most
private.

The raised platform in fornt,


between these enclosed
spaces is regarded as
private open space.
GOREWALI HOUSE

• It is a medium sized hamlet with three to four clusters.

• These structures respond to internal forces, socio-cultural in nature


and external
forces. Climatic
and ecological and
especially to
seismic
disturbances in an
efficient way.
LUDIA HOUSE

• The plan form of ludia is also random and does not conform to any
predetermined concepts of geometry.

• Socially the house of the headman forms the nucleus of this cluster,
While the major part of the village surround it on three sides, the fourth
side has been used for growth and extension.
INDIVIDUAL UNIT

The Bhungas are built of clay, rough branches and thatch and made to
fixed measurements.

The foundation is 1 metre


thick and the walls 1.8
metre high.

The dwelling is enclosed by


a mud wall and its diameter
may vary from 3-5 meter.
In Bhungas, two windows are
inserted in opposite directions. One
faces the direction of the wind and
the other is always near the cooking
area.

A door, kitchen cabinet and


cantilevered shelves are also made
as part of the structures.

Along half of the inner circumference,


is built a low podium that also acts as
the furniture some times.
In front of the door a verandah provides a sheltered working area.

Small granaries are built of clay.


MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

A Bhunga enclosed by a mud wall is the most typical construction for


dwelling purposes.

The wall is usually constructed in two ways depending upon its location.

In places, which are not prone to heavy rain fall, the walls are made of
sun dried clay blocks and finished with mud plaster.
These walls cannot carry the load of the roof and they are not rigid enough
to hold it.

The roof load is cleverly transferred above head to the wooden prop
placed in the center of the beam. The two posts carrying the beam are
placed outside the circular wall and are left exposed. At times they are
embedded in the mud wall.
The wall is well reinforced with wooden sticks
and is really a kind of adobe construction.

These reinforced walls have a far greater


load bearing capacity, thereby eliminating the
need for additional posts and also the
horizontal beam.

The interior and exterior of all spaces is


finished with white mud or china clay- that is
mixed with water and plastered on the wall
to give the Bhunga a bright white look
The roof is supported in two different ways, depending upon the nature of
wall construction.

While stronger mud block


walls and the walls
reinforced with wooden
sticks, can support the cone
of the roof on its periphery,
the straw reinforced walls
normally have a central
wooden spar supporting the
apex of the cone.
In the other method, radiating supports are directly connected at the
apex, tied with ropes and then roofed on.

In such cases the walls


are also provided with
hoops at regular
intervals so that it will
take care of the tension
caused by the thrust of
the conical roof.
The circular form of the units prevents the wall from collapsing inwards in
case of any seismic shocks or tremors and resist the strong wind
pressure .

The edges of the roof rest on the wall, with a log placed perpendicular to
the beam to hold it from falling.

According to a study, the thick walls of the Bhunga keep its interior cool
when the summer temperature rise to 460c while at the same time
maintaining the warmth inside when temperature drops in the winter.
DECORATION

Arts and crafts run deep through the Kutchi blood.

Almost every family here practices some


form of art and craft and this finds
expression in their homes too.

The finished Bhunga is followed by


beautiful designs made from a mixture of
mud and camel dung that are worked
out on its inner wall.

The designs featured include the peacock, trees and geometric patterns.
And into these are embedded tiny
pieces of rounded or square
shaped mirror.

This mud work on the inner walls


of the Bhungas is known as
lippan work and is found
throughout the Kutch, especially in
the Banni Region.

The flatness and the barrenness


of the entire landscape to which all
forms are related, is countered by
certain colourfull treatment of the
surfaces.

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