kerala vernacular architecture case study

The Vernacular Architecture of Kerala: A Case Study of Mishkal Mosque of Calicut, India

By Kenner N. Carmody ( Master in Design Studies / Energy & Environment , Class of 2019), through the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture Research Fellowship 2019

This exhibition is designed to provide a small insight and broad introduction to the climate, culture, and context of Kerala and the city of Calicut through drawings and photographs.

The heat during the summer season in Kerala is brutal. The sun, almost vertical in the sky at this latitude, shines relentlessly on the Grand Bazaar Market in Calicut at midday. In fact, the local government prohibits manual labor during these afternoon hours, but judging by the ferocious loading of trucks, motorbikes and handcarts, nobody has taken notice. Calicut, a bustling maritime city on the Malabar Coast of India, has existed under this stroke-inducing sunlight since the dawn of the medieval spice trade, when Arab traders first introduced Islam to the Indian subcontinent, not by war and conquest, but rather by trade and commerce. Save for the effects of benign neglect witnessed by the aging architecture and infrastructure here, not much has changed in the old quarter of this city. Indeed, in the early morning hours, before the onset of cacophonous motorbike, truck, and automobile traffic – one can imagine the city sounds and smells much as it did well before the industrial age.

The genesis of this research began as an effort to document a building representative of a regional style of architecture not largely published within the domain of vernacular timber construction. Mishkal Mosque, a 16th-century laterite (an earthen block that is cut out of the ground to form masonry blocks in the region) and timber building in Calicut, was selected for its exemplar building tectonics, qualities of light and shade, and its material composition considering its unique position in India. This research not only aims to contribute to general scholarship on architecture in the region, but also endeavors to make contributions to the methodologies for the study of historic vernacular buildings as well as framing larger questions around preservation, maintenance, and building types. To date, the vernacular buildings in Kerala have been studied for their religious and cultural significance as well as their relationship to broader art and architectural heritage, but their detailed material composition, tectonics, and environmental and geographical relationship to the people and landscape remain under examined.

Composed of a tiered timber superstructure set atop coursed laterite stone masonry at the ground floor (rendered with mud-lime plaster), Mishkal Mosque is one of the oldest and largest of Kerala style mosques and is located at the center of the historic Mappila Muslim quarter in Calicut, called Kuttichira. Unlike any other architecture on the Indian subcontinent, this architectural style is a combination of various features born of its local tropical climate and context. Proportionally, the building exhibits more roof than it does façade, as the building consists of a series of tiered volumes, each wrapped by an umbrella-like assemblage of timber rafters and clay tile shingles – with each tier resting on the one below. Shading the building is paramount: Even at the second floor veranda, one must almost lay prone to steal a view to the exterior, as the roof reaches as far as possible beyond the exterior masonry walls, further compressing the already narrow balcony space. Supported principally by the masonry walls that extend beyond the ground floor, the slender columns at the veranda serve to tie the roof down more than transfer any vertical loads to the ground. Instead, this barely habitable zone acts as a buffer, a thickened zone within the building façade that shields the second level of the building from the nearly vertical year-round solar radiation, as well as the almost equally intense indirect horizontal solar radiation abundant in the region. The third and fourth levels of the building are underused or even unused spaces in the building. They do however, contribute to the mosque’s monumental scale. And even as they are underused spaces in the building, the third and fourth levels are treated with equal consideration when examining how they address the tropical monsoon climate and context. Both the third and fourth levels of the building use horizontal latticed screen walls that provide access to views while reducing glare from both the direct and indirect sunlight. The roof framing on the fourth level at the hip roof is perhaps the most unique feature of the building’s timber framing. The roof framing at the hip roof bears on a single timber drum which holds the rafters in place. According to local building tradition, and my conversations with local carpenters, one may not call oneself a master builder until this particular joint has been successfully constructed.

To observe all of this, I visited the mosque during the peak of the summer dry season just before the summer monsoon season begins, when not a single cloud is present in the sky. Upon entering the mosque from the south side, the ground floor masonry walls break the searing daylight sun. A continuous gallery protects the principal worshiping spaces of the building, forming a solid façade, punctuated only by modest doorways guarded with solid teak door panels. The transition from outside to inside of the building is immediately palpable, with an almost blinding transition from white light to a pitch darkness as one’s eyes adjust to the contrasting conditions. There is an immediate sense of refuge upon entering the ante chamber and main prayer hall at the ground floor, as there is a clear sense of the local architecture’s ability to banish direct sunlight from the building’s interior. The building is organized as a sequence of vertical rooms that increase in height as one ascends the building through series of stairs that separate one floor from another. Qualities of light, shade, and thermal comfort are also stratified vertically. As one moves from the ground and second floor, with their heavy mass and punched openings to the lightweight third and fourth levels of the building which exhibit a softer light and more well-ventilated spaces enabled by light-diffusing louvers and an enclosure made entirely of timber – save for the clay tile roofing.

Vernacular Architecture of Kerala: Learning Sustainability from the Best

Table of Contents

Introduction to Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture is a style of architecture that is designed and built for the needs of people, with locally available materials, reflecting upon the culture of the place. Vernacular architecture is specific to a region and climate. In theory, a vernacular building is built without the guidance of a professional, like an architect. Thus, vernacular architecture is cost-effective, climate-responsive, modest, sustainable, and a reflection of the culture of the place. 

Introduction to Kerala and its Architecture

Kerala is the twenty-fifth largest state in India, in the area surrounded by Karnataka on the northeast, Tamil Nadu on the east, and the Arabian Sea on the west. With a coastline of around 600km of the Arabian sea, Kerala is known for its spectacular flora and fauna, backwaters, and respect for its culture. Kerala prides itself for being the flag bearer for not just how a culture can respect its past, but also march forward with growth & progress as well. Kerala’s vernacular architecture, which is still heavily practiced throughout Kerala and some of south India, is one such inspiration for all. It is in striking contrast with the Dravidian Architecture followed in other parts of South India and is strongly influenced by Indian Vedic architectural science (Vastu Shastra).

History and Origin 

Kerala gets its indigenous style of architecture from all climatic, geographical, and historical factors. Favored by generous rains because of monsoon and bright sun, this land is lush green with foliage and rich in beast life. In the uneven terrain of this region, mortal habitation is distributed thickly in the rich low- lands and sparsely towards the hostile mounds. Heavy rains have brought in presence of large water bodies in form of lakes, gutters, backwoods, and lagoons. The climatic factors, therefore, made its significant benefactions in developing the architecture style, to fight the wettest climatic conditions coupled with heavy moisture and harsh tropical summers. Geographically, Kerala is a narrow strip of land lying in between the seacoast of peninsular India and confined between the towering Western Ghats on its east and the vast Arabian ocean on its west. History also played its benefactions on the Kerala architecture. The towering Western Ghats on its east have successfully averted influences of bordering Tamil countries into present-day Kerala in after times. While the Western Ghats insulated Kerala to a lesser extent from Indian conglomerates, the exposure of the Arabian ocean on its east brought in close connections between the ancient people of Kerala with major maritime societies like Egyptians, Romans, Arabs, and so on. Kerala’s rich spice polish brought it a center of global maritime trade until the ultramodern ages, helping several transnational powers to laboriously engage with Kerala as trading mates. This helped in bringing in influences of these civilizations into Kerala’s architecture.

Different types of Kerala Architecture

The architecture of Kerala is divided into two parts, Nalukettu and Ettukettu. 

Nālukettu is the home of generations of joint family kinfolk or Tharavadu, where many generations of a matrilineal family lived. These types of structures are observed in the Indian state of Kerala. The traditional architecture of Kerala is a rectangular structure where four blocks are joined with a central, open to the sky courtyard. 

The four halls on each side are named Vadakkini (northern block), Padinjattini (western block), Kizhakkini (eastern block), and Thekkini (southern block). The architecture was especially provisioned to large families of the traditional tharavadu, to live under one roof and enjoy the commonly owned facilities and services of the marumakkathayam homestead.

Ettukettu, which is eight halls with two central yards) or Pathinarukettu, which is sixteen halls with four central yards, is the further elaborate forms of the same architecture. Every structure faces the sun, and in some well-conditioned designed nalukettu, there’s excellent ventilation as well. Temperatures, indeed in the heat of summer, are markedly lower within the nalukettu.

Elements of Nalukettu and Ettukettu

It’s a structure containing a door, forming part of the boundary wall for the house with a tiled roof on top. It’s the formal entry to the site with the house. 

It’s the porch of the house led by steps. Traditionally, it has a pitch-tiled roof with pillars supporting the same. 

Chuttu gallery

In Kerala architecture, the poomukham is accompanied by an open passage, the chuttu gallery, which leads to either side of the house surrounding it. 

Charupadi 

Along the chuttu gallery and the poomukham are traditionally sculpted, rustic, wooden, or cement benches. These benches are called charupadi. 

Ambal Kulam

Nearly every Nalukettu has its own Kulam or Pond for bathing of its members. At the end of Chuttu verandah, there is a small pond constructed with debris on sides where lotus or Ambal is planted. The water bodies are maintained to maintain energy flow inside. 

Nadumuttam 

A typical Nadumuttom of Kerala Nalukettu is a courtyard placed at the prime center of the Nalukettu. This is surrounded by an open corridor square-shaped, in the exact middle of the house dividing the house into its four sides.

Key Features of Vernacular Architecture of Kerala

Orientation and planning.

Kerala experiences a hot and humid climate and hence the orientation of the building becomes one of the crucial aspects of planning. 

The building should face the direction of the prevailing winds rather than the sun. This helps in maintaining cross ventilation in a humid climate. Houses preferably face East direction according to the direction of prevailing winds. 

Cross ventilation

The juxtaposition of open-and-closed spaces in a way to allows a continuous flow of air.

Being in a tropical climate, cross ventilation plays an important role in creating comfortable spaces. The presence of high moisture content in hot air causes discomfort for the user. 

Courtyard spaces are extensively used in houses of Kerala of all scales. It helps in achieving passive cooling and reduces the dependence on HVAC systems. It also helps to induce continuous air movement.

Openings in walls facing each other and internal partitions help in increasing cross-ventilation. Using vertical louvers and large window shutters helps to reduce thermal discomfort with ample daylight.  

Solar Shading

The temperature in Kerala can rise to up to 40 degrees Celsius in summers . Therefore, sun shading strategies and elements become vital. 

Traditional buildings in Kerala have an internal and external verandah. The external verandah acts as buffer space to reduce direct exposure to sunlight, whereas the internal verandah allows light to enter the building via a courtyard.

The east and west façade should be least exposed to the sun to prevent late afternoon and early morning heat. One way is to have dense tree plantations around these façades.

Overhangs, louvers, canopies, and so on are used for shading. Shading devices for doors and windows are also used to avoid solar heat gain.

Roof Insulation

The most distinctive visual form of Kerala’s architecture is the high, steep sloping roof with eaves constructed to shade the walls of the house and to repel the heavy thunderstorm, typically laid with tiles or thatch, and supported on a roof framework made of hardwood and timber. Structurally, the roof frame is supported on the pillars standing on a raised platform from the ground, for protection against moistness and insects in the tropical climate. Many times, the walls are also made of timber, locally available in Kerala. 

Gable windows were introduced at either end of the roof to maximize attic ventilation of the room when the ceiling was incorporated for these spaces. Most structures of Kerala appear to be low height visually, because of high, steep sloping of roofs, which cover walls from rains and direct sunshine. 

Prevention from Rain

Kerala receives heavy rainfall for a significant part of the year which requires effective solutions to endure the extreme climatic conditions.

Buildings should be placed at a high plinth to restrict water from entering inside. Sloping roof should be provided to avoid the accumulation of rainwater on the surfaces.

Commonly Used Materials

Kerala architecture uses local materials that are locally available and also sustainable. Some of the commonly used building materials in the Kerala area are bamboo , earth, lime, timber, leaves, and so on.

Laterite is a hardened earth layer formed because of the weathering action of acid jewels. It is dug out from the earth and its compressive strength can be significantly higher than that of burnt clay bricks. It is non-porous and has poor water retention capacity. It is found 3 to 15 meters below the ground. The top one to two meters is soft, and the bottom merges with the clay layer. Laterite can be called the “Blessing of Kerala” since 80 percent of the state is covered with it. In Kerala, the foundations were erected with laterite blocks. 

Laterite has been extensively used for constructing the superstructure. Using burnt bricks for construction was rare, except with a few palaces. Currently, the laterite blocks can be machine cut as well. The advantage of these machine-cut blocks is that they have much higher compressive strength. The disadvantage is that these have to be transported over a long distance, ergo the process involves further energy.

Lime, which was obtained from shells, was burnt in kilns and used as mortar in structures in Kerala. It was produced by beating it round with a stiff bristle encounter, after adding water. It was beaten with a special rustic tool in tanks specifically made for this purpose. This process helped to increase its strength and plasticity, reducing the amount of water to be added. This is beneficial as the strength of lime further improves when lower water is used, and when it’s air-dried. Many organic details were also added to increase the strength of the lime, hence the mortar. 

In theory, it is believed that lime has a lot of disadvantages like slow setting, not having enough strength, and so on. But, in contrast, lime is significantly sustainable as a binding material, as various studies show that it is much lower energy-consuming when compared with cement. Cement is a high energy-consuming material with limestone as one of the main constituents for its manufacture. When cement is used as mortar in a wall, the bricks cannot be recovered for play, if the structure is demolished latterly. If lime is used, the bricks can be reused, which eventually makes lime mortar more sustainable.

Granite is the most common stone used for construction in Kerala. Traditional Kerala houses use a granite slab below the ground to avoid the risk of dampness. Whereas thatch or clay tiles on the sloped roof, keep it dry. 

The state does not have deposits of limestone or sandstone. Granite is a hard stone and is used in the foundations. It has been infrequently used for the superstructure until lately. 

In the olden days, it was a locally available material, but now big quarries have come up in the western ghats, many of whom are present in vulnerable and fragile areas. Granite that is being excavated from these places is not sustainable, because of the adverse impact it causes on our terrain as landslides and other natural disasters.

Timber is one of the most used structural materials in Kerala. It was extensively available in many kinds and with high durability as well. Teak, jack wood, Anjili wood, and Thembavu were some of the commonly used types of timber. 

Structures with timber walls were constructed in Travancore till about 100 years ago. The vernacular architecture of Kerala considerably uses timber for walls, doors, windows, intermediate floors, and roofs. 

The biggest advantage of timber is that by using them in our buildings, the carbon gets locked. Trees are the only things that can convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into oxygen. If timber is allowed to decay or used as firewood, then the carbon is released back into the atmosphere, completing the carbon cycle.

Every timber that we use in our structures needs not be sustainable. However, also it is less sustainable if the source of the timber is from cutting down virgin forests.

In earlier times, several large structures were constructed using earth or mud. The sun-dried mud bricks may be used for the alternate story of a two-story structure, with the ground bottom made of laterite. They may also be used for the less important corridor of structures. Using earth blocks (without ramming or sun-dried bricks) was popular among the poorer sections of society. 

Many structures constructed with laterite also use earth as mortar to save the cost of construction. The general print of the public is that a structure with earth blocks is sustainable. But most times, it need not be true. 

The cost of the superstructure of a structure is only 15-20 percent of the overall cost of construction, meaning the rest of the structural units need not be sustainable at all. When the earth from the structure point is used, it becomes very sustainable. But if the material has to be transported over a distance, also the embodied energy will go over, reducing the sustainability factor. Strengthening of earth blocks by cement will also reduce the sustainability aspect. If interlocking earth blocks are used, also the sustainable character will be more since no cement mortar is involved.

Influence of Vastu Shastra

One can notice the strong influence of Vastu shastra’ s study on the architecture of Kerala. The basic underlying belief is that every structure erected on earth has its own life, with a soul and personality which is shaped by its surroundings. The most important wisdom which Kerala has developed purely indigenously is Thachu-Shastra (Science of Carpentry) as the easy vacuity of timber and its heavy use of it.

From cattle sheds to trees, everything used to be planned and laid according to the ancient texts of shastra.

In traditional houses, the kitchen is strategically placed in the northeast corner as the prevailing winds blow from the southwest direction. These houses have pitched roofs and if the roof catches fire at any point, it will be blown away by the prevailing winds. A well would also be constructed close to it. In a house with a courtyard, the main living area is always in the southwest part, away from the fireplace. The puja room of the house is placed in the northeast corner and the idols face either east or west direction. 

In two to three-storied houses of Noth Kerala, the northeast part is usually a single storey because of the kitchen. The bedrooms are present upstairs in the southwest direction.

There has been a rapid change in the architectural fraternity in the past two decades. The new trend has been fast-paced racing towards quantity over quality. Using craftsmen has declined considerably.

Therefore, to get out of this present crisis, an architecture typology, like the vernacular architecture of Kerala, that suits the environment, climate, and the people, should be developed. A blend of vernacular architecture with modern needs seems an appropriate solution.

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The Maharaja used to bear the expenses of rethatching the house every year. And then one year, the illam caught fire. Since then, roof tiles were used instead of thatch ”

- Ravi Sarma Raja, Parakkadavu, 2024

Vernacular Architecture – A Connection between Kerala and South East Asia

Why does the Kerala parotta have a parallel existence as the national food of Malaysia? How did Parashu Rama, the sage who threw an axe and created Kerala, become the main antagonist in a Cambodian classical dance? 

These overlapping myths and cuisines mark a starting point for connecting Kerala and Southeast Asia. Let’s examine how architecture connects the two locations over time and space.

Vernacular Architecture

Kerala and most of Southeast Asia fall under the same tropical climate belt. Both share a hot, humid climate with periodic rainfall and are surrounded by dense jungles. As a result, the two regions share similar challenges. 

While the sloping pyramidal roofs help with the heavy rainfall, the eaves stop glaring sunlight from entering the house. The uneven texture of the exterior walls helps ensure self-shading. The open layout typology with minimum furniture and transitional space between the exterior and interior underlies the sweeping emphasis on transparency and openness that unites both building styles. The abundance of land also allowed the building of houses in the centre of large plots. This served to allow sufficient wind flow, easing the humid climate.

Beyond a common wet tropical environment, geography is also a factor when building houses. 

Minangkabau in the highlands of Indonesia is exposed to frequent environmental hazards in the form of floods, fires, and earthquakes. This explains the flexible and light character of the buildings of Indonesia in contrast to the rigid architecture of Kerala.  

Tiang Tuo (old pole), a sacred symbol of protection in Minangkabau, in addition to its ritual significance, also serves as the central post of the building and makes it earthquake-resistant. Its counterpart in Kerala, the arudham (annular beams), solely serves a ritual purpose.

Most openings in a typical Kerala courtyard house are concentrated in the interior, especially towards the courtyard. This serves two purposes:

• First, to facilitate air circulation and take in less radiation.
• Two, the courtyard in Kerala houses is traditionally reserved for the deva sthana , the sacred dwelling of the gods.

In the rest of India, the kitchen or the agnikon (fire corner) is built southwest of the house . In Kerala, kitchens are built in the northeast corner, i.e., the most auspicious part of the house.

A practical reason behind this was to maintain a smoke-free interior. Since the main wind current in the region was from the southwest. Bali, in Indonesia, follows a similar hierarchical ordering of the spacing, with the value descending from the northeast corner to the southwest corner.

Form and Material

Saddle-shaped roofs are common in both Kerala and Southeast Asia. Scholars consider this roof construction and its wooden structure a natural progression from the early bamboo houses.

Besides, in Kerala, 50 per cent of the roofs were made from coconut or palm leaves. Beyond its cheapness, this natural material with numerous cavities ensures temperature and sound insulation.

Building materials were selected based on local availability. Before the 19th century, traditional buildings in northern Kerala were built of laterite and stone, which were easily available. In contrast, the ones in south Kerala were made entirely of wood, especially timber.

Livelihood Connections

A long coastal line, wet paddy-farming traditions, and reliance on canals meant the households underwent modifications to fit in with the owner’s line of work.

One of the common structures in residential buildings in Kerala, the ara (grain storage), where the bulk of the agricultural produce was stored, was considered the most auspicious part of the house. Within Kerala, the location of the ara underwent regional variations. While most granaries in Travancore were attached to the kitchen and/or built underground, they were placed outside the main house in north Kerala.

The granary house in Kerala shares a spatial-structural resemblance to the Bontoc houses in the Philippines and the Sunda area of Indonesia. Both are built as raised structures. While the space below the granary was also used as storage ( nilavara ) in Kerala, the Bontoc people lived beneath the granary.

Architectural Techniques

Experts deem Kerala a “real conservatory of the ancient carpentry of southern Asia,” so much so that the architecture treatise is called Thachu Sasthram, or the carpenter’s science.

Regarding roofing, Kerala is the only remaining place in South Asia that has the stacking of beams roofing technique. However, one of the disadvantages of using bending frames is that the interior appears cluttered. Yet, this technique is widely used in Kerala. Builders overcome the limitation by introducing horizontal framing that prevents rafters from bending and allows for a large space in the interior.

The radiating framework is also visible in Java, Bali, and Lombok. It is characteristically visible in the Javenese, Pendopo. Another variation is still used for small sanctuaries in Kerala but is hard to find elsewhere in India. This roofing structure involves a hip roof on one side and a gable on the other, supported by screeds. To the east of the subcontinent, this technique is popular in Cambodia. 

Sacred Architecture

• Buddhist Temples

The possibility of Buddhism entering Kerala through the west coast from Sri Lanka cannot be ruled out. Similarities between the Buddha images of Anuradhapura style (Sri Lanka) and a 7–8th CE image of Buddha found at Marudurkulangarai, near Thiruvananthapuram, are a testament to this fact. 

The preexisting circular shrines of Kerala also seemed to have undergone modification upon the arrival of Buddhist missionaries/Ilavas from Sri Lanka, as the vatadage (Buddhist circular shrines) is identical to the Kerala circular shrines with rows of pillars surrounding the garbhagriha in the centre. The geographical proximity and political influences between Kerala and Sri Lanka, especially the migration of the Ilavar or Tiyar, make the above assumptions highly probable.

Stella Kramscrich, however, traces a few other influences to the circular shrines from within Kerala. Ullathas (a caste group) practice a marital tradition where the bride-to-be chooses her husband while shut in a large round building made of leaves. The conical huts of indigenous groups like Malapantarams are another example.

2. Islamic Styles

In principle, the mosques of Kerala have a wooden upper storey with sloping roofs on stone foundations. Built as three-tiered structures, the ground floor is reserved for praying, and the upper floors function as madrasas, administrative offices, or store rooms, with an antechamber that precedes the prayer hall. Besides the wooden roof, the colonnades surrounding the prayer hall found in Southeast Asian mosques are defining characteristics of Malabar mosques. 

The oldest mosque in Indonesia, Agung Demak, shares the above similarities with mosques in Kochi and Kozhikode. In addition, the wooden colonnades serve as the lower tier of the roof of the building. Mehrdad Shokoohy notes Agung Demak’s “thick masonry walls, three entrances on the eastern wall and a single mihrab in the form of a deep niche, projected outside the qibla wall” to bear resemblances to the mosques of Kerala. Besides, the layout of the mosque is very similar to the Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kodungallur, Kerala. 

In the interior, the roof-like wooden canopy used as the speaker’s platform and the floral patterns on the minbars of the two regions are specimens of craftsmanship and differ from the stone and wooden minbars of North India, North Africa, and the Middle East. 

Kerala and Southeast Asia differ from North Indian and Middle Eastern Islamic traditions. The mosques are devoid of arches, domes, minarets, and geometric patterns that mark the visual identity of Indo-Islamic architecture in north India.

Socio-political Impacts

In the 16th century, the Vijayanagar empire’s fall caused Brahmin migration to Kerala. These Tamil-Tulu Brahmins settled around temples in colonies called agraharams, which have rows of houses built linearly with shared walls and long connected verandas/corridors ( puramthinna ). Though common elsewhere in India, row houses are an anomaly in Kerala. The single-detached houses with open spaces on all four sides were the norm in Kerala.

Colonial rule introduced new elements and styles.  The shared Dutch colonial past of Kerala and Indonesia explains the resemblance between the design of Bolgatty Palace (1774), a traditional pathya pura (granary) in Piravom, and a hall in THS de Bandoeng Indonesia (1920). 

Later, with the British too, a highly localised architectural style emerged called Travancore-Victorian architecture. While the projecting gables ( mukhappu ) were retained, the tiled angle brackets above the windows were a new addition. In the native bungalows, staircases were built in the interior, while the British bungalows featured wooden exterior  staircases. 

Exhibition Research and Content: Janal Team, Kerala Museum 2024

The exhibition is based on the janal article: “vernacular architecture – a connection between kerala and south east asia.” janal archives, 2024, dumarçay, jacques. construction techniques in south and southeast as ia.leiden: brill, 2018., jameel, naushaba, and janmejoy gupta. ‘lessons learnt from vernacular architecture of kerala’. international journal of cultural inheritance & social sciences (ijciss) , 2020., koduveliparambil, jacob joseph. ‘construction practices in traditional dwellings of kerala, india’. mcgill university, montreal, 1997., mehrdad shokoohy. muslim architecture of south india. routledge, 2013., kramrisch, stella. drāvida and kerala in the art of travancore. university of virginia , 1953., rajeev, sharat sunder. ‘agraharams: the origin and evolution of a unique housing pattern in kerala’, 2024., roesmanto, totok. ‘a study of traditional houses of northern central java – a case study of demak and jepara’. journal of asian architecture and building engineering , n.d.. , widiastuti, indah. ‘critical study of vernacular settlement-architecture of kerala in india and minangkabau in west sumatra, indonesia (of societies practicing matrilineal kinship)’, 2024. , zhang, donia. courtyard houses around the world: a cross-cultural analysis and contemporary relevance. new approaches in contemporary architecture and urbanism, 20 20..

Vernacular architecture of Kerala in modern world: A way to sustainable development

Main article content, article sidebar.

Kerala is a land of diverse cultures, traditions and art forms. Each art form has its own significance that represents the style of the specific region and culture. Many of the traditional art forms are going unappreciated and are declining. The revival of these art forms demands an infrastructure that creates an atmosphere reminiscent of Kerala’s traditional spaces, which helps to provide better awareness and visual experience for the spectator.

As an impact of globalisation, Kerala was influenced by various cultures around the world, which brought in changes to the traditional architecture of Kerala that had evolved over years. The changes in the build structures led to climatic changes and issues like global warming. It was not solely about the climatic and environmental issues, but also about the loss of the culture and identity of the state. These issues need to be addressed at the earliest, and this calls for the revival of traditional Kerala architecture in the modern world. The traditional Kerala architecture is unique, here the buildings are shaped by the region. These climate responsive buildings that evolved over time needs to be studied to understand how sustainability was the basic guideline for design process. The traditional way of planning spaces created healthier environment, people and community.

The proposed cultural performance centre in Kerala aims to bring back the traditional Kerala architecture for addressing various sustainability issues faced by the current era. The integration of these structures with the native Kerala landscape creates good quality outdoor and indoor environment.

Through the case study, the research focuses on sustainability potential of vernacular architecture of Kerala, and how the principles and strategies for sustainable development could be drawn from vernacular heritage and be integrated into structures of the present society. The research examines how the sustainable development goals were contained in the vernacular structures in Kerala and how the globalisation brought in changes to the architectural styles which in turn affected the environment, socio economic, and socio-cultural characters of the society.

The integration of traditional architectural principles and techniques of designing could be solutions to many sustainable development goals that include good health and well-being (SDG3), affordable energy by using passive methods (SDG 7), climate action (SDG 13) and create sustainable cities and communities (SDG11). The revival of the traditional architecture could make a change in the way of addressing sustainability issues that emerged as the result of globalisation over the years and it could help in creating sustainable and healthy communities. 

How to Cite

Article details, most read articles by the same author(s).

• lidiya thomas, Vernacular architecture of Kerala in modern world: A way to sustainable development , SPAST Abstracts: Vol. 1 No. 01 (2021): Smart Green Connected Societies

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TRADITIONAL KERALA ARCHITECTURE

a brief introduction about traditional kerala architecture elements...and interiors....

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Vaisali Krishnakumar

Kiran S A T Y A B O D H Kalamdani

PREFACE Being a student of nineteenth and twentieth century architecture one finds that the Victorian Period was rife with confusion and endless debates over the preferred styles of architecture. The riches that flowed into England from the colonies created an affluence that yielded one of the most productive phases of British architecture. The industrial revolution and the discovery of new material like steel and glass sought expression in the exhibition structures of the Crystal Palace of 1851 and the Eiffel Tower of 1889. The mainstream architecture was still clothed in a confusion of Greek, Roman and Gothic revivals. The name of James Trubshawe (the architect of this building and several others like the Engineering College, Law Courts and the General Post Office) hardly finds mention in books on Victorian Architecture. Even the more important ones like Sir Gilbert Scott and George Wittet find a passing reference. India was always peripheral to the interests of architects and architecture, a trend that was to be later changed by Sir Edwin Lutyens by the making of New Delhi (1920-1930). The confusion and lack of direction that prevailed during the period is evident in the work of the Government House in Pune. A Romanesque Revival exterior awkwardly accommodates a Georgian Interior. Local Stone, Indian fauna and a completely incongruous collection of furniture, paintings and other works of art create a mixed jamboree. The task of bringing 21st century sense in the use and presentation of the building is further complicated by the many structural and design defects that arise out of the Victorian roofscape. The many vines planted around the building added to the picturesque and romantic effect of the building, but they almost tore it down. They were ably assisted by the monsoons and bird-droppings. Bats, bees, rats, cats and termites that were in abundance in the virtual forest of the University Campus, have completed the scenario of picturesque decay in the absence of monitoring and maintenance systems. The cultural arrogance of the patrons of the building was evident in its plans and elevations. Politically the Marathas were last among Indians to be subdued and the first to rise against the foreign rule. They were made to witness the building of a Government House on a piece of land that was a hundred times larger than the Shaniwarwada (the citadel of the Peshwas – prime ministers of the Marathas, and the virtual capital of the country in the 18th century). If the original plans of Trubshawe assisting Frere were realized, there would have been a much larger building than the present one. Thanks to the end of the cotton boom, they had to be satisfied with a building modest in size. It finally cost one and a half times more than the annual turnover of the district at the time. The gardens and the wooded landscape, that remain one of Britain’s few contributions to the world of plastic arts, is an environmental blessing to overcrowded and polluted Pune. The excellent craftsmanship in the local basalt lends austere dignity to the building and commands respect that is needed for its present activity. The lavish use of gold-leaf and expensive teak wood paneling in the ceremonial halls inspires awe and bestows dignity on any assembly despite their faded elegance. The ball dances and banquets of the yesteryears have given way to meetings, seminars and lectures. Well-dressed officers and ladies of the colonial times are now replaced by elegant sari-clad women and simply dressed men. The historic distance that 58 years of independence has lent makes one look back with relative detachment. The Victorians who conceived of a flamboyantly modest architecture that borrowed heavily from the Greeks and Romans left back a legacy of strange fusion. Today we regard it as shared heritage, a reminder of mixed feelings for the past, with a certain belief that it will pave the way for a brighter future. The act of conservation is being undertaken with sufficient scrutiny of the nineteenth century builder’s craft, of values local and global, of lessons learn’t on what to do and what not to and why. Victorian literature is as rich as it is replete with the likes of Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-59) who wrote the Minute on Indian education (Feb 2, 1835) and boasted that he had not found one Orientalist ‘who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia’. But it is from the likes of William Wordsworth (1770-1850)and Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) of the period that one derives the pleasures that are things of beauty – joy forever. Compared to the architecture of the Victorian Era it was the poets and literary giants who excelled in the art of the language and bring respect and dignity to the period. Edward Lear (1812 – 88) who visited India and also drew sketches of the Shaniwarwada and the temples near the Railway Station, was Britain’s wittiest and most attractive of children writers who gave drawing lessons to Queen Victoria! Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Christina Rossetti (1830-94) are some names who brought a rare aesthetic aroma to the world of English literature. John Ruskin (1819-1900), William Morris (1834-96), Charles Dickens (1812-70), Lewis Caroll (1832-98) and Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) are some of those shining jewels of Britains’ cultural diadem. While restoring the Main Building of the University of Pune we pay our tributes to these artists whose art transcended the boundaries of Culture and Nation to fill this small world with things of beauty. (Ref The Victorians, An Anthology of Poetry and Poetics, Editor Valentine Cunningham, Blackwell, London, 2000.) Conservation of buildings is a relatively new activity in India and as we enter into it with a new charter1 that addresses the complex and polemical issues on the ideology, there is a certain hesitation and also a challenge. Difficult choices between the beautiful, the historical, the technically correct or the culturally relevant mode of conservation have made the task as interesting as it is daunting. The desired material, technology or craftsmanship not being readily available makes the time lag in the procurement longer. The general system of estimation, tendering and management of work being derived from that of the PWD that is not geared to the task of conservation, or based on the premise of trust, is yet another impediment in the smooth progress of work. However the most encouraging support comes from the patrons who have egged the team to move on despite the odds. History of the city and the country took turns on the grounds on which the last Anglo-Maratha war was fought, where the building stands, where the University started 55 years ago. Today the grounds are poised for yet another change where we consolidate the gains of the past and forge our own future. Kiran Kalamdani Dec 2, 2005

KALA choyimanikandiyil

The four knowledge texts of Hindu religion known as Vedas mainly include praises to God, daily rituals and other aspects such as Medicine, Architecture, food habits, personal duties etc. The paper enumerates the various codified principles of food intake during various seasons and daily rituals adopted by a Hindu in ancient Kerala. The author tries to find the importance of thermal balance of the human body that has been maintained through these codified living habits of a Hindu in Kerala which are based on the Vedas. The paper also inevitably looks into the thermal properties of building and architectural elements described in the Vastusastra which are practised in the traditional Hindu domestic buildings in Kerala state in South India. The paper concludes by stating that the food habits, rituals and building construction methods practised according to Hindu customs of Kerala closely link to the original Vedic texts. Most importantly these sustainable practices were found to suit the adaptability of humans with the climate pattern of coastal Kerala towards attaining thermal comfort.

part of book names bunts in history and culture

Deepika Shetty

Report Prepared for the MMR Heritage Society, Mumbai

Mustansir Dalvi , Smita Dalvi

1.1 Title of the Project Identification, listing and grading of structures and precincts of cultural, historical or architectural importance that merit heritage conservation in Navi Mumbai notified area, which falls under district Raigad 1.2 Objectives of the Project Identifying the unique character and status of Navi Mumbai (Raigad) as regards its history and development, with an aim of making a blueprint for Heritage Conservation in the Navi Mumbai Notified Area. Preparing a comprehensive document on the built heritage of the area in order to create awareness and encourage preservation. The project Area falls under the CIDCO notified area. As such a significant objective is to give CIDCO a means by which to look at heritage broadly and structures worth preserving specifically in any development policies in the future.

Arif Nuryawan

Dr. Uday Dokras

Temple Entrance and its Components-CORRECTED VERSION THERE WAS SOME INTER CHANGE(EXCHANGE) OF THE WORDS UDUMBARA AND UMBARTHA IN THE EARLIER PIECE WHICH STANDS CORRECTED

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