4. INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE OF KACHCHH

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12. CITIES OF THE FUTURE

INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE OF KACHCHH, GUJARAT

-Mahak Jain

“In India, there are no incentives for building sustainable homes, in particular, faces several challenges while trying to be eco-friendly. The public, especially in the rural and semi-urban areas, believe that it is extremely expensive, largely because of lack of awareness and administrative support.” – Monnanda Appaiah

Man-made interventions have had a tremendous impact upon the environment and the ecosystem, causing a major resource crisis across the planet. Sustainable use of natural resources in an overall structure of any said typology plays an important role in a country like India, which has a long history of sustainable and holistic living. Multiple eco-friendly building materials have emerged in the market reducing the environmental and social priorities that shape different regions which are eventually factored into green buildings. Therefore, there is a need to acknowledge and implement defensible construction practices that have a positive impact on the environment and preserve the culture of the place.

Monotonous buildings constructed without understanding their socioeconomic background, suppresses the building patterns and creative techniques developed by the communities. Indigenous architecture, based on specific environmental and climatic conditions of a place, embodies the sustainable approach responding to the environment and the cultural continuity of a place. alternative to the conventional approaches. Different types of masonry used across Kachchh are driven primarily by cost and availability. Traditional housing typology unique to Kachchh region is Bhunga. These circular houses were essentially made from organic renewable resources such as mud, grass, cow dung cane etc. The plinth and the foundation collectively consist of consolidated earth with stone and bamboo posts. The walls consist of mud, split grass, earth, cane and the roof, is thatched, made of wheat or maize straws. With new construction techniques used over conventional ones, brick and random rubble masonry in mud mortar became very common. These new built structures had very little resemblance to its origin.

“Sustainability in its true form can be revived by altering and mending the shortcomings regional indigenous architectural forms.”

The major structural failure in this region is the erosion of plinth walls in the outward side, causing the entire structure to cave in. Saltwater, salinity, dry atmosphere, wave action, high velocity winds and abrasion affect the building materials resulting in corrosion and dampness of the structures built near the coast. RCC framed structures were constructed for locals to help overcome this challenge but failure of this approach was observed in 2001 earthquake, creating a swing of vernacular architectural projects in Bhuj. Kachchh started constructing buildings using indigenous materials but also experienced corrosion and dampness.

There may be various other construction techniques for addressing this challenge but my approach, considering indigenous architecture, would be to replace mud mortar with a combination of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) cement and water proofing admixture that would prevent any corrosion or dampness to the structure. When GGBS cement hydrates, it releases excess of reactive alumina and silica as secondary hydrates. These fill up the gaps and pores of cement paste, slowing the rate of hydration, thereby reducing permeability of concrete cracking due to temperature rise. Krystol reacts with water and hydrates the cement particles, forming insoluble needle-shaped crystals, filling up capillary pores and blocking water. Even if there is a hairline crack due to hydrostatic pressure, Krystol crystallizes due to reintroduction of water.

Regional indigenous architecture being a culmination of its evolution, structure, public and private spaciality and form; is one of the best examples of sustainable architecture. While constructing any building of the said architectural style, contextual challenges should be addressed at both micro as well as macro level.

Images by: Mahak Jain