Vernacular Settlement of Jammu and Kashmir

7/29/2019 Vernacular Settlement of Jammu and Kashmir

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Rural buildings in Kashmir are generally

made by the people for their own use

without the help of architects. The

various forms of construction have

evolved over time with the input of each

generation of artisans. Traditional rural

buildings use locally available materials and skills


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EVOLUTION OF RURAL

CONSTRUCTION IN KASHMIR

Rural buildings constructed in a traditional

way by the people (often referred to as

vernacular buildings)

become an integral part of the local cultural

heritage. These buildings often reflect the

strength of thecommunity to house itself independent of

any outside intervention. They are a

manifestation of architectural

systems optimized over time for a

particular context with regard to climate,

soil or the threat of naturaldisasters. Constructed from local materials

with local skills and a deep understanding

of local social and

economic constraints, traditional

architecture is in many aspects sustainable

architectureCGI roofing on timber with walls

of wood planks and logs


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Traditional architecture in manY

places continues to evolve, and

Kashmiri rural architecture is no

exception. A number of building

systemsin various parts of Kashmir have

developed

over time to accommodate local natural

and cultural factors, including the

impact

of earthquakes. These systems are notonly

part of the cultural heritage of Kashmir

but also add to its beautiful landscape.

Historically, the buildings have

depended

completely upon stone, mud, bricksand

wood for roofing as well as walling..


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Traditional flat mud roof on timber understructure with stone

masonary wall

Until 1970s the common building system in kashmir were brick or stone walls .some of

them were timber frame with timber and mud roofs.but asa durable wood became

expensive,corrugated galvanised iron sheets came to replace the wooden planks and

shingles .in areas where it is easy to transport these sheets,the change has been so far

reaching that the CGI sheeting now constitutes the most common form of roofing in the

region.


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Architecture by region

From the point of view ofarchitecture, Kashmir can bedivided into several regions

with the following

characteristics:

The Valley of Kashmir - Rural

The major factors that dictate thelocal architecture

are (a) easy access to good soil forbrick-making,

and to water and timber, (b) snowin winter, and (c)

possibility of earthquakes. As aresult, walls are made

mainly out of timber and bricks,baked or unbaked


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The most common wall types are load

bearing:

(a) baked brick (external wall) masonry

with mud or cement mortar, with or withoutplaster,

(b) unbaked brick (internal wall) with mud

mortar and mudplaster.

(c) unbaked brick with baked brick veneer(external wall) masonry with mud mortar,

with or without plaster.

(d) Dhajji timber framed constructions with

infill of baked brick in cement mortar or

unbaked brick masonry in mud mortar,both4" thick with timber frame. Many structures

which are typically single- and double-

storey have Dhajji walls in the upper storey

and the gables


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Wood shingle roofing on timber placed on brick masonry and

dhajji walls


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Baked brick wall Unbaked brick wall with timber element

Structures with Dhajji walls, as well as

those with the Taaq system of construction,

are known to resist earthquake forces

effectively. Hence, old structures that have

withstood many quakes are still standing.


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The Valley of Kashmir - Urban

The urban areas of the Valley have architecturethat is

distinct from all other areas. The main factor

determining this architecture is the high density of

development. This calls for vertical growth, resulting

into three to four-storey structures. The two most

common walling systems observed are:

Vernacular Settlement of Jammu and Kashmir

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