Socio-Cultural Manifestation in Built Form- Kerala

By Susan M Thomas

Sustainability has been the core concept in most well-conceived, upcoming projects in India. In the modern context, the methods to achieve it are validated by computer simulations to optimize the atmosphere in buildings.

Vernacular architecture in India was built sustainably by incorporating socio-cultural activities into its built form. This approach provided a positive environment for the inhabitants. Interestingly, in Kerala, the science of ‘Vastu Shastra’ reflects this concept. The technique depends on the five elements of life being in sync within a dwelling to harmonize the flow of energy and, therefore, bring prosperity to the dweller. The elements of the built form simultaneously manifested this concept.

Some of the functional aspects of the built elements were:

• Woodwork: The science of carpentry or ‘Thachu Shastra’ underlines that as timber is derived from a living form—wood—when used for construction, it has its own life that must be synthesized in harmony with its surroundings and the people who dwell inside it. This was one of the reasons it was used so extensively.
• Roof Form: Most buildings appeared visually low in height due to overhanging roofs that protected the walls from rain. Culturally, as agriculture was the main occupation, most houses had granaries (to store grains) with elaborately decorated roofs.
• Central Courtyard and Fenestrations: According to Vastu, the central courtyard of a house was the balancing space and the intersection point of all four cardinal directions. It also served as a space that tied together all the activities within a dwelling and doubled as a semi-public space.

Built form can still manifest from understanding the patterns of behavior of occupants within their socio-cultural setting. This facilitates self-sustainable architecture, as it did hundreds of years ago, and can inspire future generations to design responsibly.

Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.