LOW COST

CONSTRUCTION
TECHNIQUES
PROPOSED
TECHNIQUES
&
LITERATURE STUDIES

FUNICULAR ROOF

FUNICULAR ROOFS-AN ALTERNATE TO RCC

ROOFS
THE FUNICULAR SHELL ROOF IS ONE SUCH
COMPRESSION STRUCTURE, WHICH ENSURES
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES BY
UTILISING WASTE MATERIALS EFFECTIVELY AND
OPTIMISING THE USE OF EXPENSIVE STEEL AND
CEMENT. FURTHER, THE ARCH DISTRIBUTES
THE POINT LOAD IN ALL DIRECTION EQUALLY THUS,
IS ABLE TO WITHSTAND IMPACT LOADING AT ANY
POINT.
DIAGONAL G RID OF FUNICULAR SHELL GIVES THE
ILLUSION OF A LARGER SPACE.
ELIMINATE USE OF HIGH-ENERGY STEEL
REINFORCEMENT USED IN THE CONVENTIONAL RCC
ROOF.
ALLOWS EFFICIENT USE OF WASTE MATERIALS AND
PROVIDES PERSONALITY, COLOUR AND TEXTURE.

! A DOUBLY CURVED STRUCTURE ON

EDGE BEAM ENSURES OPTIMAL
UTILISATION OF STEEL AND CEMENT.
! CAN BE DEMOULDED EVERY 48
HOURS.
! A SIMPLE YET SPLENDID ROOFING
SYSTEM USING NATURAL MATERIALS
AND TECHNOLOGY AS OPPOSED TO
THE MONOTONOUS AND COMPLEX
CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM.
! FUNICULAR SHELLS CAN TAKE ANY
SHAPE- SQUARE, RECTANGLE,
TRAPEZIUM, TRIANGULAR OR ANY
OTHER SHAPE. THE KNACK LIES IN THE
CASTING OF THE MOULD.
! THE UPPER HALF OF THE EDGE BEAM
IS REQUIRED TO HOLD THE STIRRUPS.
IT IS CAST ALONG WITH THE
FUNICULAR SHELL; THEREFORE, IT CAN
ALSO BE A TRIANGULAR SECTION.
! THE FUNICULAR SHELL CAN CARRY
VARIOUS CONDUITS, TOILET PIPES IN
THE AREA ABOVE THE BRICK -BAT
LAYER. THESE CAN RUN ALONG THE
PERIPHERY WHERE THE MAXIMUM
DEPTH IS AVAILABLE.
! FUNICULAR SHELL ROOF FACILITATES
THE INSTALLMENT OF FIXTURES LIKECEILING FANS, LIGHT FIXTURES ETC. A
SKYLIGHT CAN BE INTRODUCED IN THE
ROOF. THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY

GEODESIC DOMES

THE BASIC TRIANGLE OF AN ICOSAHEDRON IS

SUBDIVIDED INTO SMALLER TRIANGLES AND EACH
NODE LIFTED TO MEET
THE SURFACE OF THE SPHERE.
THE MORE THE SUB-DIVISIONS, THE SMOOTHER
THE DOME. EACH SIDE OF THE SUBDIVIDED
TRIANGLE RESULTS IN A CHORD FACTOR, WHICH IS
MULTIPLIED BY THE RADIUS TO GIVE THE STRAIGHT
LENGTH OF EACH MEMBER.
EVEN THOUGH AN ICOSAHEDRON HAS BEEN
TAKEN AS THE BASIC STARTING CONFIGURATION,
ANY POLYHEDRA CAN BE USED BUT THE NUMBER
OF VARIATIONS IN PLATE IS LIKELY TO INCREASE
DEPENDING ON THE POLYHEDRA TAKEN FOR THE

GEODESIC DOMES

! SIMPLE MILD STEEL PLATES ARE USED,

WHICH ARE EASY TO
FABRICATE CONSIDERING ONLY A HOLE AND A SLOT
HAVE TO
BE MADE IN IT.
! SINCE THE PLATES ARE DEPRESSING THE
STRUCTURAL STEEL
NO SUB-STRUCTURE IS REQUIRED TO
ACCOMMODATE
ROOFING MATERIAL
! THE TOP OF THE STRUCTURAL MEMBER SERVES
FOR THE SEAT
OF THE ROOFING MATERIAL.
! A SIMPLE HOLE AND SLOT IN THE PLATES PROVIDE
FOR
VARIATIONS IN ANGLES. THE HOLE FIXES THE

A FRAMES
ARE WELDED FROM
INCEPTION. THESE MEMBERS
ARE MORE RESILIENT THAN
REINFORCED CEMENT
CONCRETE AND HAVE A
LARGER STRENGTH EVEN
WITHOUT THE CONCRETE
COMPONENT.
THIS FORM OF
REINFORCEMENT CONSUMES
30% LESS STEEL.
THEY PROVIDE FOR A SIMPLE
ASSEMBLY OF BEAMS WITH
CONTINUITY BARS AT
JUNCTIONS IN VARIOUS
DIRECTIONS AND REQUIRE
MINIMUM FORMWORK FOR
FILLING.
THEY ARE STABLE WITHOUT
CONCRETE AS CONCRETE IS
REDUCED TO A FILLER
MATERIAL.
THE MEMBERS CAN BE FILLED
WITH CONCRETE AT ANY POINT
OF TIME

SWARAN SINGH BLOCK

TAKE A SIMPLE, MANUALLY
OPERATED BLOCK MAKING MACHINE
AS AVAILABLE WITH MOST OF THE
BUILDING CENTRES
TAKE A STIFF PVC SHEET OR RED
MUD PLASTIC SHEET CUT TO THE
SIZE OF THE BASE OF THE MOULD.
COAT IT WITH USED MOBIL OIL TO
PREVENT ADHESION AND FACILITATE
EASY DEMOULDING FROM THE
SURFACE OF THE BLOCK.
STONE PIECES OF DIFFERENT
COLORS AND ARRANGE THEM IN
PATTERNS AS MAY BE DESIRED FOR
THE PURPOSE OF ARTICULATION OF
MATERIALS.
PREPARE A 1: 3 MIX OF CEMENT
AND SAND MORTAR. POUR THE
MORTAR EVENLY OVER THE STONE
CHIPS
THE VIBRATION HELPS
INTEGRATION OF THE STONE
PIECES WITH THE CEMENT MORTAR
TO FORM AN IMPERMEABLE
DIAPHRAGM..
PREPARE ANOTHER MIX OF MUD
WITH 2% CEMENT OR 5% LIME OR
THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
THIS MIX FORMS THE MAJOR
PORTION OF THE BODY OF THE
BLOCK. .

TAKE A JUTE PIECE LITTLE

SMALLER THAN THE SIZE OF
THE BASE AND DIP IT IN
CEMENT SLURRY. PLACE THE
JUTE PIECE IN THE MOULD
AND FILL THE REST OF THE
MOULD WITH THE SAME MIX
TO ABOUT 2/3 RD OF THE
MOULD AND ADD ANOTHER
LAYER OF JUTE DIPPED IN
CEMENT SLURRY.
NOW FILL THE MOULD TO
THE TOP. LOCK THE LID AND
USE THE COMPRESSOR TO
COMPRESS THE BLOCK
SURFACE OF THE WALL AND
WILL REQUIRE A FLASH COAT
LATER IF AT ALL, ONLY TO
EVEN OUT THE SURFACE.

INTERLOCKING HOLLOW
CONCRETE BLOCKS

VENE BLOCKS
THE VENE BLOCK IS ESSENTIALLY AN ADOBE BLOCK
MAKING MECHANISM THAT IS SIMPLE AND
EFFICIENT.
IT COMPRISES OF A MOULD MADE OF TIMBER. THE
MOULD IS USED TO MAKE THE ADOBE BLOCKS RIGHT
WHERE THE WALL IS TO BE ERECTED, AND RELIES ON A
SIMPLE NON-MECHANISED
PROCEDURE.
THE MOULD IS PLACED WHERE REQUIRED AND THEN
EARTH MIXTURE IS POURED IN AND COMPACTED WITHIN
THE MOULD. ONCE THE MOULD IS FILLED AND ALL THE
EARTH WITHIN COMPACTED, THE MOULD IS LIFTED OUT
AND MOVED AHEAD TO MAKE THE NEXT BLOCK.
THE SAME PROCESS IS REPEATED. THE MOULD ENSURES
THAT THE BLOCKS ARE LAID PRECISELY AND GIVES IT A
CLEANER FINISH THAN THE ROUGH, HAND COMPACTED
ADOBE WALLS.

BY INTEGRATING THE RAM LOCHAN TILE INTO THE VENE

BLOCK MAKING PROCESS, PLACING THE TILE INTO THE
MOULD BEFORE WE START COMPACTING THE EARTH, WE
PROTECT THE ADOBE WALL FROM
EROSION.
THE RAM LOCHAN TILE IS A FABRICATED ON SITE A
SIMPLE MOULD. TO ACCOMMODATE THIS 10 MM TILE
TILE, THE SIZE OF THE VENE BLOCK
MOULD IS INCREASED SLIGHTLY.
BOTH THE REGULAR AND THE CORNER MOULDS ARE
MODIFIED IN THIS MANNER. THE RAM LOCHAN TILE IS
ALSO MODIFIED
TO ALLOW FOR TWO DOVETAIL LOCKS.
FOR THE CORNERS ONE OF THE DOVETAILS IS MADE
SHORTER TO ALLOW
FOR A CLEAN JOINT.THE LOWER DOVETAIL OF THE TILE
ALLOWS FOR A
PRECISE OVERLAPPING OF THE TILES.
THE RAM LOCHAN TILE IS INSERTED INTO THE VENE
BLOCK MOULD DURING CONSTRUCTION AND IS MADE
TO OVERLAP THE LOWER COURSE BY HALF AN INCH ,

FILLER SLAB

COST REDUCTION
TECHNIQUES
1

FOUNDATION
NORMALLY THE FOUNDATION COST COMES TO ABOUT 10
TO 15% OF THE TOTAL BUILDING AND USUALLY
FOUNDATION DEPTH OF 3 TO 4 FT. IS ADOPTED FOR SINGLE
OR DOUBLE STOREY BUILDING AND ALSO THE CONCRETE
BED OF 6(15 CMS.) IS USED FOR THE FOUNDATION WHICH
COULD BE AVOIDED.
IT IS RECOMMENDED TO ADOPT A FOUNDATION DEPTH OF
2 FT.(0.6M) FOR NORMAL SOIL LIKE GRAVELY SOIL, RED
SOILS ETC.,
USE THE UNCOURSED RUBBLE MASONRY WITH THE BOND
STONES AND GOOD PACKING.
SIMILARLY THE FOUNDATION WIDTH IS RATIONALIZED TO 2
FT.(0.6M).
TO AVOID CRACKS FORMATION IN FOUNDATION THE
MASONRY SHALL BE THOROUGHLY PACKED WITH CEMENT
MORTAR OF 1:8 BOULDERS AND BOND STONES AT
REGULAR INTERVALS.
IT IS FURTHER SUGGESTED TO ADOPT ARCH FOUNDATION
IN ORDINARY SOIL FOR EFFECTING REDUCTION IN
CONSTRUCTION COST UP TO 40%.
THIS KIND OF FOUNDATION WILL HELP IN BRIDGING THE
LOOSE POCKETS OF SOIL WHICH OCCURS ALONG THE
FOUNDATION.
IN THE CASE OF BLACK COTTON AND OTHER SOFT SOILS IT
IS RECOMMEND TO USE UNDER REAM PILE FOUNDATION
WHICH SAVES ABOUT 20 TO 25% IN COST OVER THE
CONVENTIONAL METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION.

REAMED PILE FOUNDATION

ARCH FOUNDATION

WALLING

WALL THICKNESS OF 6 TO 9 IS RECOMMENDED FOR

ADOPTION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS ALL-ROUND
THE BUILDING AND 41/2 FOR INSIDE WALLS.
IT IS SUGGESTED TO USE BURNT BRICKS WHICH ARE
IMMERSED IN WATER FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN SHALL BE
USED
THE WALLS
3 RATFOR
TRAP
BOND WALL
IT IS A CAVITY WALL CONSTRUCTION WITH ADDED
ADVANTAGE OF THERMAL COMFORT AND REDUCTION IN
THE QUANTITY OF BRICKS REQUIRED FOR MASONRY
WORK.
BY ADOPTING THIS METHOD OF BONDING OF BRICK
MASONRY COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL ENGLISH OR
FLEMISH BOND MASONRY, IT IS POSSIBLE TO REDUCE IN
THE MATERIAL COST OF BRICKS BY 25% AND ABOUT
10TO 15% IN THE MASONRY COST.
BY ADOPTING RAT-TRAP BOND METHOD ONE CAN
CREATE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING WALL SURFACE AND
PLASTERING CAN BE AVOIDED.

COMPARISON

 4 CONCRETE BLOCK WALLING

IN VIEW OF HIGH ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY BURNT
BRICK IT IS SUGGESTED TO USE CONCRETE BLOCK
(BLOCK HOLLOW AND SOLID) WHICH CONSUMES
ABOUT ONLY 1/3 OF THE ENERGY OF THE BURNT
BRICKS IN ITS PRODUCTION.

BY USING CONCRETE BLOCK MASONRY THE WALL

THICKNESS CAN BE REDUCED FROM 20 CMS TO 15
CMS.

CONCRETE BLOCK MASONRY SAVES MORTAR

CONSUMPTION, SPEEDY CONSTRUCTION OF WALL
RESULTING IN HIGHER OUTPUT OF LABOUR,

SOIL CEMENT BLOCK TECHNOLOGY

IT IS AN ENERGY EFFICIENT METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION

WHERE SOIL MIXED WITH 5% AND ABOVE CEMENT AND
PRESSED IN HAND OPERATED MACHINE AND CURED
WELL AND THEN USED IN THE MASONRY.
THIS MASONRY DOESNT REQUIRE PLASTERING ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE WALL.
THE OVERALL ECONOMY THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED
WITH THE SOIL CEMENT TECHNOLOGY IS ABOUT 15 TO
20%

6 DOORS AND WINDOWS

IT IS SUGGESTED NOT TO USE WOOD FOR DOORS AND
WINDOWS AND IN ITS PLACE CONCRETE OR STEEL
SECTION FRAMES SHALL BE USED FOR ACHIEVING
SAVING IN COST UP TO 30 TO 40%.
SIMILIARLY FOR SHUTTERS COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE
BLOCK BOARDS, FIBRE OR WOODEN PRACTICAL BOARDS
ETC., SHALL BE USED FOR REDUCING THE COST BY
ABOUT 25%.
BY ADOPTING BRICK JELLY WORK AND PRECAST
COMPONENTS EFFECTIVE VENTILATION COULD BE
PROVIDED TO THE BUILDING AND ALSO THE
CONSTRUCTION COST COULD BE SAVED UP TO 50%
OVER THE WINDOW COMPONENTS.
ALUMINIUM, IRON, CONCRETE FRAMES CAN BE USED

7 LINTELS AND CHAJJAS

THE TRADITIONAL R.C.C. LINTELS WHICH ARE COSTLY
CAN BE REPLACED BY BRICK ARCHES FOR SMALL SPANS
AND SAVE CONSTRUCTION COST UP TO 30 TO 40% OVER
THE TRADITIONAL METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION.
BY ADOPTING ARCHES OF DIFFERENT SHAPES A GOOD
ARCHITECTURAL PLEASING APPEARANCE CAN BE GIVEN
TO THE EXTERNAL WALL SURFACES OF THE BRICK

LAURIE BAKER
LAURIE BAKER, AN ARCHITECT
FROM
BIRMINGHAM,
NOW
SETTLED
IN
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
HAS
EFFECTIVELY
COMBINED
TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES WITH
INDIGENOUS INNOVATIONS AND
HAS MANAGED TO BRING DOWN
THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION BY
HALF.
HIS TECHNIQUES NOT ONLY USE
CHEAPER MATERIALS BUT ALSO
ELIMINATE REDUNDANT DETAILS
FROM THE DESIGN.
CONCRETE IS RARELY USED.
MANGALORE TILES ARE USED FOR
THE ROOF WHICH MAKES IT
LIGHT AND INEXPENSIVE.

 HIS APPROACH AND SIMPLE PRINCIPLES TO

LOW COST HOUSING ARE GANDHIAN, WHICH
CAN BE ADOPTED BY EVERY BUILDER. THE
FOLLOWING ARE THE MAINSTAY OF DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION OF HIS HOUSES.
PLANNING OF SPACE LESSER WALLS,
MULTIPLE USES OF SPACE, SHORT SPANS OF
ROOF,
AGGLOMERATION
OF
BUILDING
SERVICES, FLEXIBILITY IN GROWTH.
LOCAL BUILDING MATERIAL BRICKS, TILES,
LIME, SURKHI, TIMBER, THATCH, STONE, PALM,
MUD.
BRICKS AND JALIS PLAY OF LIGHT AND
SHADE, UNIDIRECTIONAL VISION.
UNPLASTERED WALLS.
LINTELS AND ARCHES.
ATTENTION TO DETAILS.

 BAKERS
WORKS
INCLUDE,
PRIVATE
RESIDENCES,
SOME
INSTITUTIONAL
BUILDINGS,
LIKE
CENTER
FOR
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, KERALA. HE IS
VERY ACTIVE IN THE WORKS OF ALL THE
BUILDING CENTERS WORKING IN KERALA
AS WELL AS IN THE OTHER PARTS OF
COUNTRY. RATHER IT WAS HIS INITIAL
EFFORT TO PROMOTE THE LOW COST
HOUSING IN INDIA, WHERE HOUSING IS A
BIG PROBLEM.
HIS TECHNIQUES NOT ONLY USE CHEAPER
MATERIALS
BUT
ALSO
ELIMINATE
UNNECESSARY DETAILS FROM THE DESIGN.
CONCRETE
IS
SPARINGLY
USED.
MANGALORE TILES ARE USED FOR THE
ROOF WHICH MAKES IT LIGHT AND
INEXPENSIVE.
HIS PROJECTS FOR LOW COST BUILDINGS
INCLUDE
1. CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
TRIVANDRUM
2. 'THE HAMLET', LAURIE BAKER'S HOME
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,

CENTER FOR
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES TRIVANDRUM -1975

leslie
bakers
masterpiece,
the
centre for development
studies in kerala, is
a 10 acre campus at a
cost of rs15 lakhs,
demonstrated
the
effectiveness
of
his
plan.
the institute includes
a research institute.
a
graduate
school
dedicated to utilizing
the study of economics
to help the poor.

MAIN FEATURES OF THIS

BUILDING:
he designed the buildings
at the centre to practically
cool them.
he renders jalis, a
perforated wooden screen
found in traditional indian
architecture, in brick;
the open grillwork allows
cool breezes to waft into the
interior while filtering harsh,
direct sunlight.
some buildings include a
series of small courtyards
containing shallow pools in
the center, whose
evaporation helps cool the
air.
paying close attention to
the existing site as he
began to design the project,
baker left as many coconut
palm trees in place as
possible to cast cooling
shade onto the campus.

 the computer centre at

the
centre
for
development studies,
thiruvananthapuram.
here baker evolved an
innovative
system
of
curved double walls to
save on cost and to
conserve the energy .
in evaluating the campus
for the centre, baker
planned roads along the
lower, while footpaths
were
routed
along
naturally
occurring
elevated areas; following
the natural topography
helps to limit erosion and
despoilment
of
the
environment.

 Brickwalls
were
left
unplastered and brick
corbelling was used
rather
than
more
expensive
concrete
lintels.
With his mastery over
his
medium,
baker
creates a variety of
textures and patterns
by simple manipulation
of the way in which
bricks are placed in the
wall.
The architecture of this
academic complex was
conceived
as
a
demonstration
of
economically
responsible
building
practices.

BAKERS HOUSE THE

HAMLET

BAKERS
OWN
RESIDENCE IS CALLED
THE HAMLET. IT HAS
BEEN
BUILT
IN
THIRUVANANTHAPURA
M, BUILT ON A STEEPLY
SLOPING AND ROCKY
HILLSIDE THAT HARDLY
HAD ANY VEGETATION
WHEN BAKER STARTED
CONSTRUCTING.
BAKER
HAS
TRULY
ADOPTED HIS MOTTO
TO
MAKE
LOWCOSTERY A HABIT AND
A WAY OF LIFE BY
REUSING EVERYTHING,
KEY
FEATURES
OF GLASS
HIS
FROM
BRICK TO
HOUSE
ARE: AS BUILDING
BOTTLES,
ALL
MATERIALS.
THE WALLS ARE MADE
OF MUD BRICKS.
TIMBER SALVAGED FROM
AN OLD BOAT JETTY.

 ONE OF THE OTHER

SIGNATURE ELEMENTS
OF
HIS
DESIGN
INCLUDES THE USE OF
CIRCULAR
WALLS,
WHICH USE FAR LESS
BRICK
THAN
RECTANGULAR WALLS.
IN ADDITION, WHEN HE
DOES USE CONCRETE
FOR
A
ROOF,
HE
EMBEDS CHIPPED OR
BROKEN TERRA COTTA
ROOFING TILES INTO
THE MIXTURE.
THESE TILES, WHICH
NORMALLY WOULD BE
THROWN
AWAY,
CONTRIBUTE TO THE
STRENGTH
OF
THE
ROOF, ALLOW LESS OF
THE
EXPENSIVE
CONCRETE TO BE USED,
AND
REDUCE
THE
STRUCTURAL LOAD OF
THE BUILDING.
HE USED BROKEN TILES
FOR THE OUTER PAVED
AREA OF HIS GARDEN.

 HE MADE AN EXTENSIVE
USE OF TIMBER IN HIS
HOUSE, LIKE IN THE
LIVING
ROOM
OF
HOUSE, THE DETAILING
IN WOOD AND MUD
BRICKS
ARE
WONDERFUL.
THE LIVING ROOM, AN
INTEGRATION OF NEW
BUILDING
AND
SALVAGED
TIMBER
FROM
TRADITIONAL
BUILDINGS THAT WERE
BEING DEMOLISHED.
INNOVATIVE
BAKER'S
USE
OF
DISCARDED
BOTTLES, INSET IN THE
WALLS GIVING A VERY
GOOD EFFECT OF LIGHT
AND
CREATING
AN
ILLUSION OF STAINED
GLASS.