ROLE OF TRADITIONAL CRAFT IN A CONTEMPORARY BUILDING

WITH LOCAL FLAVOUR

Varsha M. B., CEPT University, Ahmedabad

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the approach made by architects of today, in employing the crafts of
yesterday in creating a building that is in harmony with the context that it sits in. Although this can be
accomplished through new age technologies, we discuss the employment of those people who still
possess a rich knowledge in the field of crafts in achieving this. This is understood and analysed
through the example of a contemporary building which employs local materials and craftsmen for its
implementation and then concluded by understanding what the position of craft is in relation to that.

INTRODUCTION

The terms heritage and tradition are gaining much popularity in the hospitality world.
They are more or less terms associated with hotels, used to project an image of the richness of the
context to attract people to that place. However, the underlying meaning of these terms seems to have
been lost in most of these buildings. Tradition means something that is passed down from generation
to generation. Can the new age buildings using new age technologies to produce building elements
that resemble features in the traditional buildings of that area, be equal to tradition? Or does it require
us to deeply understand its meanings and setting, and then be reapplied in todays context? According
to Rutul Joshi, meanings are crucial in human life to identify and to get an orientation towards their
surroundings1. Therefore the role of architects in providing meaning while reproducing the traditional
elements in a contemporary building is quite significant. Here we shall take an example of a
contemporary building that the author herself has visited, to examine the above mentioned problems
in the building. The paper discusses the resort in detail going through each space making element
featured in the building. This is then compared to the traditional building of the region to measure the
extent of inspiration or influence on the architect. This is also done to understand if the building is a
step forward in re-emerging the forgotten craft of the place or is it just an idea at a conceptual level to
project an image of being traditional.

MANELAND JUNGLE RESORT A RESORT IN A LOCAL FLAVOUR

Maneland Jungle resort located in the Sasan Gir area of Junagadh, is a small resort nestled in
the deciduous jungles of the Gir forest in Gujarat. It is a fusion of the technical skill possessed by the
local craftsman and the ideas of the Architect in a local material expressed through a modern building.
The resort maintains a uniform look throughout with the use of stone masonry made of locally
available Bela stone. Elements like arches, columns, niches, jharokas etc. appear everywhere, but at
the same time monotony is broken by avoiding repetition in design. The resort consists of a cluster of
buildings grouped together in an unorganised manner. The use of a local stone for the construction
necessitated the employment of local craftsmen as they hold the best knowledge in terms of material
property. Although the architect has managed to use locally used architectural features in the building,
her claim that it renders a Saurashtrian style to the building, drove me to look more into commonly
used traditional features of Saurashtrian buildings.

Arches are a tradition in Saurashtrian buildings. Junagadh, a historical town displays a range
of arches which has formed a part of the buildings from the Mauryan dynasty to the British Empire
that ruled the city2. The arches used in the resort although varied in design, showed a colonial
influence. The commonly used semi-circular arch was similar to the arch used in the City high school
in Junagadh. (Fig. 1) While the arches in the resort appeared on the faade enclosing a small veranda,
the arches in most traditional buildings appeared in series of arcades thereby displaying an order,
which the arches in the resort lacked. The Architect admits that in many places the span of the arch
was determined by the height of roof slab which thereby caused serious problems to the proportioning
system of an arch. Many variations of the arch are tested in the building, including the corbel arch.
However corbel arch is not really a local feature of the place, except for the decorative one found in
Uparkort fort in Junagadh. (Fig. 2)

Jharoka is another element that is installed as a traditional feature. A Jharokha in its

traditional sense not just provides shade to the openings but has the additional function of being a
projecting balcony. In the resort however, it is only a shade providing component that is like an add-
on feature to a grilled opening. The scale is much reduced in size when compared to a traditional
Jharoka, and therefore would not allow a human to stand there even if the opening had provided
access. The ornately carved columns, brackets and parapets are also missing. Only the design of the
column kept varying with each Jharoka. (Fig. 3)

The columns in the resort however bore no resemblance to the traditional columns.
Traditionally the Stambh(shaft) would be made out of a single stone with an ornately carved base and
a capital. The columns here however lacked a base to begin with. The shaft was made out of stone
blocks that were dressed and laid one above the other and fixed with mortar. The capital was formed
by horizontal stone blocks to support the arch above.

The niches which are said to be another traditional feature has transformed from being a water
storing shelf to a light shelf to place artefacts. The traditional niche might have cusped arch that is
framed and probably has bird or animal motifs on top which is made in plaster. In the resort, the
niches were made as smaller versions of arches either as corbelled or semi-circular arches. A niche
always appeared in the Osri. Inside the room, the niches were located above the bed, near the furniture
or by the side of the opening and thereby lacked a definite order in its placement. Empty niches in
many places fail to enhance the quality of the space by not serving purposes of function or attention.
(Fig. 4)

IMPLICATIONS

Though there is a conscious effort to use traditional elements in the building, the elements belong
to various eras and therefore, positioning of it together in one space does not seem to complement
each other. The Jharokas are a Hindu or Indo-Islamic tradition while the columns seem to belong to
the colonial style. The design of the column fails to show similarity to any traditional style and
thereby stands aloof. Although eclectic styles have been a success in the past, they were achieved
through a constant adaptation to local techniques and external influences 3. The elements in the resort
are placed without an understanding of the meaning each one of it holds. The plaster pattern on the
wall was an experiment from the architects side to break the monotony of exposed stone work. It
stands out as an odd feature in some places as it overpowers the effect rendered by the stone masonry.

Because Bela was the main building block here, the local craftsmen had a huge role to play in
educating the architects about its material property. Around 8 skilled Craftspeople from Junagadh and
Jamnagar were involved in the work and their involvement lasted till the execution level. Since there
was no readymade data to work with, most of the structural decisions were made on site through trial
and error method and the architects relied on the craftsmens knowledge about the material. The
advanced stability of a semi-circular arch compared to an elliptical arch was worked out through such
trials and from workers knowledge. Such close associations between the craftsmen and the architect
helps to bring about a better knowledge about the traditional building material and its workability
thereby encouraging its use. However from the above discussion it seems that efforts were made only
to revive the use of local materials and local craftsmen, but the sufficient use of the traditional crafts
or ornamentation in the design of the building was missing. Reasons for this could have been:

o Lack of knowledge about the traditional craft

o Lack of skilled craftsmen in the field
o Lack of interest in traditional craft
o Want to try new techniques with the material
CONCLUSION

Here, the term traditional or local has probably been achieved only through the use of a local
stone. The notion of the building being vernacular is not through the use of any local craft or
traditional elements. The want to try new things with the stone but at the same time trying to stick to a
local style, according to the clients wish, must have drove the architect to design a building with a
varied style. Although it has generated jobs to local craftsmen it still leaves us with a question of how
the building would have been different if traditional craft was used in all its authenticity - if
contemporarization had come through a process of understanding the elements, knowing its function
and then adapting it to its present purpose.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to express her deepest gratitude to Architect Chirashree and Rahul
Thakkar for providing the necessary drawings and information, craftspeople Bheem Bhai and Channa
Bhai for their valuable information, Mr. Ashok, Manager of Maneland Jungle resort for his time and
any possible help.
Hotel address: Gir Lion Sanctuary and National Park, Sasan, District : Junagadh, Gujarat - 362135.
Tel. : 02877-285555, 285690 / 91.
Architect: Chirashree Thakkar, 905, Manas Jodhpur Cross Road, Satellite Road,Ahmedabad 380015
Tel: 09825007432, 09879229224
NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. The reader who would like to read about the meaning in the traditional dwellings of North
Gujarat may want to read, R. Joshi. 2002. Meaning in the traditional dwelling of North
Gujarat, India : An Etymological Exploration . Second international seminar on vernacular
settlement, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engirneering, University of Indonesia.
2. A website with information on the history of Junagadh and displaying old pictures of
Junagadh from the travel blogs of H Kamdar, available at
http://discoverindiabyroad.blogspot.in/p/history-of-junagadh-girnar.html
3. The reader who would like to read of how various influences on a region contribute to an
eclectic style refer, I. Tajudeen. 2008. Adaptation and accentuation: Type transformation in
vernacular Nusantarian mosque design and their contemporary signification in Melaka,
Minangkabau and Singapore. Fourth International Seminar on Verncular Architecture held at
Faculty of Architecture, CEPT University, India
FIGURES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure 1 Comparison of a semi circular arch in the resort (left) to an arch in City high school,
Junagadh (right)

Figure 2 Comparison of a corbel arch in the resort (left) to an arch in Uparkort fort, Junagadh (right)
Figure 3 Comparison of a Jharokha in the resort (left) to a Jharokha in step well, Adalaj (right)

Figure 4 Comparison of Niches in the resort (left) to a niche in a Gujarati house (extreme right)