cietyor acommunity,

hat are alien to the a

due tothe influences,
epresentation of the

CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is considered to be the container in which the different environmental aspectsfor e.g.. Physical factor, cultural, social, economic factors are
reacting together to give us thephysical product which is the building/complex.Some say culture is a general expression of humanity and creativity while the
Webster'sNew International Dictionary defines culture as "the complex of distinctive attainments,
beliefs, traditions [which constitute] the background of a racial, religious, or social group.
Culture, therefore, should be understood as involving more than the values and needs of agroup of people but the entire "way of life" of that society. That is
to say culture isconcerned with more than a collection of values, it is a system or complex of distinctiveattainments and traditions.The language of one
culture differs in fundamental respects from that of another. Each withits own rules and internal logic, values and beliefs, each offering a quite
differentinterpretation of reality. Different architectural traditions have different language andmeaning. It is important to understand and study the
parameters that influence the form of a building, the various methods of cultural representation and conveyance of meaning, anthe influence of context on
such representation in the buildings such as embassy buildings,borrowed architecture forms for a built in a foreign land due to architectural influences
etc.thus defining the conceptual relationship between architectural form and social or culturalmeaning, how a form is expressed and understood. Thus
providing a prime focus for thestudy

THE LEGIBLE EXPRESSION OF SOCIAL OR CULTURAL MEANING IN AN ARCHITECTURALFORM.Starting from the pyramids In Egypt constructed in 2500 BC or the
caste system governingthe house types in India to the colonial cultural influences in south Carolina and theinterpretation of a simple form with a courtyard in
different parts of the world are just a fewexamples indicating culture being the basis of almost all architectural forms. Architecture isa manifestation of the
cultural context in which it resides. The form and relationships of buildings and spaces act as a kind of "cultural marker" that can be read.CASE STUDIES :1.
interpretation of a courtyard in different culturescase study : chinese, islamic, korean, turkish2.streets of hofuf town in saudi arabia3.general idea of cultural
factors governing modern day market scenario.1.Culture has been known to be among the key determinants of an architectural form.Starting from the
historical references of the pyramids to a modern day transportedarchitectural form such as an embassy , cultural aspect has placed a key role in definingthe
basics for a design.2. It has been identified as a dynamic and for ever changing aspect of a society or acommunity, based on which forms that are alien to
the a culturally sound set up due tothe influences, hence producing a misrepresentation of the culture.

3. Based on the case studies it would not be wrong to say that cultural changes bring aboutdevelopment at a community and a city level and transformation
can be brought aboutwith a sensitive eye on the roots of the development .4.Different cultural set ups have different forms , for eg. Chinese architecture is
based onFeng shui where as Indians at large believe in the vastu purusha madala. Even in todaysdate , when there is such a great influence of architectural
forms from the west the new andmodern say dwelling systems basic need for the concept starts with the orientation planwith respect to the manadala. Thus
proving that changing times brings about a change inculture and the mind set of the people but foundation is layed down from the roots.5. Its not just the
built that has been derived from cultural references, even the design of the streets have been thought about from a cultural and historical sensitive mind set.
Asseen in one of the examples of the middle east. The streets play an important role in thelinking the units and their design also plays an important role in
bringing about interactionat the neighbourhood level. One could also say that the Streets of Ahmadabad were alsodesigned on a similar pattern whereCulture
defined the width and the setting up of community spaces.6. The transformations of the market spaces have been studied in a general Context, theyhelp
identify the sustainable aspect of culture and its Viability in the design forms and builtenvironments.

FISHERMENS VILLAGE BY LAURIE BAKER

Poonthura,Trivandrum(1974-75):

CULTRUAL CONSTRAIN : INSULAR GROUP WITH SEI IDEAS AND TRADITIONS .

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF FISHERMEN.
EARLIER STYLE OF SETTELMENT : THATCH ROOFED HOUSES WHICH COLLAPSED BY
CYCLONE
DESGIN ELEMENTS BY LAURIE BAKER :
EXPOSED BRICKWORK AND STRUCTURE WITH SLOPED CONCRETE ROO
LOW SLOPED ROOFS AND COURTS SERVE AS WIND CATCHERS .
LONG ROW OF HOUSING REPLACED BY EVEN STAGGERING
FRONTING COURTS CATCH THE BREEZE AND ALSO GET VIEW OF SEA
OPEN SPACES :
LITTLE PRIVATE RECTANGLE OF LAND IN BETWEEN HOUSES FOR DRYING NETS ,
KIDS PLAY,
PROVIDES SLEEPING LOFTS WITHIN AND ADEQUATE SPACE OUTSIDE FOR MENDING
NETS AND CLEANING AND DRYING FISH

ARANYA COMMUNITY HOUSING B. V.DOSHI

YEAR :1984 -1986
LOCATION : 6 KM FROM INDORE CITY CENTRE
CLIMATE : TROPICAL DRY HEAT .
POPULATION OF 60,000 IN 6500 DWELLINGS ON
AREA OF 85 HECTARES.
TO INTEGRATE FAMILIES WITHIN A RANGE
OF POOR-TO-MODEST INCOMES

EMENTS DEVELOPED FROM EXISTING CULTURAL CONTEXT OF SLUMS

TRADITIONAL SETTELEMENTS WITH MULTIPLE AND MIXED LAND USE.
FORMATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOUSES EXTENDE TO OUTDOORS.
SMALL SHOPS AT CONGESTED AREAS.
VEGETATION IN SMALL PUBLIC AREAS.
STREETS AS CORRIDORS FOR INTERACTION.

EMENTS DEVELOPED FROM EXISTING CULTURAL CONTEXT OF SLUMS

TRADITIONAL SETTELEMENTS WITH MULTIPLE AND MIXED LAND USE.
FORMATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOUSES EXTENDE TO OUTDOORS.
SMALL SHOPS AT CONGESTED AREAS.
VEGETATION IN SMALL PUBLIC AREAS.
STREETS
AS CORRIDORS
HIERARCHY
OF ROADS FOR INTERACTION.
OPEN SPACES
COMMERCIAL SPACES
COMMUNITY SERVICES
INSTITUTIONAL, COMMERCIAL,SOCIAL FACILITIES
MMUNITY LEVEL PLANNING
ESIGN LINKING THE SCALE OF THE BUILT AND HUMAN SCALE
BY INCORPORATING A STREET LIFE WITH PLUGGED CLUSTER HOUSES.
OTTA OUTDOOR PLATFROM
DWELLING LEVEL PLANNING
INTEGRATED INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES
WITH PRIVACY.
COURTYARD AT BACK USED FOR PLAY AREA ,
SERVICE,VEGETATION ETC.

 MATERIALS AND BUILDING TECHNIQUESEDIT

The Project site had black cotton soil prone to shrinking and swelling with
moisture. Small diameter shallow piles with poured concrete was used, which
made for very inexpensive foundation. The Piles were cross connected at plinth
level through concrete beams on which regular load bearing masonry walls
rested
For Most Income Groups, only a house plot was sold. The lower-income Groups
were given several options that included a site and plinth, a service core and
one room, depending on how much they could afford. Owners were free to use
any material for the construction and decoration of house.Brick, stone and
cement were locally available. Bright Colours in the facades, railings, grills and
cornices commonly seen in the old houses of Indore were used in some of the
houses. Internal streets and squares in the Economically Weaker Section were
stone paved, reducing their cost and maintenance. Peripheral roads were
asphalt paved for heavy traffic

 EARTH AND CLIMATEEDIT

The Climate of Indore was effectively taken into account and a
conducive living environment was achieved in Aranya. Most of
the plots were small in and size and the houses were clustered in
low rise blocks. The longer side facade is oriented in the northsouth axis to reduct the solar radiations on building especially
during summers.
The two openings on north and south permit natural light and
cross ventilation. Courtyards within houses, cul-de-sacs, public
squares and small activity areas are sufficiently shaded by the
adjacent buildings. Landscaping and green areas include
flowering and shade ginving trees wtih thick green ground cover.