CULTURAL CONTEXT

Knowledge
Political
Trade
Belief
Art
Morals
Language
festivals
Customs
climate
Other capabilities
Acquired by man as a member of the
society

WHY IS CULTURAL CONTEXT IMPORTANT?

Tradition in building ..
Sense of appropriateness
Strengthening local identity
Reduces embodied energy
(local materials, building
methods and crafts skill )
Social interaction and capital
Tradition consistently adapts
and suitably transforms to the
changed circumstances(Eg,.
Madras)

It communicates through
sequences and its organizations
; elements of space making
their scale and form; or the
symbolism of surface
articulation
Communication at 3 levels

SENSORI
AL

EXPERIENTI
AL

ASSOCIATIO
NAL

PLACE
MAKING

INDO-SARACENIC STREETSCAPE OF
PONDICHERRY

Kites found
in the
streetscape
of
Ahmedaba
d are an
integral
part of its
identity.

MARKERS
Landmarks historical
and architectural form
the markers of a city.
The blue houses of
Jodhpur
Eiffel Tower, Paris

BHUJ (KUTCH,GUJARAT)

Tribal women of Kutch

with traditional clothing

History
It was established by Rao Himirji in
1510
Bhuj for decades, even centuries,
has beckoned travelers and traders
with the promise of release from
the restrictions of civilization.

Ramkund is a typical
step-well architecture at
Bhuj

Traditional wall interior of

kutch

Culture

Bhuj is a famous destination for shopping of

handicraft work.

Artists of nearby villages bring their art work for

sale in Bhuj.

It is the Important landmarks for people wishing to

study and know more about Kutchi embroidery

The Bhuj is Famous for the

swaminarayan temple which is
located in the heart of the city

Bhuj is Famous for its

handy-crafts market

Bhuj is famous for its

various Silver crafts work

CHOWKS

Street pattern (Y shaped) and housing layout

street

Internal
courtyards

Cattles-shed

PLANNINGS OF HOUSINGS IN BHUJ

BHUNGA HOUSES

THE HEIGHT WIDTH

PROPORTIONS OF COURTYARDS
AND STREETS PROVIDE SHADE
FOR MOST PART OF THE DAY

The Bhonga is a traditional construction

type in the Kutch which has a very high
earthquake risk.
single cylindrically shaped room.
conical roof supported by cylindrical
walls
This type of house is quite durable and
appropriate for prevalent desert
conditions.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE BHUNGA

Circular in plan(inner dia 3m-6m), with
cylindrically shaped walls and topped with conical
roof.
Only three openings one door and two small
windows.

DURING EARTH-QUAKES
It performed very well in the recent M7.6
Bhuj earthquake in 2001.
Very few Bhongas experienced significant
damage
It has also been observed that the failure of
Bhongas in the last earthquake caused very
few injuries to the occupants due to the type
of collapse.

Bhungas are connected through plinths and

circulation is also carried out in that way.. A
cluster of bhunga is built on one plinthus
ually the cluster contains settlements of one
whole family

:A typical
Bhungha
Elevation

Rural art on walls

Cyllindrical walls
and thatched
roofs

1 Evolution of the
elevation and
plan of
The Bhunga

The Jaali
acts
3
both as
an
aestheti
c
element
and
shields
from the
direct
sunlight

Addition of the
gathering area

Mangalore tiles
roof

Shape of the plan

changes

Contemporary
Bhunga huts with
thatched roofs

Evolution of
the doors of
2
the
Bhungas

Windows
4 and
openings

Interior view
of the windows
of Bhungas

Exterior view of
the windows of
the Bhungas

Modern Bhunga
huts

Materials Used

Primary materials:

1.IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BHUNGA, RAW

MATERIALS THAT ARE EASILY AVAILABLE IN KUTCH.

THATCHED ROOF

2.The materials are such that the bhungas are

well Earthquake resistant.
3.Modification to Building Recent Bhungas
constructions have used wide variety of
construction materials. These include the
stone or burnt brick masonry either in mud
mortar or in cement mortar.

Sikki leaves

bamboo

stews and reed

OR
Secondary
material:
Thatched roof
Mud

stones

water
TRADITIONAL BHUNGA

Primary materials:

DOORS, WINDOWS AND

STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
Mud bricks

cow dung

Primary material:

OR
Conventional wall

Secondary
material:
DOOR
cement

TIMBER

Manglore tiles

1. Traditional roof consists of light-weight

conical roof, while some recent
constructions have used heavy Mangalore
tiles on roofs.
2. Though essentially unchanged, a few
homes have tiled
roofs instead of thatch. Platform drains
off water which
gathers because of the impervious soil,
even though the
rainfall is meager.
BHUNGA OUT OF CLAY
AND REED

A wave of multiculturalism-issues of economic and

cultural globalization as well as the ever guiding movement
of capital and immigrants .
City lives in the memory of its inhabitants by becoming an
interactive stage for innumerable performances of life that
are sighted, citied and recited in the form of ceremonies
,rites, festivals and celebrations.
W.r.t cultural context offer its user an identity , an image, a
memory, a point of referance , a symbol.
Gujarat Hindu Society Mandir, Preston

Shree sanatan hindu mandir ,

UK

Gujarat Hindu Society Mandir,

Preston