Transition studies in rural building typologies: A case-study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Influences of development and rapid modernization (technology, lifestyle) are increasingly evident in countries such as India and China housing nearly two billion rural population. The built-environment typology of rural settlements in India are undergoing rapid transitions from vernacular passive dwellings which adopt local material and skill to standardised cement based constructions. There are but, intermediate transitions phases which involves a typology involving both traditional and modern materials. A case study of Bommanahalli village near Bangalore, India is presented in this paper where authors examine one such typology adopting random rubble masonry and burnt brick walls with mud-plaster in the interior (traditional materials) and cement plaster in the exterior (modern material) with a gable clay-tiled roof. The results of this study will throw light into how combining traditional and modern construction materials are giving rise to new building typologies and how this combination performs thermally.