Vernacular architecture- Kerela

VERNACULAR
ARCHITECTURE
OF KERALA
> A K A S H K U M A R S A A N D P R A T E E K M A L A K A R <
H U M A N S E T T L E M E N T A N D V E R N A C U L A R A R C H I T E C T U R E
N A T I O N A L I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L OG Y R O U R K E L A

C O N T E N T S
V E R N A C U L A R A R C H I T E C T U R E O F K E R A L A
C O N T E N T S
0 3 I N T R O D U C T I O N
Ba c k g r o u n d of the st o r y
According to Wikipedia, a book report is
an essay discussing the contents of a
book, written as part of a class
assignment issued.
0 5 P L O T & S E T T I N G
Set t i n g of the st o r y
assignment issued.
13 C O N F L I C T
W h e re proble ms be gin
assignment issued.
2 4 R E S O L U T I O N
Le ading to the en d
assignment issued.

I N T R O D U C T I O N
 Kerala Architecture is one of the most exciting
examples of preservation of vernacular styles.
 The evolution of domestic architecture of Kerala
followed closely the trend of development in
temple architecture.

 The primitive models of circular, square or rectangular plain shapes with a
ribbed roof evolved from functional consideration.
 The climate of Kerala greatly influenced the traditional architecture.
 The natural building materials available for construction in Kerala i.e.
stones, timber, clay and palm leaves have anchored and guided the
acceptance or rejection of outside influences

 Kerala has a warm humid climate. The rainfall is very heavy from south
west and north east monsoons.
 To keep the rain and sun away form the walls the roofs of the building come
down very low.
 Verandah all round the building protecting the external walls from sun and
rain.
 The width of the verandah varies from 2 ft to 12ft.
 In rooms were people spend most of their time during day.
 The window openings were brought in at ground level otherwise the
windows were small or had timber jalis to give diffused light without glare.
 They also have an internal courtyard for better flow of air.
INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE

C O N T E N T S
T E R M S O F H O U S E
for different tribes according to social status and profession
 Pariah
 Agrestic slave
 Blacksmith, goldsmith, carpenter, weaver
 Temple servants
 Ordinary Nayars
 Nayar’s Authority
 Raja
C H E R I
C H A L A
K U D I
V A R I Y A M / P I S H A R A M
V E E D U / B H A V A N A M
I D A M
K O V I L A K K A M / K O T T A R A M

B U I L D I N G M A T E R I A L S
The common building materials used for vernacular
construction in Kerala are mud, laterite and granite
stone blocks, lime mortar, wood, bamboo, clay
roofing tile and coconut palm leaves.
 LATERITE
 TIMBER
 TILES are mainly used
BUILDING MATERIALS

B E Y O N D T H E M O U N T A I N S
CHITRATHOONUKAL
Good wood like teak and
rosewood is used extensively
in the construction – for the
rafters and beams,
pillars and columns,
panelling on walls,
staircases etc.
.
Carved cement/rubble or
wooden pillars in the outer
verandahs as well as the central
courtyard area is a
prominent feature of Kerala
architecture.
P L O T & S E T T I N G

PADIPPURA
This clay tiled, sloping
entryway was
originally meant only for
human traffic.
Padippura is the front entrance
to the compound and home and
is at the front of the peripheral
wall/fencing

POOMUKHAM
Pillars (either wooden or
cement/rubble) support the
sloping clay tiled roof of the
poomukham.
Poomukham is the first space of
the house – it is an open
verandah that protrudes forward
and is accessed by climbing the
steps at the front of the
house.

CHARUPADY
This parapet style seating
along the edge of the
poomukham and verandah is
traditionally made of wooden
or cement seating..
Charupady is the traditional
seating that enables one to take
advantage of the open
poomukham and verandah,
enjoying the breeze or the rain.

CHUTTU VERANDAH
Chuttu verandah is accessed
from the poomukham and is the
open verandah in the front,
leading to either sides of the
house

MUKHAPPU
Mukhappu is the decorative top
of the sloping portion in the
front of the building; sometimes
it is also seen in the middle
portion of the sides.

THOOMANAM
Thoomanam is made of wood
and decorates the edge of the
roof – where the tiling ends.
Thoomanam also helps in
diverting rain water downward
and away from the walls of the
house.

NADUMUTTOM
Nadumuttom is the sunken,
central courtyard surrounded by
open verandah, wherefrom the
rooms are accessed.
The tiled roofing slopes inwards
into the nadumuttom, protecting
the verandah and inner spaces
from heat and rain.

o The ridged roof pitched at angles between 30degree to 40degree
o Intricately carved gables protruding from the roof with overhangs supported
by wooden brackets.
o prefabricated, that is different members are fixed on the ground and
assembled at the top.
o No nails are used.
o Kept in position by interlocking with the hole in the rafters.
o Walls made of timber or earth and roof of coconut leaves or tiles are
common in many parts of Kerala
o Structurally the roof frame was supported on the pillars or walls erected on
a plinth raised from the ground for protection against dampness and
insects.
o Clay tiles enable to keep the interiors cool in hot and humid weather and the
sloping design enabled rainwater to drain off easily.
ROOFING SYSTEM

o The most common type of flooring was that of beaten earth polished with
cow dung at regular intervals
o Black coloured traditional flooring used in the more expensive buildings,
done with the mixture of lime, sand, coconut shell, white of egg, jaggery,
coconut water and other vegetable extracts.
o The smoothness was achieved by polishing the floor with a particular variety
of banana.
o Clay tiles are also used for flooring; they feel cool underfoot.
o Cement oxide flooring in black, green and red colours (predominantly) are
also seen.
o Wooden flooring is also seen in some traditional homes.
FLOORING SYSTEM

C O N T E N T S
T Y P E S O F H O U S E
1
W R E T C H E D H U M B L E
H O U S E
unknown by any building treatise of
Kerala, belongs to ordinary folks and
tribal people/ adivasis.
2 EKASALA
I-shaped single rectangular hallhouse,
belongs to farmers or middle-class
non-farmers.
5
N A L U K E T T U
a courtyard house, belongs to
landlords
7 PATI NJ A RUK E TT U
(double ettukettu) having 4 courtyard.
E TTUK E TU
(double Nalukettu) bigger structures,
having 2 courtyard.
6
3 DVISALA
Two hallhouse
4 TRISALA
Three hallhouse

Nalukettu is the most developed form of
the typical Kerala mansion.
The construction of Nalukettu follows the
norms and principles of the traditional Thachu
Sasthra.
NALUKETTU

NALUKETTU
Ideal for large families of the traditional
tharavadu (a system of joint family) for
whom it was customary to live under one
roof.
courtyard type house where the central
courtyard is an outdoor living space open to
the sky.
The four halls on the sides are called as
vadakkini(northern block), padinjattini
(western block), kizhakkini (eastern block)
and thekkini (southern block).
N A L U K E T T U

 The building design and site planning are monitored by a learned stapathi
(master builder) who combines the technical matters with astrology and
science.
 The four halls, identical to the nalambalam (the outer structure around the
sanctum sanctorum of a temple), may be divided into several rooms for
different activities such as cooking, dining, sleeping, studying, storage of
grains etc.
 The building may have one or two malika (upper storeys) depending on the
size and importance of the household.

The doors, windows
and the wooden
granaries are usually
made of teak wood
and anjili wood
(wood of wild jack
tree).
A nalukettu will also
have large
verandahs supported
by huge wooden
pillars, a padippura
(a gate house) and
cattle shed.
Gabled windows on the
top ensured cross-
ventilation at all times
and let in enough light
into the attic while
extended rafters gave
ample protection from
the heavy rains..
T H E C H A R A C T E R S
A B O U T T H E C H A R A C T E R S

W O M E N S P A C E S
C O N F L I C T
Women were considered inferior to
men and they were not allowed to
enter into the main courtyard except
for their marriage and at death.
Back spaces were added next to
kitchen for women.
Accesses to main Pooja room and to
one or two bedrooms were only
through a back door.

According to Wikipedia, a book
report is an essay discussing the
contents of a book.
M A I N C H A R A C T E R
S T U A R T P H I L L I P S
contents of a book.
S U P P O R T I N G
J O E Y C H A P M A N
contents of a book.
A N T A G O N I S T
P I P E R W I G G I N S
T H E C H A R A C T E R S
A B O U T T H E C H A R A C T E R S

NALUKETTU
Ideal for large families of the traditional
tharavadu (a system of joint family) for
whom it was customary to live under one
roof.
courtyard type house where the central
courtyard is an outdoor living space open to
the sky.
The four halls on the sides are called as
vadakkini(northern block), padinjattini
(western block), kizhakkini (eastern block)
and thekkini (southern block).
C O N F L I C T

S Y M B O L I S M S I N T H E S T O R Y
C O N F L I C T
L I G H T S I N T H E D A R K N E S S
According to Wikipedia, a book report is an essay
discussing the contents of a book.
S T R A N G E S O U N D S A T N I G H T
M Y S T E R I O U S F O O T S T E P S

REFERENCES
A r c h i t e c t u r e I n d i a : T r a d i t i o n a l K e r a l a a r c h i t e c t u r e - 1 0 f e a t u r e s . ( 2 0 1 8 ) . I n t e r i o r D e s i g n .
T r a v e l . H e r i t a g e : O n l i n e M a g a z i n e . R e t r i e v e d 2 7 J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 , f r o m
h t t p : / / w w w . p r i s m m a . i n / a r c h i t e c t u r e - i n d i a - t r a d i t i o n a l - k e r a l a - a r c h i t e c t u r e - 1 0 - f e a t u r e s /
H e r i t a g e h i s t o r y : t h e N a l u k e t t u h o u s e s o f K e r a l a . ( 2 0 1 8 ) . T h e H i n d u . R e t r i e v e d 2 7
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 , f r o m h t t p : / / w w w . t h e h i n d u . c o m / r e a l - e s t a t e / h e r i t a g e - h i s t o r y - t h e - n a l u k e t t u -
h o u s e s - o f - k e r a l a / a r t i c l e 1 9 2 3 9 5 7 6 . e c e
F a s e e h u n , M . ( 2 0 1 8 ) . K e r a l a a r c h i t e c t u r e . R e t r i e v e d f r o m
h t t p s : / / w w w . s l i d e s h a r e . n e t / f a s e e h u n / k e r a l a - a r c h i t e c t u r e
N a l u k e t t u , T r a d i t i o n a l K e r a l a m a n s i o n , T h a c h u S a s t h r a , H e r i t a g e h o u s e , K e r a l a
S p e c i a l t i e s , K e r a l a T o u r i s m | K e r a l a T o u r i s m . ( 2 0 1 8 ) . K e r a l a t o u r i s m . o r g . R e t r i e v e d 2 7
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 , f r o m h t t p s : / / w w w . k e r a l a t o u r i s m . o r g / k e r a l a - a r t i c l e / n a l u k e t t u - k e r a l a -
m a n s i o n / 1 5 5 /
I N P A R T I A L F U L F I L L M E N T O F T H E E N G L I S H C L A S S R E Q U I R E M E N T S
N O R W E S T E R U N I V E R S I T Y

T H A N K Y O U !
I N P A R T I A L F U L F I L L M E N T O F T H E E N G L I S H C L A S S R E Q U I R E M E N T S
N O R W E S T E R U N I V E R S I T Y

Vernacular architecture- Kerela

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