LOW COST
BUILDING
ASSIGNMENT 1
KATHKUNI
STYLE
ARCHITCTURE

Submitted To:
Ar. Sanjay Bhandari
Submitted By:
Niharika Mathur
12614
7th Semester, 4th Year
Department of Architecture
NIT Hamirpur

Like well dressed grandpas in vests standing amongst a crowd of teenagers with low slung pants, the traditional architecture of
Vashist shines through the modern concrete rubble.
In a place surrounded with natures beauty, it is only fitting that the local materials provided have created some spectacular vernacular architecture.
One of the styles found in Vashist is the Kathkuni or Kathkundi.
This style involves a clever technique of interlocking wooden sleepers and stones. A mesh of the wooden sleepers (usually cedar) is created first and then packed with dressed or raw stone. One of the characteristics of the structure is that it contains no vertical members. The structure therefore has an inherent elasticity and has been proven to survive earthquakes for which the region has received in the past.
One of the best examples of this style is seen in the local temples. Temples are obviously created with much more care than the local houses, and they show how impressive this type of structure can be.
The Lonely Planet claims that this building is a temple. The wooden fringing, carved doors and quality in material and construction agree but the building now looks like a house with washing hanging, lock on the door and shoes outside. The building clearly shows the beautiful aesthetic quality of the
Kathkuni construction, with the contrast between wood and stone. The quality and precision of the stone is at its best in temple construction. The local houses also use the Kathkuni style but are more adapted to the occupants needs. The houses contain two storeys, the first being built mostly of stone and used to house the livestock and store the feed. The first floor contains the living quarters and is usually extended with a wooden balcony.
The older the houses the more intricate the carvings on the balconies. The local houses do not seem to follow the Kathkuni style exactly, with ground floor construction consisting of mostly stone masonry with a few wooden beams. The houses are then mud plastered with a mixture which uses the abundance of cow pats to its advantage.
The plastered walls are then sometimes painted to enhance the contrast between wood and stone, maybe trying to replicate the beauty of the style in the temple.

Source: architectureoftravel.wordpress.com LOW COST BUILDING
ASSIGNMENT 1
LOG HOUSE

Submitted To:
Ar. Sanjay Bhandari

Submitted By:
Kanishka Pratap Singh
12630
7th Semester, 4th Year
Department of Architecture
NIT Hamirpur

Every individual wants his/her shelter to be structurally strong and long-lasting. An abode made of wooden logs is just that.

This wooden log house near Panvel, Maharashtra is striking, sturdy and easily assembled.
Constructed with Siberian pine and larch wood, known for their distinctive qualities as building materials, the house took a span of just six months to complete. The structure is light and very flexible, while the interlocking of wall and floor logs has made load spread easier and at the same time, simplified the plinth work. The doors and window frames are prefabricated of glulam wood.A wooden log house has a number of benefits. It is ventilated below. It is modular and has the flexibility to be moved to another site if desired. Replacing concrete structures with wooden ones can reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Solid wood has very good insulation properties and can regulate humidity, while keeping temperatures comfortable during the day and the night.
The wooden log house does not require any supplementary finishing of internal and external walls.From the psychological point of view, a solid wooden house can have a positive influence on our minds. As the prototype of a natural tree is pleasing to the eye, so is the fine natural fragrance of wood capable of improving one’s mood and relieving tension. The construction of this wooden house has strictly followed
European norms and is accomplished with
‘Russian attitude’ by Maharaja Environment
Technologies Comp Pvt Ltd. The wood is solid and treated to last and the house has a life span of 80 years. A wooden log house not only acts as shelter but also assures safety, health and permanence. It is the future of the construction industry
Source:
www.insideoutside.in