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 ones 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