Department of Architecture, School of Architecture and Planning

ANNA UNIVERSITY CHENNAI

AR7414 - Architectural Design III

IV Semester B.Arch., Duration: 28-12-2017 to 4-4-2018

Design Faculty: Mr.S.Santhakumar , Ms.J.Sonika

Guest Faculty: Ar.J.Manoharan

PROJECT: RURAL DESIGN STUDIO

INTRODUCTION

India lives in villages said Mahatma Gandhi. Even today 70 per cent of the population lives in
600,000 villages across rural India. Westernization has removed us from the architecture that was
rooted in strong regional and cultural traditions of indigenous building using vernacular knowledge,
forms and materials that have proved well adapted to the locality for thousands of years. Can
architecture rooted in cultures and traditions reflect contemporary concerns and expectations?

“We should know where we are coming from to know where we are going” – Charles Correa.

“Man falls from the pursuit of the ideal of plan living and high thinking the moment he wants to
multiply his daily wants. Man’s happiness really lies in contentment – Mahatma Gandhi

The models of the past can act as a catalyst for the future. It is the study about continuity
based on memory, common sense and experience, and is the very foundation of invention.
Architects like Hassan Fathy and Laurie Baker looked toward the practical yet sophisticated
knowledge of using local materials, to produce indigenous architecture. This building typology
provided comfort and tranquility not via modern and artificial means such as air conditioning but by
understanding and using natural physical properties like heat, wind and water as natural
environmental controls.

One can draw much inspiration from the traditional values such as those embodied in the
small Indian village, which was so central to Gandhi’s philosophy that the natural empathy and
grounding for future work lays in ecological systems and the ancient rural pattern of village life.

In a country like India both poverty and economical growth pose serious challenges.
Urbanization and industrialization can rip apart forest, deplete land resources, over use ground water
systems (e.g. Chennai city, the building of dams over rives, and the destruction of forest for growth).
The cost of economic growth is enormous. Large exploding cities in turn erode the rural resource
base, setting in motion a vicious cycle. Rural ecosystems, unable to provide the growing modern
aspirations, push more and more of their people into cities. There is a golden mean, a balance of
communities - in all things ecological. This studio can be viewed as an opportunity to understand
values, indigenous experiences, education, culture, social aspiration, human satisfaction etc.

Our ancestors of different cultures believed in strong relationships between the cosmos, earth
and their fellow human beings, which are not found in the modern society. Humanity was seen not as
the master race conquering nature for its own end, but as a cohabitant of this beautiful place. Our fore
fathers respected and honoured the prime natural forces – earth, air, fire and water, and lived in
harmony with them. In today’s world individuals, families and even whole communities are
transforming themselves to live once more in harmony with the earth and reestablish our link with it.
Small beginnings can lead to wide spread efforts. The lessons learnt from vernacular architecture, in
traditional ways of living are important in today’s world to help find sustainable ways of life, both for
the present and the future generations
Objectives:

The objectives of the rural studio are as follows:

 To understand the role of policies and legislations on development.
 How gender, caste and class have a bearing and opportunities.
 The availability or non-availability of resources and its role on development.
 To understand housing needs/design/material and construction techniques and sustainable
indigenous practices of the local people.
 Conclusions – vision statement for the village in the form of proposals.

Timeline - The project will be divided into the following stages:

Stage 1 – Literature and case study to get a general understanding of rural settlement. (2 Weeks)

Stage 2 – Field study of the rural settlement (Onsite work). (1 week)

Stage 3 – Compilation of data collected and presentation of the same through various standard
formats like drawings, models, reports, etc. The same will be presented as reviews through phases of
the presentation and final seminar. (2 weeks)

Stage 4 – Analysis of data and projection on to a design brief. The same will also be presented at
reviews through standard formats. (2 weeks)

Stage 5 – Rural development projects/policies based on data collected and analysis. (2 weeks)

Stage 6 –Architectural design proposal for any program identified in the previous stage (2 in group).
(1 week)

The first five stages will involve presentation of work as a group whereas the final stage has to be
presented individually. Emphasis will be given on equal participation of each member of the group.
All the group members will be expected to present in the seminar as well as participate in
discussions.

Evaluation - The weightage envisaged for the various stages shall be as follows:

Stage 1 : 10%
Stage 2 & 3: 40%
Stage 4 : 15%
Stage 5 : 20%
Stage 6 : 15 %
These weightages are indicative only and may change at a later stage in the exercise, if required.

TOPICS FOR LITERATURE REVIEW:

1. Demographic profiles, gender, caste & class: Social stratification of rural & urban
communities of India with specific reference to villages of Tamil Nadu:
 Distribution of Population, Male-Female Ratios, Occupations and incomes, Access to
education, Basic health care including Maternal & Infant Mortality, etc.
 GDP, Sectoral contribution to GDP, Sectoral distribution of labor etc.
 Untouchability, manual scavenging and habitat-segregation-have they waned?
 Positive discrimination – History & Policy: Luxury or necessity?
 Access to opportunities for work, food, health, education, housing and other resources –
how do social divisions affect them especially for women, Dalit’s, tribal’s and the rural
urban poor?
 2. Human settlements – Dwelling, cluster & settlements in Villages & Towns of Tamil Nadu:

 Traditional responses to settlement planning and house design in response to way of life
and climate.
 Materials, appropriate technologies, skills and construction practices.
 Changes due to factors influencing access to resources for house construction.
 Exploring potential for rehabilitation/up gradation of existing housing and new housing.
 Government Housing Policy & Practice: Central & State Government sponsored schemes
for housing and infrastructure (including standards) for the rural (especially) and urban
poor.
 Standards for Facilities and Amenities to be provided to settlements with reference to
population and Distance.
 Appropriate Technology, Cost-effective Construction and Green buildings- what have
these interventions meant for the prospects of rural settlements or house design and
construction.

3. Land and other resources and availability of infrastructure:

 Land resource or commodity, communal lands - what are they and their importance.
 Farmer suicides – how related are they to land policies?
 Land acquisition, rehabilitation and compensation for land acquired for various
infrastructure developments - discuss
 Study of social and physical infrastructure.
 The changing perception & role of the voluntary sector, non-governmental organization,
civil society groups in the development – rights debate.

4. National policy and practices

 From prehistoric to pre-colonial scenario.

 1858 to 1950: imperial colony, the struggle for independence and Gandhian thought etc.
 1950 to 2010: Central Planning & public sector, the green revolution & the modernization
of agriculture, urbanization to liberalization & the private sector following from
globalization and international trade regimes etc.
 Schemes and funds available at District, State and Central allocations.
 Governance in Village (Panchayat Raj) powers, Funds and Monitoring
 Various agencies providing services to rural areas.
 PURA

5. Acts/legislation and equity

 Constitution, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, the 42nd

Amendment (1976), 44th Amendment (1978), the Prevention of Atrocities on SCs/STs Act
(1989), Right to Information (2005), National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005),
Tribal Forest Rights Act (2006) & Right to Education Act (2009)
 Land reforms/ceiling laws including the urban land ceiling act(1976) and the recent moves
for its repeal, the land acquisition act(1894), the Indian forest act(1927) & the recent tribal
forest rights act (2006) etc.
 Local self-government and decentralization – the 72nd & 73rd amendments (1992) –
Panchayat raj & Nagarpalika acts etc.

Time schedule
Stage 1 – Dates of Seminar: 9th, 11th and 12th January, 2018
Stage 2: Site visit (30.1.18 - 4.2.18)
Stage 3: 13.2.18
Stage 4: 27.2.18
Stage 5: 13.3.18
Stage 6: 22.3.18