CASE STUDY ON

SUSTAINABLE HOUSE

HAMLET
Submitted by:
CH.Mounika
Arun kumar
Thiruvengadam
AR.LAURIE BAKER HAMLET

Ar.Dr.Laurie Baker (1917-2007) was a British born Center of Science and Technology for Rural
architect and a believer in social activism and Development is a Non-Profitable
advocacy for sustainable life practices. Organization found in 1985 by Mr.Achutha
Kerala alone has an uncounted number of Baker- Menon (Kerala’s former chief minister), Dr. K.
designed homes and public buildings along with N.Raj (former Chairman of Centre of
Baker-inspired buildings designed and built by Development Studies) ,Ar.Laurie Baker, The
COSTFORD. Master Architect.
His legacy is followed by his admirers, followers
and those who respected his philosophies.
INTRODUCTION:
 An architect’s personality is reflected in the way he design his own house.
 Baker’s own residence is called ‘The Hamlet’. It has been built in Thiruvananthapuram,
built on a steeply sloping and rocky hillside that hardly had any vegetation when Baker
started constructing.
 Baker has truly adopted his motto to “make low-cost a habit and a way of life” by reusing
everything, from brick to glass bottles, as building materials.
SITE DETAIL:
 The site was highly contoured and rocky, but baker did not disturb even a single
rock or a tree, so it is popularly named as “RIGHT IN THE ROCKS”.
 The hamlet’ has been built on a steeply contoured site, but the incursion of
structures on the site is not felt.
 Baker has managed to confine this building to an area that is easily accessible&
yet secluded by the heavy foliage.
 The journey to Bakers home is like from a concrete jungle of Trivandrum to the
freshness & shade of the suburbs.
 This is remarkable and unique house built on a plot of land along the slope of a
rocky hill, with limited access to water
 PLAN:

• This was the initial design of the HAMLET , First he built a single room hut of
timber, which consists of the library of medical books & also as bed room, living
room , drawing room & study. Later some alterations took place.

Ist phase Final design

The plan is in 4 levels
FEATURES:
• In this house they used the broken pieces of stones for
path ways

In the entrance of the house they used bell

instead of electric bell to reduce energy
consumption.

Broken glass bottles are used for aesthetic

purpose and also for lighting purpose in
interiors.

Provide niches for the walls in between the

flights of staircase.and also placement for
candles when light goes off easily find and
provide lighting for that area.
 In built furniture are placed in every place in
that house, beds also they provide inbuilt

He used jalis which had many

advantages, such as ventilation, enough
light, less material required. Reducing
the unnecessary cost of a window with a
shutter. Using ‘jali’ in his walls for proper
cross ventilation, enough sun light etc

For flooring ,they constructed with

oxide…because in this type of flooring we can
use waste materials

With the use bamboo they constructed

this kerala window..and also for roof they
used bamboo
• Simple yet beautiful windows of Baker’s type made
from waste wooden planks and grills made of thrown
away metal pieces Another cost effective Baker
window

Using corbelling instead of a lintel above

the frame, this reduces the cost of the
R.C.C lintel
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Rat-trap bond
•Bricks are laid side by side on edge with alternate header and stretchers thus cavities are
formed in between them.
•It provides same strength as that of Flemish bond or English bond.
•The cavity in between acts as a thermal insulator.
•Through these cavities wiring conduits are done.
•The finished face of the brick should be towards the exterior surface of the wall.
•As it gives a pleasing appearance, plastering is not necessary.
•Reduces the 25% of Bricks and 10-15% of labor charge.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Brick Arches
•Brick arches can be of different types. (eg:
corbelled arch, segmental arch, semicircular
arch)
•Bricks are compactly arranged so that they
do not stagger and fall.
•Corbelled arch is the most cost effective type
of arch and could span up to 5m with
effective thickness.

Jalis
•Jalis are punctures in walls created by the
arrangement of bricks so as to allow natural
light and ventilation.
•Many patterns can be created using jalis.
•They provide privacy, security, cost reduction
and also an aesthetic appeal.
•This could save the construction cost upto 50%
rather than if windows were used.
•The bottle jalis create a very good
ambience in the interiors with patterns of
diffused coloured light.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Brick Lintel
•Helps to reduce the amount of concrete
•These are done by placing one row of headers over the frame which are known as ‘Brick on
edge’ and above them, on each side a row of bricks laid on edge.
•The wide cavity thus formed is filled with hand mixed concrete - mix 1:1.5:3 and
reinforcement rods of 8mm dia.
•Mortar mix of 1:6 is used for laying bricks.

Filler slabs
•Reduces redundant amount of concrete in tension zone.
•This reduces the cost of roofing by 30-35% than conventionally used
concrete roofing.Concrete used is 1:1.5:3.
•Majorly rejected quality roof tiles are being used as filler materials. Brick
and coconut shells can also be used.
•The grid is of 33cm by 50cm(when mangalore tile is used as filler material)
and the slab thickness is usually 10cm.
•They are then pointed for aesthetic appeal.
•They are thermally comfortable.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Random Rubble Masonry
•The random rubble masonry is done up to plinth level.
•This transfers the load from superstructure to the ground level.
•Bigger stones should be arranged in such a manner that they
interlock with each other and smaller stones can be used to fill the gaps.
•Probably bonded stone wall hardly needs mortar and certainly a
•mud mortar is adequate.
Oxide Flooring
•Broken brick bats are arranged to provide a base for flooring. The gaps are filled with sand.
•Cement plastering is done.
•Then a coating of
a)white cement with either red
or black oxide is done over it in the ratio 1:5
B) white cement ,cement and red/black oxide is given in 1:2:3
•This is done on floors and also on the inbuilt furniture.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Bamboo and Timber Treatment
•First a narrow hole is made in the bamboo through the nodes using steel rod and then they
are kept in a treatment tank.
•The outer skin of the other timbers are removed and its nodes must be leveled and they
are kept in a treatment tank.
•This tank contains water mixed with Boric acid and Borax at a ratio 45L water:2kg Boric
acid:3kg Borax.
•They are kept for minimum of 48hrs,then they are kept for drying under shade for a few
days .