Traditional Architecture is Knowledge - Vanitha Veedu
April 30, 2016 at 6:30:00 PM
The design-based essay "Traditional Building is Knowledge," writtenby Benny Kuriakose in the Malayalam language and published in Vanitha Veedu magazine, outlines the plan and procedures for preserving traditional architecture and provides further information on concrete roofing systems. Here,Benny Kuriakose offers his suggestions and counsel on the proper, environmentally friendly roofing techniques to employ.
The most striking feature of old buildings in Kerala is the sloping roofs. The top is the most important and troublesome part for the carpenter. It was well-slung downwards, protecting the walls from rain and sun and keeping the interior warm.In the olden days, rich people lived in Nalukettu and Ettukettu. The number of houses depended on the size of the courtyard.
The younger generation is rebuilding old houses, often not because the structure is in poor condition. Rather, it is because the building lacks beauty and comfort. Colonial architecture has also influenced traditional oral art. The buildings designed by the British also depend on the climate. But later on, traditional architects started moving in parallel with modern architecture. Engineers and architects started studying western books. As the way of life and thought became westernized, the value of tradition decreased. Traditional clan workers were also neglected. The traditional architecture was not a style statement. It was great knowledge. Each act had its own reasons. Given the importance of the climate and local materials, their relevance remains today. The good aspects of traditional architecture have to be presented in a modern way.