alternative theory

8/11/2019 Alternative Theory

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Alternative theories

What is alternative theory????

The difference in built up forms and house t

in different regions with respect to Theirphysical and social factors is called alternati

theory of house forms.

The classification of house types and forms

Based on the following

Physical factors

Social factors



Climate & need for shelter

•Climate determinism has been widely accepted

Architecture as well as in cultural geography.

•One need not to deny the importance of climateCreation of built form

• for e.g. the difference in urban pattern and hou

Types within old and new Delhi

• In architecture the climate determinist view stat

That primitive man is primarily concerned With

shelter and imperatives of climate determine

form



“We build houses to keep in a consistent climate a

To keep out predators. We grow, gather and eat fo

To keep our metabolism on an even keel” – bruce

“ Shelter is of supreme importance to man . It is th

Prime factor in his constant struggle for survival. InHis efforts to shelter himself against the extremes

Weather and climate he has over the ages evolve

Types of dwellings”- from the book “The court gardHouse”



A more imp consideration is why so many forms o

houses are have been developed within the clima

zone??? Even the variation in micro climatic typesrelatively smaller than the no of houses frequentl

found in areas of similar climates

• for e.g. Artificial man made islands like Fiji andSolomon

Pile dwellings in new guinea and houses on mou

terraces in the New Hebrides.In south east asia, south america australia follow

conical hut to prevent from wind. They give more

preference to climate than shelter but sometimes

the principles that religious proscription and taboo



Introduce discomfort and complications and bec

More important than climatic factors.In arctic regions the forms of dwellings of

Different peoples differ for e.g.

Eskimos and athabascanas these forms cannotExplained in terms of climate alone. The Eskimo

Summer and winter dwellings have a similar plan

consisting of rooms arranged radially off but this

Plan is not found in other cultures in similar clima

In the same way it becomes difficult to accept th

Round house type in loyaly islands and new cale



Use it as they retain heat of quite all night withou

the need for coveringThere are also cases in which the shelters are

concentrated more on economical activity rather

than climate. For e.g. The hidatsa of the Missour

valley were agriculturalists from apr to nov, gro

Corn & beans. During that period they lived in a

lar house of dia 30 to 40 feet with five foot walls

Made up of tree trunks with four central columns14 feet high supporting the grass roof

• From dec to march they hunted buffalo and us

Teeps like that of plain Indians.



They adopted two ways of life and the dual econ

Base, although climatically the reverse would be-ted

In other areas in the same valley the climate is

Identical, tepees were the only house form used.• Among the southwest pomo Indians of Californi

Being on the coast in summer & on the ridges of

in winter the form of the house didn't change. On

House door faced away from the wind



• One assumption might be that these houses mi

Be introduced from elsewhere & a status of symb

Of some powerful group.

• They typical open houses in jungle area around

Iquitos can be seen in native port of belen with

Identical frame and construction, the addition ofSolid walls is the only major change

• This makes the house uncomfortable but they

• They become a symbol of status in the new cult And meets the requirements of privacy.



Anticlimatic solutions are found in many parts of th

world. For e.g. In Amazon jungle settlers got India

Build houses for them. But they imported brick an

Marble and built thick walled mansions which abs

Moisture, mouldered and led to disease.

These houses still stand ruined and deserted and lby squatters who cannot afford anything.

A similar cultural import is the chinese house i

malaya which came from a very different area butIs built side by side with malay house which is bett

suited to the climate.



The former is urban and the latter is rural, but th

Courtyard plan and heavy masonry constructionChinese house make little sense in hot humid a

Materials, construction &

technology

“ for more than thousands of years wood & stonHave determined the character of buildings”



The wood and stone have been used in architec

Both in past and present

the building techniques , wind break techniques

rectangular , circular dwellings were formed.

more sophisticated forms are used for ceremon

buildingsMaterials, construction & technology are best treat

As modifying factors, rather than form determinan

Because they decide neither what is to be built noForm.

they make possible the enclosure of a space

organization decided upon for other reasons & m

That or anizations



They facilitate and make possible or impossible

Certain decisions, but never decide or determine

The plans of igloo and tent are same but they usVery different material.to

Materials do a make a difference according to th

NecessityThe eskimos cannot build a snow igloo in summe

There is no snow, so rather depend on what mat

Is inevitableIn japan thatch takes on many forms, sizes & slop

The sizes of roof beams are related to their functio

A status symbol



All roofs in china are of tile yet the forms within o

village may differ greatly due to the influence of-shui

The pueblos are all built of the same material

Considering only those enclosing plazas we find

different forms such as

E shaped

Oval shaped

RoundRectangular



There are also situations in which climatic needs h

Led to structurally non optimal forms as in the case

Ashanti & iranian huts with heavy walls & especialRoof on a slender.

SITEThe imporatnce of site is shown by almost mysticaAttachement of primitive, cultures to the land testifi

To by the care with which land is treated with hous

Placed on itFor e.g. Southwest pomo Indians of california have

Refused to leave a site which is unsatisfactory in t

Of access to work and shopping because of its tra

nature



In the past , when these same Indians moved from

Coastal location in the summer mountain ridges in

Winter , their houses remained unchanged irrespe of the site.

The impact of site on crops is more critical than on

Form, yet even crops in particular area may changthey have done in ceylon from spices to coffee to t

To rubber

Similar site conditon can result in different house f Similar forms can be built on very different sites

Nature prepares the site & man organizes it enable

To satisfy his desires and his needs

li i



religionReligion affects the form , plan, spatial arrangeme

And orientation of the house. The reason for a culNever having a round is due to the needs of cosmi

orientation ie a round house cannot be easily orie

In africa the distributions of round and rectangular

houses is related to the distributions of religion.

defense

Defense has bee cited more to account for tight ur pattern than to expalin in the form of dwellings

The unsocialable englishmen prefers to live near h

Even if he walks 5 miles to visit his neighbours

alternative theory

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