How do you build a house in a desert? Could a house built in Jaisalmer be replicated in Kerala? The design of current-day buildings is often drawn from various, often random inspirations, like a Roman-style villa in Mumbai. But historically, architecture has always responded to climate.
Air-conditioning was not always around to allow you to experience cool indoor climate even when it is scorching outdoors. It was thus necessary that a building made its occupants thermally comfortable, apart from giving them safety and shelter. Traditional architecture was usually inventive in achieving climatic comfort with limited resources. But, while old buildings continue to be well known for their ornamentation and beauty, the intelligence in the techniques often passes under the radar.
Jaisalmer is known for its beautiful havelis, but what continues to fascinate architects are also its many climate-responsive features that helped people survive the summer.
A narrow alley in Jaisalmer with buildings that have small windows. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/istock
Desert settlements were usually built closely together, and Jaisalmer’s narrow streets were flanked by tall havelis. The primary mode of getting around was on foot, and to walk comfortably, shade is necessary. Trees weren’t an option here, so the height of the building created a sense of enclosure and shaded the streets. Buildings were oriented such that they faced direct sunlight for the least time, and the walls and roofs were thick to limit the amount of heat transfer to the indoors. These elements are seen not just in India, but in many places with hot climates such as Cairo and Iran.
Yazd in Iran at sunset. The Persian tower windcatchers are used for passive ventilation of living spaces. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
You might expect soaring views of the desert from your hotel room on a stay in Jaisalmer. But buildings in desert climates don’t traditionally have large windows. Openings are small, and often at an elevated level. The idea is to allow the breeze indoors, but keep the heat and dust out. Ventilation takes place through jalis or lattice screens, which have the added benefit of privacy. These are also popular in Baghdad and Iraq, where a projecting balcony or bay window called a mashrabiya was covered with a wooden latticed screen, and a water jar is placed near it to cool the air that enters the house. The signature element of many desert homes is the courtyard. Courtyards help in ventilation, and double up as space for household activities, and for sleeping at night. In places like Iran, courtyards often have fountains, to cool the environment.
A mashrabiya | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Jalis serve the purpose of ventilation. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Jalis | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Older buildings used local materials, since bringing materials from afar was difficult and expensive. Today, use of appropriate local materials remains a critical part of sustainable architecture. Sandstone and mud are common in Rajasthan. Mud bricks, called adobe bricks, are used in Egypt and they are advocated today by proponents of sustainable architecture in India too, since stone is a limited resource.
A courtyard in a desert home in Tunisia. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
A typical window in a desert | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
In some historic districts in desert climates, you may spot tall towers soaring from the terrace of houses. Wind catchers, used across Asia, send cooler breeze from higher elevations indoors, while expelling hot air. In Iran, these are elaborate structures called Badgirs, and are prevalent in the desert city of Yazd. Yazd is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and several old houses with Badgirs have been restored after the renewed interest in its architectural heritage.
A panoramic view of badgirs and mosques of Yazd, Iran. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Many of these elements are regarded as a part of the past as we don’t see too many new buildings that use them. While it may not make sense to imitate them exactly, contemporary proponents of vernacular architecture believe that learning from these knowledge systems and adapting them to the present can go a long way in sustainability.
Vintage windows | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
In 2020, the Rajkumari Ratnavati School for Girls was one such project commissioned in Jaisalmer by CITTA, a U.S.-based NGO, and designed by American architect Diana Kellogg. Situated in the heart of Thar desert, the school caters primarily to first-generation learners. Designed as a large oval structure with Jaisalmer sandstone, the school is naturally ventilated, and uses many traditional climatic elements: minimal openings on the outer facade, a large central courtyard and jalis, and an open terrace with solar panels. While it is essentially modern in its treatment, it blends into the local landscape through the use of local material and crafts.
An old hotel in Rajasthan. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Since Rajasthan is a tourist destination, many of its traditional havelis have managed to repurpose themselves as hotels and homestays, allowing the architecture to survive, unlike in a more commercial city. Traditional architecture has been influenced by social and family structures, which are different in the present day. However, climate remains an important starting point for building design. Even for a building that is partly or fully air-conditioned, using relevant materials and orientation still helps in bringing down the air-conditioning load. Buildings in the past needn’t necessarily be stuck in the past, if we understand what we can learn from them.
Natural light streams in at a desert building in Rajasthan. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
(This is the first of a series on finding inspiration in climate responsive architecture around the world.)
The writer is an architect and freelance editor.
Published - August 16, 2024 05:05 pm IST
