Chettinad architecture

chettinad architecture

1. CHETTINAD ARCHITECTURE

2. Chettinad is the name of a region located in the Sivagangai and Pudukottai districts of Tamil Nadu in South India.  This area is synonymous with many things grand and outstanding. It has been the home of the prosperous Nattukottai Chettiars since around the 13th century.  This prosperous trading and banking community made the region popular for its famously  architected opulent mansions , its local cuisine, it is world-famous, handmade Aathangudi tiles as well as the Chettinad saris.  • KARAIKUDI is known as the capital of Chettinad , which includes Karaikudi and 74 (traditionally its said as 96) other villages. Location

3. The Chettiars were basically wealthy traders famous for their enterprise, hard work and contributions to society. They set up 96 villages with 9 major temples. All the Chettinad settlements have a unique south-north/east-west grid pattern to survive the arid heat as well as a well-developed water system. The Chettiars also built palatial monuments depicting their wealth. They brought home numerous items from their foreign travels and incorporated them into the huge mansions they built They built over 30,000 mansions from 1850 to 1940 in Chettinad .

4. Rayavaram  is one the rich settlements of  chettiand  and represent over 150 years   of architecture .   Their villages were constructed following precise and sophisticated rules of  urban planning  orthogonal  streets ,  specific water management schemes ,  technical  innovation ,  artistic creativity ,  etc.  These settlements are also built in harmony with Tamil  traditions: rectangular plots ,  houses with an  inner courtyard. Housing  and  community spaces   in  the village are located independent of each other with no distinct interrelation between  the two . The village follows  a  grid iron pattern to prevent mingling with foreign communities.    The  houses follow the grid pattern measuring 120X60m. Each grid consists  of  4 houses  measuring  about 60X30m. All houses are  self contained  and homogenous. Houses in two  separate rows arranged  such that their backyards face each other.  Roads in  the  village are  oriented north-south(width=9.1m)  and  streets are oriented east-west direction(width=7.62m)   Due to the height of  the   houses  on either side of the road  andthe  small width  of  the road, a  shadow will always be present at any place expect for a few hours during the day. SETTLEMENT AND  ORGANISATION

5.  The arts & crafts of Chettinad occupy a distinct position in South Indian folklore.   Wood carving, silver embellishment, woven saris, palmleaf baskets, gold jewellery , handmade tiles, architectural styles,  and egg plastering Intricate poetry on wood- richly carved doorway. Elaborate wooden ceiling in a mansionn The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices across the houses of chettinad

6. The concept of  chettinadu  house is believed to have arrived  from  kaveripoompatinam . The planning concept was essentially based on occupation of  the people and their desires . Since they were traders they need spaces for keeping their  valuables called inside room and outside   room which served  the purpose. The dictated introverted planning was adopted to avoid multiple  access. The scale of spaces like  kalyana   kottagai  and  bhojana  hall was  determined by the religious and family festivals. Planning And Concept 

7. SERVICE SPACE-  the scale for these spaces is not fixed the day  to day activities but by the festive usage. Their  location  in the  linear arrangement follows the  living area. MULTIPURPOSE CENTRAL OPEN SPACE- located amidst the room and often used as the  semipublic and commercial space. FEASTING SPACE   though this space is less commonly used it is  considered as the important space and exists as  the status symbol of the household RECEPTION- this is designed to express the stately image of the owner  it has level variations and used both for receiving the guest and for  relaxation. PATTAGASALAI- This is  used   for relaxation as well for the confidential  dealings which is usually a raised platform. This space  usually mixes with the central space. SECURED AND SECLUDED SPACE-This space is created to serve the need for storage .  The scale and the intimacy of the space reveals the  material stored. The composition is such that the  outer room buffers the inner room. SPATIAL ORGANISATION

8. The  Chettinad  houses are built on a rectangular traversal plot that  stretches    across two streets,  with the  front door opening into the  first street and the back into  the second.  Eye travels in a straight line across a series of inner  courtyards, each a  diminishing  rectangle of light, leading out to the  back door. The door leads into the first open air courtyard, with pillared  corridors running on each side that lead into individual rooms. Then comes the second courtyard  with large dining spaces with the kitchens, then leading out to the  backyard. The wealthier  the merchants the larger the house, often  spreading out to a second floor. The courtyards  supply ample light leaving the rest of the house in  deep and cool shadow. The courtyards have tiles placed exactly  under the stormwater drain run right through the house,  with stone stoppers carved exactly for their mouths. Large stone vats for  water and wooden bins for firewood line the inner courtyards. Typical Chettinad   Houses

9.  Cluster Houses, with  East West orientation  High – rise compound wall Entrance Arch with stone steps  Elevated plinth,  Tiled Portico, Facade with stucco sculptures,  Verandah  Wooden Pillars on it.  High door frame with ornate wood work,Double main door. Floors laid with -Italian marble Black and White, Granite & Athangudi tiles. Most Important Characteristic features 

10. Climatic  Considerations  A flat roof enclosed by a balustrade was used so that the lightest breeze could be  caught. The structure screened the sun’s rays and allowed the wind to   penetrate keeping the  inner apartments cool and fresh. The light  coloured   chunnam   (lime plaster) covering the building  was very suitable as  a sun radiator during the hot season. The building was turned away from the sun and rooms kept cool  by thick walls and  the whole mass of the building. Proper ventilation was ensured by the different parts  of the structure being arranged around an open courtyard. The double roof system kept the interiors cool while the  chajjas   acted as sun breaker.

11. ORIENTATION:  The entrance of the house is towards east. The main  ventilation by which the  light enters the house is  through central courtyard.  On the Westside of the house there is a  garden which also acts as a main source of fresh air into the house which promotes warmth   inthe  house, and in the night the absorbed heat is radiated out through the courtyard.  The courtyard acts like a thermostat which controls the  temperature of the house.  Negative  pressure is created in the courtyard as it is surrounded by rooms and less exposed. This low  pressure helps to draw  more air towards it. NIGHT ANALYSIS:  The negative pressure and effect created inside the house during the  daytime escapes out during the night time due to the floor materials of the courtyard  projections. DAY ANALYSIS:  As the temperature in the day time is  high, little amount of heat is absorbed  by the ground due to the top  opening of the central courtyard and the light is reflected in  the opposite  dire ction resulting in the rise of temperature  inside the house. Climatic Conditions 

12. The foundation is laid for the house is rubble work done in stone combined with mud and  mortar The foundation is the step foundation Tiles are basically used  for flooring. They are the typical    Athangudi  tiles which are  locally manufactured.  The color of the tiles is attained by the usage of paints  imported  from Italy.  The process of manufacture of these tiles is done with a glass slab   and dry cement. The flooring of the mezzanine floor and the central  courtyard is  cemented.  Some part of the central courtyard is covered with mud tiles. The walls are of baked bricks, plastered over by sand and lime mortar with a mix of  fiber roots which acts as a bonding agent and also coated with egg white to  give  silken smooth walls which are washable. The bricks are made up of red soil available in the local area. These bricks reduce the  temperature surprisingly, giving a cool and comfortable atmosphere  inside   the house  and also providing an immense stability. The pitched roofs are made with alignment of country tiles over wooden bars which  rest on wooden logs connected to the wall. The roofing of the ground floor is done  with mud mortar, mud bricks and properly finished with Calicut tiles along the edges   of the wall. Materials Used

13.   most Chettiar mansions comprised of a public reception area abutting the street.   the basic floor plan of a Chettinad house consists of an outside verandah (thinnai) for guests,   with a room for conducting business on one or both ends;    an interior courtyard to be used in ceremonies, with a raised seating area at one or both ends;    a series of small double rooms opening off the main courtyard xpanded vertically into two-storeyed structures, and horizontally through the addition of numerous halls and courtyards that could accommodate guests at marriages and other ceremonies.    the rear hall served as the women‟s domain where the women of the community reared children, engaged in food preservation and went about other domestic activities.  Chettinad architecture stands out for its use of large spaces in halls and courtyards, ornate embellishmen ts like Belgian glasswork, intricate woodwork, spectacular ceramic tiles, stone, iron and wooden pillars  NAGARTHAR HOUSES 

14. COMPONENTS OF NAGATHAR HOUSES  Each house in chettinad is made up of Mugappu, Valavu, Irandankattu, Moonankattu & thottam  Mugappu – The reception; entrance of the house   Valavu – Living area of the house   In the valavu, there are 4 platforms that are called as Pattalai, each at 4 corners of the valavu.   Pattalai – Living halls of each family  Along with Pattalai, valavu consists of numerous Irattai veedu.   Nadai – Corridor  Irandankattu – used for dining / with storerooms for storing crockery/kitchenware   Moonamkattu – Kitchen(adukala)   Thottam – Garden • Stables, cowsheds etc. The long corridors of second kattu-used for dining

15. The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices across the houses of chettinad The colorful Belgian Glasswork Stucco work was used on the interior & exterior walls; stucco sculptural work was employed on the entrance tower, façade, railing wall & compound wall. The Reception area with imported Italian Marble flooring Extensively carved Wooden CeilingThe pillars around the courtyard are in Burma teak The construction material, decor items and furnishings were mostly imported, from east Asian countries  The woodwork and stone work were inspired by French and other European Imported Italian chandeliers- Unique decorated wooden columns  The Central courtyard is used for weddings and religious ceremonies. The rich and intricate detailing of the parapets and cornices across the house RAJA PALACE 

16. HOUSE PLAN 1.  Munn arai :  front room. 2.  Murram :   courtyard. 3.  Talvaram :   corridor. Central, Ceremonial Section of House 4.  Kalyana kottakai :  marriage hall. 5.  Patakasalai , tinnai :  the "public" room in a house. 6.  Bhojana salai :  dining hall. 7.  Veliarai :  outer room. 8.  Ullarai :  inner room. 9.  Irantam maiya arai :  second central hall. 10.  Murram :  courtyard, roofed or covered with grill work. Back (Female) Section of House 11.  Murram :  courtyard, roofed or covered with grill work. 12.  Talvaram :   corridor. 13.  Kalanjiyam :  store room. 14.  Samaiyal arai :  kitchen ("cooking room"). 15.  Pin kattu :   backyard. 16.  Keni :  well.

17. THANK YOU ANNAPURNA NAYAK  YASHASWINI N PRATHIMA JADAV