South Indian VA DAKSHINCHITRA-CHENNAI.pdf

Vernacular Architecture of South Indian DAKSHINCHITRA-CHENNAI.pdf

1. DAKSHINACHITRA, CHENNAI
CASE STUDY
WORK BY: SY DIV A
RAHUL BANDGAR ROLL NO. 06
PRANJAL BARAVKAR ROLL NO. 07
SHWETA BELAPURKAR ROLL NO. 08
ADITI BHALEKAR ROLL NO. 09
ASHISH BHALERAO ROLL NO. 10

2. INTRODUCTION TO DAKSHINACHITRA
•Dakshinachitra is an exciting cross cultural living museum of art,
architecture, lifestyles, crafts and performing arts of south India.
•One can explore 17 heritage houses, amble along recreated
streetscapes, exploring contextual exhibitions, interacting with
typical village artisans and witnessing folk performances set in
an authentic ambience.
•Dakshinachitra literally means – “a picture of the south”
• Spread over a huge expansive land of 10 acres.
•Dakshinachitra is more than just a venue-it is a heritage village,
a place where contemporary art, music and dance forms of the
south finds its manifestation into a journey of discovery and self-learning

3. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
•Ar. Laurie Baker offered his services encompassing his techniques to the spatial conceptualization of the
village. The meticulous methodology reinforced with his philosophy captivated the masons and
craftsmen to envision and paint it on the canvas of land.
•The concept was an evolution of understanding the traditional elements integrated in a contemporary
context while sensitively approaching factors like climate, location, and availability of materials.
•Architectural spaces such as courtyards, verandas along with elements like jali and pitched roofs speak a
language of time invoking a rustic character in the buildings.
•The intricate system of rafters and beams held by the classic craft of joinery resonate an authentic
traditional charm. While exposed brick and stone exude the overall effect.
•The structural members such as granite columns and stone slabs from old buildings integrate
harmoniously while respecting the pride and heritage
•Most of Baker’s ideas had to be changed because of the site shift. When Benny Kuriakose took up the
work, he followed the same vocabulary of Guest House 1 into the construction methods. He brought in
a touch of contemporary style to the main entrance block which sets as an example for visitors to
understand the ways in which traditional elements can be used in the present-day architecture.

4. •The sprawling ten acres campus is divided into four prominent states of the south-Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh further emphasising on their respective culture in terms of house
architecture that is re-modelled district wise-brahmin house, potters house, merchant house etc. Textile
and handicrafts found in temples, art exhibitions and more, other activities at the centre include
performing arts, music, research and educational programs with workshops and heritage trips which
connect the neighbouring villages at the centre.

5. Site location: Dakshinachitra occupies ten acres overlooking the bay of Bengal,
at Muttakadu ,twenty five kilometres south of Chennai on the east
coast road to Mamllapuram, Tamil Nadu, India.
Site Architect: Laurie baker and Benny kuriakose.
Built up area : 3 acres
Construction time : 10 years
Cost of project: 70 lakh
Climate : • Rainfall is moderately low
• The temperature is high
• The relative humidity is semi-humid

6. •SITE PLAN:

7. ENTERING DAKSHINACHITRA:
•The entry to Dakshinachitra is very cosy and small like entering a south Indian home.
• The various play with brick at the entrance compound wall façade etc bore witness to the involvement of
brick master in the design.
• There are the archetypal chocolate pillars , thatched roofs and richly carved doors which effectively restricts
the view into the interiors.
• And the inside art is well worth hiding ,once you enter the village the world is entirely different from the
urban setting outside.

8. GENERAL
• Reception centre Craft shop Seminar hall orientation
film
• Gallery for temporary exhibitions
• Restaurant
• Library and archives
• Mandapam
• Canteen
• Craft bazaar
• Amphitheatre
• Activity hall











KERALA SECTION
• Hindu house- Trivandrum district
• Cattle shed
• Hindu house- Calicut district
• Granary and textile exhibition
• Syrian Christian house- Puthupally
• Small pavilion Padipura

9. TAMIL NADU SECTION
• Merchant house Chettinadu , Putukotai district
• Agriculturists house
• Potters house
• Basket weavers house
• Ayyanar shrine
• Weavers house
• Textile exhibition
• Agraharam brahmin house
• Art exhibition
ANDHRA PRADESH SECTION
• Ikkat weavers house
• Coastal Andhra thatch house; cattle shed and
grananry

KARNATAKA SECTION
• Weavers houses


AMENITIES
• Guest house
• Artisans quarters
• Lathe workshop
• Driver’s shed
• Parking
• Gallery and stores
• Restaurant
• Craft shop
• Tea shop

10. VEGETATION
• Trees are seen in dense near the parking area, guest houses,
Kerala section and Karnataka section.
• Trees are seen in other parts of site also along the pathways.
• Regions marked in yellow are devoid of trees.
• Palm trees, coconut trees are majorly seen.

WATERBODY
• The artificial pond runs from the oat long the Tamil Nadu section ,Kerala complex and artisans complex.
• The flow of water bodies are bounded with stones.
• Wooden bridges run above the water bodies connecting the children’s play area and the Tamil Nadu section.
• These ponds get filled during rainy season as these ponds serve as a collecting point for the entire site.
These ponds get dried during other times and it gives a barren view from the Tamil Nadu section and play
area.

11. TAMIL NADU SECTION
•Mostly, tamil houses have an inner courtyard which is used for drying grains, shelling pods and for
functions.
•There will be a raised verandah or small seating area in the front of the house, called a tinnai.
•The houses from tamil nadu at Dakshinachitra were typical houses found in many villages throughout tamil
region.
e.g. 1.WEAVERS HOUSE FROM KANCHIPURAM
• This house has one functional pit loom used for weaving Kanchipuram saris, along with a kitchen, a puja
room and a front hall.
• The weaver’s house has a large paved open area in the back that served as a utility area with toilets,
bathing area, and facilities for washing clothes and kitchen vessels.

12. 2. MERCHANTS HOUSE FROM CHETTINAD
The basic floor plan of a Chettinad house consists of
a)an outside verandah (thinnai) for guests, with a room for conducting business on one or both ends;
b) an interior courtyard to be used in ceremonies, with a raised seating area at one or both ends;
c) a series of small double rooms opening off the main courtyard, for storage, prayer and sleeping and d) a
small courtyard behind for cooking and for the women to socialize.

13. KARNATAKA SECTION
•The facade is usually symmetrical around a central projection, the tallest and most impressive feature of
the house.A rather square complex with ample space for storage all around. The pillars are made of wood.
•There are usually 4 doors, one on each side of the square complex. The roof is of Mangalore tiles. The inner
square is an open area — a place often utilized to dry stuff.
e.g. WEAVER’S HOUSES FROM IKAL
•This cluster from Ilkal, Bagalkote district represents an urban settlement pattern and is typical of weavers’
houses in the northern region of Karnataka.
• The wooden gateway, stone and wooden window mark the entrance to the Karnataka section are the
remnants of a house which was built in the 18th century and belonged to one of the oldest known families in
the town.
• Almost all houses in northern Karnataka are built of stone. Each area has its distinctive stone. In Ilkal, the
stone is granite.

14. ANDHRA SECTION
e.g. Weavers house from Nalgonda.
•The weavers house at DakshinaChitra from Nalgonda Dt, Telengana follows an age old traditional style locally
known as bhawanti .
•The preferred plan is the chitra sala plan, with three bays (sections)and a small courtyard in the middle.
Rooms are at the back.
•Building materials are the following – reapers are bamboo, beams are palmyra, roof tiles are semi circular in
shape.
• The plinth is made of stone blocks with mud mortars and the walls are either mud of sundried bricks. The
weavers’ house plan is an adaptation of an agriculturist house.

15. KERALA SECTION
• The architecture, environment and culture of Kerala stand in marked contrast to that of Tamil Nadu
• Unlike the Tamilian, the Keralite prefers to live isolated from neighbours in the middle of a plot of land, with
privacy and beautiful tropical vegetation.
• In Kerala houses, technique, form and materials are basically the same for all classes and economic levels.
Only size or the addition of more buildings to a compound separate the rich from the poor.
• Kerala section in Dakshinachitra is punctuated in form by the religious architecture of its three communities
- the Hindus, Christians and Muslims.
• While the domestic architecture of the three communities is similar, small details such as a cross or a gable
distinguish one type from another.

16. e.g. HINDU HOUSE – TRIVANDRUM
• This small, middle-class house from South Kerala, belonged to an agricultural family of Nairs, a matrilineal
Hindu caste.
• The kitchen to this house was a separate structure next to the house.
• Wooden structure was representative of houses in southern Kerala, where the building material was
primarily timber.
• The manner of joinery and wood used (jackfruit wood and palmyra) was used and was standard in southern
Kerala for both the rich and the middle class.
• This house was isolated from the other houses with gardens and cow shed was present outside .

17. OTHER SPACES
CHILDREN’S PLAY AREA
This area is lined with tall trees giving good shade even in the day time.
PAVILION AND KALYANA MANDAPA
The pavilion and kalyana mandapa is in chettinadu style with restaurant adjacent to it. Gable roof are used
with mugappu (kerala style). Columns and doors are of traditional chettinad style.
CRAFT BAZAAR
Craft bazaars are present for various artist coming from different parts of india to showcase their products
and earn income.This is a permanent structure for temporary artists

18. ARTISANS COMPLEX
This area was restricted for artisans With guest houses for artisans coming to the village during special
occasions. Artisans quarters was present for the workers employed in various activities going on in the
heritage village. Activity hut was present for artisans from various parts to exchange their ideas.
CERAMIC CENTRE ART GALLERY ACTIVITY HUT
This permanent structure is where students have regular art classes going on to learn the traditional arts. This
place was very congested and the classes where much disturbed with the tourist coming to visit the place .
OPEN AIR FOLK PERFORMANCES
Open air folk performance area was the first place we see after entering the Dakshinachitra. This place had
trees but it was not dense enough to serve as a shelter

19. Library and Archives
DakshinaChitra has collection of over 14,000 books and journals on South Indian arts, crafts,
performance, anthropology and folklore. The Library includes the National Folklore Support
Centre's collections and also houses more than 1,00,000 photographs and a vast collection
of DVDs, CDs and tapes.

20. CONCLUSION
•From most of traditional southern architectural features to traditional clothing or
food everything is presented beautifully in the campus of Dakshinachitra.
•some conservation architects and cultural tourism proponents describe it as a
Disneyfied version of south India's past.
•some critics complain that the characterization of pre-industrial village life is
inaccurate, focusing too much on the Nattukkottai Chettiar, and that the site is
"stamped" with "American consumerism".
•With its fusion of the education, entertainment and spectacle, it is a major
destination marketed to the cosmopolitan audiences. It is a space offering rural
southern India as representation of the country, that invites both detached
contemplation and nostalgic attachment.