Nature of Changes which occurred in Row Houses in Ahmedabad: A Post-occupancy Study

Nature of Changes which occured in Row Houses in Ahmedabad: A Post-occupancy Study

By Naman Gajjar Guided by Samir Shah Co-Guided by Catrinel Dunca

Undergraduate Thesis 2019 Faculty of Design Cept University

Pantone of the year 2019 Living Coral

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Acknowledgments

I would like to begin by thanking my home for the last 5 years, CEPT University. You have been nothing short of an adventure and to all the people I had the pleasure of connecting with, on campus. 14 batch thank you for some wonderful memories.

To my guide Prof. Samir Shah and co-guide Ms. Catrinel Dunca, without your guidance and support this would have not been possible.

To Mrs. Parul Zaveri and Mr. Jayant Gunjaria for providing me with information on row houses.

To HCP and Abhikram for helping me out with drawings and providing references.

To the occupants of Shyamal row house and Cosmoville row house for allowing and cooperating with me while doing the case study.

To City Heritage Centre for helping me out with the drawings of Dodhia pol house.

To Ms. Krishna Shastri, you will always be a mentor and a guiding hand for me.

To all the faculties who have taught me important life lessons in these past 5 years.

I would also like to thank my wonderful family (Mom, Dad, Bhaiya, Bhabhi and Dali) for supporting me throughout my life.

To Gaura Tikku, this wouldn’t have been possible without your help and support.

To Brijain, Dharun, Krunal, Rutuja, Mehul for accompanying me while working. Meghana and River view people for taking care of me.

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i. Abstract ii. Introduction

1.

Chapter 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

1.5

2

2.2 2.3

3

3.2 3.3

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Cosmoville row house 3.1.1 Ideation and layout description Site level study 3.2.1 Existing and demolished 3.2.2 Typical unit presentation Unit level study 3.3.1 Detailed mapping

Chapter 4 4.1 4.2

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Shyamal row house 2.1.1 Ideation and layout description Site level study 2.2.1 Existing and demolished 2.2.2 Typical unit presentation Unit level study 2.3.1 Detailed mapping

Chapter 3 3.1

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Mass Housing in India Modifications and Alterations in layout of Mass housing Case Study Pol house 1.4.1 Ideation and layout description 1.4.2 The Characters of Pol house 1.4.3 Construction Techniques Dodhia Pol House 1.5.1 Introduction of Dodhia pol house 1.5.2 Layout and space description

Chapter 2 2.1

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Analysis of Pol houses and Row houses Similarities and evolution of spaces

Chapter 5

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5.1 Conclusion .2 Bibliography

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(i) Abstract The inclined interest and concern was to study the morphology of row houses in Ahmedabad, how the traditional pol house spaces influenced the concept of row houses, the similarities and the evolution of a space by analyzing the formation, built up area, threshold, circulation area and kitchen area of a pol house and row houses.

The study was carried out by the process of postoccupancy study of the row house, the study was done to understand the personalization done by the occupants in terms of modifications and alterations in their houses and what are the factors which drive such modifications and in what ways occupants try breaking the monotony of the fixed layout of mass housing by their personalization. In the case studies, Shyamal row house and Cosmoville row house, a pattern was observed in terms of personalization depending on the flexibility on different scales.

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(ii) Introduction: A Post-Occupancy Study is a process of evaluation of buildings in a systematic and rigorous manner after they have been occupied for a certain time period. POE (Post Occupancy Evaluation) focuses on the building occupants and their needs and thus the building occupants provide insights regarding the consequences of the past design decisions and the performance of a building (interior and exterior). The information which is gathered forms a sound basis for creating better buildings in the future.

POE provides the justification and information base for adaptive re-use, re-modelling or major construction in order to resolve problems that have been identified in an existing building1.

For example: It allows for making building alterations in interior of the space according to the occupant’s needs.

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The idea is to understand the utilization of interior spaces by the building occupants in a certain period of time and alterations made in interior spaces according to the domestic necessity of the building occupants in row houses, specifically in the context of Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

A row house is a housing typology in which units could be sold as cheaply as low-rise apartments, It offers a small patch of garden as an attractive feature. It was one of the earliest building types to emerge in response to circumstances of the low income group as well as the middle income group. Row houses in Ahmedabad are designed keeping the financial state in mind while taking in the account of the way Gujarati households work. They were extremely popular amongst Ahmedabad’s middle-class families around 1980s. A row house is generally a long narrow house arranged in a row with shared walls having front, rear and interior open spaces, the most important factors in row houses are light and ventilation conditions. Traditionally the first and the last houses are larger than the middle ones.

1 Preiser, W. F., Rabinowitz, H. Z., & White, E. T. (1988). Post-occupancy evaluation. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

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In such compact situations there are numerous modifications done by the occupants to fulfill their domestic necessities. Modifications are done over a period of time once the occupants start residing in these houses and domesticating themselves.

Shyamal row house designed by Hasmukh Patel and Cosmo Ville Row house designed by Abhikram were some of the first few affordable row houses in the city of Ahmedabad. These two row housing ideology serve the same aspects with different takes on design. The study focuses on the morphology of the two row housing ideology and mapping the modifications done by the occupants over a period of time. The concept of a row house was abided by the pol house which reflects the social and cultural aspects of a house in the city of Ahmedabad.

Aim: This thesis intends to examine the utilization of interior spaces of the row houses in Ahmedabad by their building occupants and how have they transformed and adapted aspects of design according to their necessity.

while mapping the modifications of the unit, a pattern was observed.

The conclusion was derived by deducing those patterns and analyzing them through This thesis tends to understand post occupancy issues in row houses in interior spaces and architecture.

Objectives:

Scope and limitations:

The objective of the thesis is to understand the role of personalization in a mass housing typology in row houses and the nature of modifications done post occupancy.

This study focuses on understanding the personalization done by the occupants in their respective built form through studying the layouts and mapping the shift of expansion in spaces and other spatial changes such as circulation and structural alterations. The following research was done in the time period of four months.

• •

• •

To understand how the building occupants arrive at solutions related to the issues found in the existing built form.

To understand the quality of the built form in terms of natural lighting, ventilation and services, changes over a period of time because of the interventions done by the building occupants.

To analyze the generalized and personalized aspect of such interventions.

To find the positive and negative aspects in the spatial layout of the existing and the original built form.

Methodology: Two different types of row house were selected on the basis of their different ideology of a row house. The existing site context and modifications done in interior as well as architecture were analyzed through collection of data by field work which was done by measure drawing, documentation through photographs, interviewing the occupants and the observations done on site. The study was carried out in two phases: 1. Site level 2. Unit level The mapping of a single unit of a row house was carried out by interviewing the occupants and understanding the thought behind the modifications done in the built form in order to personalize the house.

A spatial comparison between the interior spaces of Pol house and Row house were done in order to understand the evolution of spaces in Ahmedabad, which on examining further

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1. Chapter 1 1.1 Mass housing in India 1.2 Modifications and Alterations in Layout of Mass Housing 1.3 Case study 1.4 Pol house 1.4.1 Ideation and layout description 1.4.2 The Characters of Pol house 1.4.3 Construction Techniques 1.5 Dodhia Pol House 1.5.1 Layout and space description

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1.1 Mass Housing in India Mass housing played an important role in the development of the built environment. People to the urban centers on a large scale for work caused a sudden and unknown increase in demand for housing . In response to the urgent need, standardization was undertaken in order to produce and built typical housing to accommodate large number of people.

Mass housing development has become distinctive in nature because of a lack of contact between the designers and the clients. The design decisions are made by an individual or an organization who under no circumstances can predict the character of the occupant and the usage of the house. This results into creation of impersonal houses which in most cases becomes outdated soon after their occupation as they cannot keep the track on the changing needs of the occupants.

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The ease of carrying out modifications within the house does not exist as seen in the traditional cultures, not only due to the various by-laws and regulatory restrictions in place but more so because of involvement of a large number of people to make even a simplest alteration. In the methods of design employed today and the rate of changes in financial , socio economic specifications it has become necessary more than ever to house a dwelling which has flexibility for modifications and alterations.

A fast pace of change is being observed such as a change in the way people live. Each individual person or each family finds itself at some point to be a part of this diverse change happening around them. This leads to vast differences because these changes affect people differently and evolve at a different pace. And at the face of this multiform diversity, all the market has to offer us is the indestructible living room and bedrooms.

1 Chauhan,Ritika Singh(2010),’ Pol as mass housing : modern interpretation of Pol’,undergraduate thesis guided by Pandya Yatin,CEPT University,Ahmedabad

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The need to personalize and adapt the house according to the lifestyle of the occupants is on a rise. Some of the characteristics elaborating the same are : •

The Unknown Client The relationship between the designers and the users of the houses has become more distinct. May be it is occasionally that the architect designs a house for an individual client but it is more frequent for the client to be a part of the government or a private corporation. The majority of the urban population lives in homogeneous houses which maybe not equipped to meet their heterogeneous requirements. This results in a collective interpretation of individual living conditions. The absence of a real client gives rise to several assumptions about how people live and becomes a major obstruction in the evolution of domesticity.

•

Diversity in Lifestyle Families evolve with time and so does the relationship between the family members, which means the evolution of patterns within a house does not remain constant.

Mass housing is provided for a standard family when in fact all the families tend to differ in their size, lifestyle, occupation, structure and economic conditions. Each individual family living in a society has different needs, attitudes and aspiration.

•

Change within domesticity No one can live satisfactorily within a fixed environment in which they have no input in terms of personalization. It is only when the occupants make contribution in the way of construction or alteration then they can really identify with an environment, a sense of belonging can be only achieved through personalization.

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1.2 Modifications and Alterations in the layout of Mass Housing There is a negotiation between what exists and the kind of space we want to inhabit. This is the main difference between the tailor-made houses and mass housing. Tailor made houses are designed keeping a specific family in mind thus there are less changes observed in these type of houses even after a certain period of time whereas the housing typology such as row houses have a defined layout hence it is designed in a way that the occupants can make the modifications and alterations according to their usability. Such houses have a different approach to design as there is no contact between the designer and the residents. The occupants then make modifications and alterations to shape the house in context of their lifestyle and culture.

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A very small percentage of people live in houses which are specially designed according to their comfort, aesthetics and cultural preferences.

The majority of the population live in houses which have a rigid and a fixed layout made without their personal preferences. It results into diverse interpretation of personalization in such living conditions.

In the Indian context it is very important to understand the concept of change as the house belongs to a family for generations and every family and generation follows a different culture.

A family is evolving, so it’s not possible to make a quantitative measure of living. Each family has different needs, attitude and aspiration and a different way of living. Due to diversity in socio-economic cultural background, family composition, economic afford-ability, there are different requirements for the immediate living environment. As the mass housing layouts are repeated and similar to one another there is a touch of personalization added by the occupants. They are constantly striving to make their dwelling most comfortable, functional and aesthetically appealing.

1 Shah,Dhvanik(2017).’Post occupancy study:understanding post occupancy scenario in government housing society residential module’,undergraduate thesis guided by M.Shodhan Basu,CEPT University,Ahmedabad

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When users make a contribution to the fixed environment then and only then they get a sense of belonging. Because of the variety in personalization the nature of space also becomes more personal and social hence breaking the monotony in the housing schemes.

1.3 Case Study

Dodhia Pol House Ill no. 1

Shyamal Row House Ill no. 2

Cosmoville Row House Ill no. 3

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1.4 Pol House A house in a pol conforms to the idea of being part of a group dwelling unit packed in a row.

Typologically the houses are deep with narrow frontage which opens into a narrow street and their longer side shares a wall with the adjoining properties which do not allow for any fenestration.

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The rectangular house form expressed a strong linear hierarchical organization as a result of style and culture. The three storey house covers almost the entire plot of land with the exception of the central court. This has resulted into a very dense environment. Due to its physical form, privacy is increased along its main axis. The house form allows a cool climatic environment.

The larger dwellings of rich and prominent families are located on the main street of the pol with a wider and more embellished street facades. The general disposition of the dwellings, within the hierarchical fabric of the pol and their facade treatment vary from dwelling to dwelling, highlighting the individual status of the occupants.

Figure no.1 Cluster formation of Pol house

Figure no. 2 Pol house in row formation

1.4.1 Ideation and layout description Pol houses are generally long deep houses, the narrow side of the house generally responds to the street. Maximum built form resulted into compactly placed house forms.

The house form were made porous by providing open spaces within the built form, due to porosity the house form is divided into two parts: The front portion responding to street as well as internal open spaces.

The rear portion responds to the internal open spaces.

These built forms are normally in a clustered form which are developed in the form of rows.

Pol houses are generally three storey tall. As the built form goes higher, the stacking of each floor forms an interesting built form responding to the open spaces. Continuous built forms may get separated on the upper level of individual pol houses.

1 Ghia, Neel (1996),’Ghia, Neel (1996),’Organizing principles and space proportion, A study of traditional pol houses in Ahmedabad’, Undergraduate thesis guided by Y.Pandya,D.C.Patel school of architecture,Vallabh Vidyanagar

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Figure no. 3 Courtyard space in a pol house

Figure no. 4 Typical layout of a pol house

1.4.2 The Characters of a Pol House A pol house is generally a linear built form with a courtyard. Each pol house has a character of its own. The narrow parcel of built form includes spaces like otla, varendah, passage, courtyard and private rooms.

Otla: It is the most spatial element of the house in a form of a raised platform, overlooking the street. It is the principle entry point of the pol house from the street.

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Khadki: The second area next to the otla is called khadki which functions as a public space in the house for receiving strangers and guest.

Chowk: This is the central space which is open to sky. It is a major focal point and the characteristically spatial element within the house form. It holds all other spaces and functional elements around it.

Parsal: Parsal is the front of the room, is used as a multi-functional areas during the day time.

One side of the room which faces the chowk allows the light to enter in the house.

Ordo: The inner most and the last band of the house from the street is known as ‘ordo’. This is a completely private room where outsiders are not usually allowed.

Ancillary Areas: Puja, Paniyaru and Rasodu like secondary spaces are provided around the chowk connecting the khadki and the parsal.

Figure no. 5

1 Chauhan,Ritika Singh(2010),’ Pol as mass housing : modern interpretation of Pol’,undergraduate thesis guided by Pandya Yatin,CEPT University,Ahmedabad

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1.4.3 Construction techniques Pol houses are usually multistory structures primarily made of brick and mortar. Timber structures are sometimes used to support huge walls which may or may not be adorned by wooden carvings. The space planning of a pol house is influenced by the notions of privacy, which in turn influence who enters the house and their movement once they enter in the space.

T1he construction techniques observed in pol houses are very similar to those seen in parts of North Gujarat. These houses have a peculiar construction with entrances and open spaces.

The otla is outside the house followed by the main gate. Once you enter there is an open to sky area known as the chowk, which is where the rainwater falls. The chowk and parsal are peculiarities of a pol house. The central hall is a place for the women of the house to sit down and prepare meals for the family. There is a provision of a chimney over the chulha (fireplace) to facilitate the outlet of the smoke.

Some houses also have big water tanks to store the rainwater.

Pol houses are also earthquake resistant due to their clustered nature, building material and construction technique.

1 Chauhan,Ritika Singh(2010),’ Pol as mass housing : modern interpretation of Pol’,undergraduate thesis guided by Pandya Yatin,CEPT University,Ahmedabad

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1.5 Dodhia Pol House An old Pol house in the old city of Ahmadabad which was restored using traditional methods by the City Heritage Centre. It currently functions as a heritage apartment in the heart of the city in Doshiwadani Pol. The almost ruined building underwent a sensitive trans formative process into a two-bedroom studio apartment.

Figure no. 6

Figure no. 7

The main thought behind the restoration was to preserve the heritage value of its structure as an homage to Gujarati architecture while at the same time giving an essence of contemporary lifestyle in the current time. A lounge was incorporated in the new house to welcome the guests. The apartment has a lot of photographs of the earlier structure as well as a lot of handicraft decorative items with an earthy color scheme to impart a sense of the traditional Gujarati household.

This pol house, like many traditional pol houses, has a traditional open to sky courtyard which allows natural light and ventilation. There is an underground water tank next to the courtyard for rainwater harvesting. The courtyard is also used as a dining space with the kitchen adjacent to it. The auxiliary space beneath the staircase is used as a study. A linear balcony overlooks the courtyard. The sloping roof has been converted into a flat terrace. There is one bedroom on each floor of the house.

The restoration justifies the concept to preserve the existing built for future generations while making it functional and comfortable for the contemporary lifestyle of the new owners.

Figure no. 8

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1.5.1 Ideation and Layout Description A

B

B

Figure no. 9

A Ground Floor

N

A

B

B

Figure no. 10

A First Floor N

A

B

B Figure no. 11

A

N

Second Floor Ill no. 4

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Figure no. 12

Dodhia pol house is a two story tall dwelling with a terrace, it currently functions as a commercial guest house. Before the renovation it functioned as a house for a Jain family. Dodhia consists of residential and retail spaces inside the dwelling.

The ground floor consists of area like otla, vestibule, dining, storage and kitchen. A retail shop is also situated on the right hand side of the entry which remains as it is. The otla area near the entrance has been extended. The vestibule consists of seating elements and a desk as it now functions as a waiting area. The dining and the kitchen are situated in the courtyard which is open to sky along with the main staircase which lies between the dining space and the vestibule.

The first floor consists of a bedroom with an attached bathroom and a balcony. The bathroom and balcony are situated on the rear end of the house which opens up to the courtyard. Seating elements are provided on the front end of the room near the windows which look out to the streets.

The second floor consists of a bedroom with an attached bathroom and a balcony. Both of these areas overlook the open to sky courtyard and the front end of the room which consists of seating area which has a different balcony for an informal seating area overlooking the streets of the old city. The main staircase runs through all the levels having a very finite amount of space for the landing near the entrance of the room.

Otla/Chowkdi Living Room Main Circulation Dinning/Staircase Kitchen Rooms Terrace Retail Shop Storage Ill no. 5

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The exterior of the pol house is richly carved out of wood. The entrance is recessed because of the 4m road in front of the pol house. The windows on the first and the second floor are made up of wooden frame with tinted glass to maintain privacy well as block the sunlight. Since it is used for social purposes, the otla has been extended which helps the footfall of the place to be moderate and not chaotic.

Ill no. 1

Section AA shows the connection of the pol house from the streets to the balconies of the room and the inter connecting spaces within the pol house.

The connection of the courtyard is with the rest of the spaces including the vestibule, dining and the bedrooms. The courtyard acts a spine of the house through which the ventilation of the house is taken care.

Ill no. 6 Section AA

Section BB shows the connection of the balconies which overlook the courtyard. This creates a good interactive space as courtyard is open to sky and quite well ventilated, because of which the bathrooms are also placed in such a way that the services and the ventilation can be taken care of.

Ill no. 7 Section BB

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Entrance

Main circulation Ill no. 8

Ill no. 9

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2. Chapter 2 2.1 Shyamal row house 2.1.1 Ideation and layout description 2.2 Site level study 2.2.1 Existing and demolished 2.2.2 Typical unit presentation 2.3 Unit level study 2.3.1 Detailed mapping

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2.1 Shyamal Row House Shyamal row houses in Ahmedabad were designed by Hasmukh Patel Architects and developed by Hasmukh Shah Developers in 1981. The whole development was divided into three sectors: 1A & 1B, 2 and 3A, out of which 1A has been currently demolished. It was originally designed for low income groups but eventually it gained popularity in the middle income group.

The initial idea was to give affordable housing in the form of a dwelling with a front yard and a back yard to make it more spacious. The concept of row houses was an alternative to the affordable living in the urban area to resolve the conflict between the demands of the developers and the needs of user who are faceless.

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This case study focuses on Shyamal 3A sector.

Shyamal 3A is a society of 54 row houses with a common garden area and parking space. The garden is right in the center of the society adjacent to the parking area overlooking the front yards of the houses. The peripheral area of the garden is used as a parking space.

2.1.1 Ideation and Layout Description The basic layout of a unit is divided into three parts: The front yard, built up space and the backyard. The row house consists of a 3 rooms, kitchen and a double height living room overlooking the backyard. The width of the houses is narrow but because of the length the house is quite linear.

Even though the houses are compact, the layout is designed in a way that there is a sense of flexibility in spaces which allows the occupants to personalize their house according to their financial conditions and usability. Shyamal 3A is bigger than the other two sectors and there are many modifications observed in this particular sector which are done by the occupants in terms of basic modifications and changing the programme of the built form. Some of the row houses facing the main road have been converted into retail shops and commercial offices.

A pattern is observed in the state of modifications done by the occupants. There are two types of modifications: one is common and almost observed in every row house and other are the atypical ones which are a result of the financial and social behavior of the residents.

The common modifications observed in a unit are extensions, services, maintenance and peripheral areas which are points of interaction with the rest. Extensions are normally found in row houses having a large family to accommodate all the family members. All the extensions are linear either seen on the front faรงade or in the backyard. Rooms are extended by demolishing the balcony area and converting it to be a part of the room or the kitchen and the living room is extended to give more circulation space in the main area of the house. The ventilation shafts of the basement are altered and its height is reduced which creates seating elements on the front yard along with the swing which increases the sense of belongingness to the occupants but also increases the socializing aspect with other occupants.

Atypical modifications in a unit level are observed in a family with good financial status as either there are structural interventions done to the houses such as two row houses are converted into one or its demolished and a new built from is introduced in this repetitive setting.

The retail shops are present in the backyard as it gets a direct access from the main road. The houses which are rebuilt act as a contrast to the repetitive typology of the row houses. When the family wants to personalize the house and increase the sense of belonging or the want of expanding the family or the house, such families have rebuilt the houses or made major changes to the existing dwelling if they can afford it.

The occupants make the alterations or modifications to personalize their dwellings as a result of the potential in existing layouts

1 Shyamal Row Houses, Ahmedabad 1981 -1985. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hcp.co.in/project/shyamal-row-houses

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2.2 Site Level Study Back Yard

Mapped row house

Kitchen

Dining Room

Parking and common areas

Living Room

Bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom

Common modifications Front Yard

Ground Floor

Commercial office

First Floor Ill no. 10

Retail shop

2.2.1 Existing and Demolished

Ma in

ro a

d

En

Ill no. 11

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tra

nc e

Top View

2.2.2 Typical Unit Study

2.3 Unit Level Study

The ground floor consists of a living room, dining and kitchen area, the living room opens up to the back yard and so does the kitchen.The main staircase is incorporated in the double height through which one can go the first floor.

The first floor consists of two bedroom with attached bathroom and a balcony area.

Ill no. 12 Typical unit Isometric view

Ill no. 13

Dinning Living Room

Rooms Kitchen

Main staircase

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2.3.1 Detailed Mapping Hemil Patel’s House Row house no: 30 No. of occupants in the house 3 In this house only one type of modification is observed: the expansion of rooms. This family were one of the first occupants of the house and the way they have personalized their house is by the means of expansion. Expansion takes place in terms of increasing the carpet area of their rooms in order to accommodate the family members and their usability of the space.

In the first floor which consists of two bedrooms, one of which is the master bedroom and the other is children bedroom, the balcony area which overlooks the front and back yard respectively are incorporated as the space for the bedroom in order to use that space in more functional way. The balcony area in the master bedroom is used as a sitting area whereas the balcony area in the children’s bedroom is used as the study area, but specifically in the children’s bedroom they frequently change the layout of furniture according to the weather.

During summers, the bed is located near the entrance of the room and the study area is on the extended side but during winters the bed comes near the extended side and the study shifts near the entrance.

Figure no. 13

Figure no. 14

Because of the flexibility in layout in terms of alterations, the behavior in the space making elements also change. Such type of modifications were frequently observed in the society.

Figure no. 15

30

N

First Floor

Ground Floor

Terrace Floor

Ill no. 14

R

S R

First Floor Ill no. 15

V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

S-Main staircase

R-Room

L-Living room

The main reason for modifications in this house is to cater to more space as the age factor in the family structure played a main role. One space is used for two purposes hence the carpet area of the room had be increased in order to increase the circulation of the room and preventing the space from being compact.

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Ill no. 16

Added modifications

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Main Circulation

Demolshed Structure/Partition

Nimesh Shah’s House Row house no: 51 No. Of occupants in the house 3 This family are the first occupants of the house,earlier there were three more occupants but they shifted out there are a number of structural alterations done in this specific house.

On the ground floor we can only observe modifications in terms of extensions. The main entrance area is extended towards the front yard because of which it creates a good amount of space for the vestibule and a good buffer space between the entrance and the dining area.

The living room space and the kitchen area have been extended in the backyard till the built up area. The kitchen entrance had to be demolished and it was shifted a bit further towards the back to give more space to the dining area because of which it creates better circulation from the entrance to the living room. An entrance has been created for the kitchen which opens up to the living room, so the kitchen has multiple access points, one from the dining area and the other from the living room. The back yard has been divided into two parts, one is the spill over space of the living room and the other is the service area for the kitchen. A partition wall has been built to block the activities visually. In the service part of the backyard a small servant quarters has been constructed which can be only accessed through the kitchen.

On the first floor, the room which faces the front yard has two types of modifications namely, expansion and alteration. The balcony which faces the front yard has been expanded and a partition wall has been demolished with a slab constructed which serves as a shelter for the expanded entrance and also as a floor for the balcony. In the other bedroom which faces the back yard the balcony area has been incorporated into the room which is used as a study, the entrance for the bathroom has been closed and a new entrance has been created which is near the entrance of the room. Because of these modifications the space making elements such as furniture has an easily accessible area and the circulation of the room also increased. The linear window which opens into the living room was closed to maintain privacy.

Figure no. 16

Figure no. 17

Figure no. 18

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N Ground Floor

First Floor

Terrace Floor

Ill no. 17

R

V R

S

S

D L

R

K

First Floor Ground Floor

V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

S-Main staircase

R-Room

L-Living room

Ill no. 18

The main reason for modifications in this house focuses on the main circulation area on the ground floor, the connection between the dining and the living room was to compact being a six people family hence shifting the kitchen backwards creates more circulation space for the kitchen, dining and living room.

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Ill no. 19

Added Modifications

Main Circulation

Demolshed Structure/Partition

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Gopal Jasani’s House Row house no: 24 No. Of occupants in the house: 4 This family are the first occupants of the house. There are a number of structural alterations done in this specific house.

On the ground floor, the kitchen area was been demolished and relocated in the living room and the area where the kitchen was earlier is used as a dining space. Because of this alteration the circulation area and buffer spaces between these areas are more open but the living room with the double height space became more compact. The layout became more open but linear because the entrance area and the connection with the dining was made to become open.

The entrance of the kitchen is from the new dining area and both of these areas have been extended outside towards the back yard till the built area. In order to create the kitchen area, the slant roof slab had to be cut from the end to facilitate the extension.

Figure no. 19

On the first floor, the bedroom which faces towards the front yard has now incorporated the balcony area in the room and the bathroom area has been extended as well by extending the structure outside which gives more area in the bath room. The other room which faces the back yard has also incorporated the balcony area which opens out the terrace area created due to the extension on the ground floor.

Figure no. 20

Figure no. 21

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N

Ground Floor

First Floor

Terrace Floor

Ill no. 20

R

V

R

S

S L

D

K

Ground Floor

V-Vestibule

R

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

Ill no. 21

S-Main staircase

First Floor

R-Room

L-Living room

The main reason for modifications in this house focuses on the visual connectivity between the entrance and the dining. The occupants wanted a clear vision of the house from the entrance hence the kitchen had to be created on the opposite side of the house which created a good amount of space for the dining and the visual connection between the entrance and the dining area. As the kitchen had to be shifted to the opposite side the living area reduced creating a very compact layout for the living area.

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Ill no. 22

Added modifications

Demolshed structure/partition

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Main circulation

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3. Chapter 3 3.1 Cosmoville row house 3.1.1 Ideation and layout description 3.2 Site level study 3.2.1 Existing and demolished 3.2.2 Typical unit presentation 3.3 Unit level Study 3.3.1 Detailed mapping

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3.1 Cosmoville Row House Cosmoville Row houses were designed by Abhikram Architects and were developed by Hasmukh Shah Developers in Ahmedabad. They were designed for middle income group. It is a complex structure composed of 50 row houses and public areas like garden and swimming pool. The front yard of the houses overlook the garden area which is now modified to accommodate the parking area. The swimming pool in the common area was demolished and converted into a common space. The initial idea of the row houses was formulated keeping the light and ventilation in relation to the plot size of a single unit. The width of the row houses is quite shorter as compared to its linearity. The narrow parcel land restricted the built up area hence an angled layout was proposed which were repeated unit wise to accommodate all the facilities including the front yard and the back yard.

1

3.1.1 Ideation and layout description The basic layout of the row house unit is divided into three parts: the front yard, built up area and the backyard. It is a two story unit which consists of 3 rooms with attached bathrooms and a kitchen overlooking the backyard, which has services like chowkdi and bathroom. The staircase has a double volume which filters in skylight on the periphery of the top end to provide light and ventilation to a high circulation area in the house.

This case study focuses on identifying different patterns of modifications in this typology of row house through post occupancy study.

The houses are compact if we analyze through the lens of urban, architecture and interior scale. The spatial volumes of the built balances its compactness by the balance of the double volume area with the other areas. Flexibility has a different approach here, the layout is designed in a personalized manner and does not give the occupants an approach to do further modifications. Flexibility is observed in terms of minor extensions and different programmes to various spaces. Focusing on the modifications of the houses at unit level there are a few patterns which are commonly

observed, some are atypical ones. These modifications and alterations are impacted by the economic conditions, social conditions and the typology of the residents (nuclear and joint family).

There were common modifications observed after doing the post occupancy study are minor extensions, change in services or changing the programme of the space. Extensions are normally found in row houses with more than three family members. The rooms are extended out of the balcony space by demolishing the partition element which is the threshold between the balcony and the room. Such extensions are done to accommodate the family members and to increase the carpet area of the room which is then converted into a functional space. The basement area is generally treated as a storage area in normal households but generally where the occupants are a nuclear family, the basement is converted into a living room with a dedicated storage area. The second floor consists of a room adjacent to the terrace.

Normally the terrace is kept as it is but the function of the room is changed due to lower number of occupants whereas in some cases the occupants have built a room on the terrace for external functions which are not related to the daily household activities.

Figure no. 22

1 https://www.abhikram.com/projects_details.php?Code=103

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The atypical modifications observed in these row houses are extensions and additions to the built. Addition, in the sense of combining two row houses function as a single dwelling. Such modifications and alterations are observed in a joint family accommodation where the interior needs to be more open as compared to the original layout because of the social and cultural influences. As a result, some of the interior spaces created are totally different than the exterior.

The architecture of the houses is replicated so they do not have a major impact on the overall aesthetic of the scheme. Parking is a major issue in this society because the occupants are allowed to park only one vehicle in the house where as the other vehicles have to be parked outside the house which is chaotic. The common areas such as the garden and the swimming pool have been converted to a common parking space.

Some occupants who have more vehicles have built a shed in the front yard of the house which accommodates their vehicles, demolishing the main parapet wall.

This typology of row house has a perfect sense of setting especially when the cultural and social interaction between the houses and the public area is observed. It has a very different take on flexibility even after having a compact space planning in a mass housing scheme. The relation between the threshold of the house and the common areas is strong because of the integration of such small details.

Figure no. 23

Figure no. 24

Figure no. 25

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3.2 Site level study

Back Yard

Ki

Mapped row houses

n he tc

Bedroom ng ni Di oom R

Bedroom

Bedroom

ng vi Li oom R

Parking and common spaces

Terrace

Front Yard

First Floor

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Ill no. 23

Common modifications

Front yard extension

Combined dwellings

3.2.1 Existing and Demolished

Master Plan

Entrance

Main road Ill no. 24

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3.2.2 Typical Unit Presentation

3.3 Unit level Study A typical unit consists of two storey tall. The ground floor consists of living room, dining area, powder room and a kitchen which opens up to the backyard.

The first floor consists of two bedrooms with which have attached bathroom and balcony.

The second floor consists of one bedroom with attached bathroom and balcony with terrace area. The basement consists of puja room and storage area.

Typical unit isometric view

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Ill no. 25

Ill no. 26

Otla/Chowkdi

Dining/Staircase

Rooms

Living Room

Kitchen

Terrace

3.3.1 Detailed Mapping Dr.Vishaka’s House Row house no: 30 Number of occupants: 1 This house does not have many modifications.

The family adapted to the existing built form as their secondary home. Currently only a single member of the family resides in this house.

Two types of modifications have been observed in this house: expansion and extension. The extension is seen on the second floor, which was basically a terrace with a room and an attached bathroom, a balcony and an adjacent terrace. The room has been converted into a studio space fulfilling the need of an in-house office. The older bathroom was converted into a service area for the office which acted as a pantry and a washroom. The pantry area overlooks the balcony of the office. Window openings were created overlooking the staircase to incorporate natural light into the space.

The basement has been converted into living space and storage area. This house has also customized its verandah near the entrance.

The staircase location has been changed and brought on the outer side, and the expansion of the verandah is being used as a gathering space after incorporating certain seating elements.

Figure no. 26

Figure no. 27

Figure no. 29

Figure no. 28

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N Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

Ill no. 27

V

R

L S S

D R

K

Ground Floor

V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

Second Floor

Ill no. 28

S-Main staircase

R-Room

L-Living room

The main reason for modifications in this house focuses on addition in the house, the house was used by three occupants earlier but two of them shifted out hence they added a extra space on the terrace because for the functional purpose.

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Ill no. 29

Modifications

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Dr. Hetal’s House Row house no: 31 Number of occupants: 3 The house was recently renovated by the family being the first occupants of the house.

Generally the extensions done by the family was to increase the floor space.

On the ground floor, the occupants felt too restricted and they wanted a sense of transparency between the dining space and the kitchen so they demolished the powder room and the storage unit area of the kitchen due to which connection between the living room and the kitchen became more open, the circulation area increased. The kitchen space has been expanded outside and the verandah area of the back yard was incorporated inside the kitchen. Since the kitchen has more space now to facilitate the dining activity inside the kitchen itself.

On the first floor, both the rooms have been extended and incorporate the balcony area for more space to add a study area in the room. In the master bedroom, a temporary structure has been added outside the extended area which acts as a stand-in balcony so the study area directly overlooks the stand-in balcony but the children bedroom does not have any sort of extended balconies. The second floor has the least amount of modifications done to it. One of the rooms having a horizontal opening above the lintel level has been closed by shuttering system. The basement floor is used for storage purposes.

Figure no. 30

Figure no. 31

On the entrance, the position of the staircase has been changed because the location of the main door altered and hence the staircase was extended towards the front. By doing this the occupants got a seating area on the otla overlooking the garden.

Figure no. 32

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N

Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

Ill no. 30

R

V L

S

S R

D K Ground Floor

V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

First Floor

Ill no. 31

S-Main staircase

R-Room

L-Living room

The main reason for modifications in this house focuses on the circulation area on the ground floor, the connectivity between the dining and the kitchen in relation with the living room was too compact for the family and the living room does not have a visual connection between the spaces, hence the main partition wall between the dining and the kitchen was demolished because of which it created a good amount of circulation area as well as visual connectivity between the living and the kitchen area.

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Ill no. 32

Modifications

50

Demolished structure/partition

Chokshi’s House Row house no. 42 and 43 Number of occupants: 6 This family has occupied two row houses and converted them it into a single dwelling. They earlier owned a single house (no.43) but because of an increase in the number of family members they had to buy the neighboring house to accommodate the extended family close-by.

A lot of modifications have been done to expand the spaces and to open up the layout. A lot of structural interventions have been observed in this process of expansion. The interior is quite different in comparison to the original unit layout. A lot of flexibility is observed in terms of making an open layout. Most of the circulation areas have been opened up. All in all two types of interventions have been observed during expansion’ addition and subtraction.

At the entrance of the combined houses, one enters through a series of steps which face the main door of the house. A single car parking exists which was earlier a part of house no. 42.

The entrance of house no. 43 has been expanded and is usually used as a gathering space by the family members.

On the ground floor, the entrance of the house is from house no. 43 and the living room is extended out to give a buffer zone between the entrance and the living area. The ground floor consists of a living area, dining area, kitchen and a bedroom with an attached bathroom.

The backyard is used as a spill over space for the kitchen. Two structural interventions have been done on the ground floor. The main load bearing common wall of the house has been altered at segments to create openings for the expansion of spaces. First, the entrance and the living room of the house no. 42 was converted into a bedroom and the bathroom was made by demolishing the main staircase. The entrance to the room is through the main living area, so a part of the wall had to be altered to create an access for the room. The kitchen of house no 42 was converted into a dining space and the wall adjacent to the main staircase of house no 43 had to be altered in order to create access for the dining area. The partition wall of the kitchen

was demolished to open up the kitchen to the living room and the dining room.

The first floor consists of three bedrooms with attached bathroom. The master bedroom had a lot of modifications done additions and subtraction. The main structural wall was altered and the bedroom area of house no 42 was converted into a bathroom with a dressing area leading to an increase in carpet area of the room. The room adjacent to the master bedroom is being used as a study area and the balcony area was incorporated in the room for additional space. A wall was altered to create an access to the balcony which added to the structure of the existing built form The balcony faces the garden area. Another major alteration was done by demolishing the main load bearing wall near the staircase to create an access for house no. 42 to connect the third room which is the children’s bedroom with the main staircase.

The second floor consists of an office space and a terrace. The balcony area in the office is incorporated in the room and the other built form in house no 42 was demolished to create more terrace area.

All the living areas were located on in house no.

42 and the main circulation area and gathering spaces such as the kitchen, living and dining area were located in house no. 43.

Figure no. 33

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N

Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

Ill no. 33

V

L

R

R

R

S

S D

K

R R

Ill no. 34

Ground Floor

V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen

D-Dining

S-Main staircase

First Floor

R-Room

L-Living room

The main reason for modifications in this house focuses on the expansion of the hose in order to accommodate more numbers of occupants. One part of the house consists of the main circulation area and other service areas where as the other part consists of bedrooms.

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Figure no. 34

Figure no. 35

Figure no. 36

Ill no. 35

Figure no. 37

Modifications

Demolshed structure

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4. Chapter 4 4.1 Analysis of Pol house and row houses.

4.2 Similarities and Evolution of spaces

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4.1 Analysis of Pol houses and Row houses Ill no. 36

Dodhia pol house

Ill no. 37

N

Shyamal row house

Ill no. 38

N

Cosmoville row house

N

When seen through the lens of mass housing, pol houses form small clusters of houses which share a common wall. The houses do not have any threshold but the cluster itself forms the public spaces.

The row houses such as Shyamal and Cosmoville are perfect examples of row houses with unit level consistency, with public and social spaces.

Ill no. 39

Dodhia pol house

Ill no. 40

N

Shyamal row house

Ill no. 41

N

Cosmoville row house

N

The built up space of Dodhia pol house is edge to edge without any frontage area whereas Shyamal and Cosmoville both have a specific area for the front yard and the back yard. The built form and the built up area has a limitation according to the bylaws.

Ill no. 42

Dodhia pol house

Ill no. 43

N

Shyamal row house

Ill no. 44

N

Cosmoville row house

N

In Dodhia pol house the otla and the khadki acts as a public area and the outsiders can only access these areas where as in Shyamal and Cosmoville row houses the front yard and the main buffer space between the vestibule and the front yard act as publicly accessible areas.

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Ill no. 45

D

K S

V

Ill no. 46

L

K S

R

Dodhia pol house

Ill no. 47

K

D

V

N Shyamal row house

V

L

D S

N Cosmoville row house

N V-Vestibule

K-Kitchen D-Dining S-Main staircase R-Room L-Living room The main circulation area is observed near the main staircase with spaces like kitchen, living room and dining in close proximity specifically in Shyamal and Cosmoville row houses. In Dodhia pol house the main circulation area is near the main staircase which is in closer proximity with the khadki and the courtyard. Row houses being linear and compact in design, the circulation area is more compact as compared to the pol house.

Ill no. 48

Dodhia pol house Ill no. 49

Shyamal row house

In Dodhia pol house, the main natural light and ventilation source is the courtyard which is open to sky. The dining and kitchen areas have good amount of natural light and ventilation through out the day because they are situated in the courtyard. The bedrooms on the upper two floors also have ventilation and natural light as the rear of the room opens into the courtyard and the front into the street.

In Shyamal row house, the double height area with a slant roof and an opening on the upper end of the roof provides natural light and ventilation through out the day to the living area and the dining area. Because of the compact linear design, the cross ventilation of the interior spaces is good.

In Cosmoville Row house, the main natural light and ventilation source is the double volume which consists of the main staircase. The upper end of the double volume have openings which let the natural light and fresh air enter the house, due to which the main staircase has a good amount of light through out the day. The ground floor gets the least amount of natural light because the density of the light decreases.

The upper floor bedrooms also receive natural light and ventilation as the entrance of the bedrooms is through the main staircase area and the other end of the rooms have balconies.

Ill no. 50 Cosmoville row house

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Dodhia pol house N

Ill no. 4

N

Shyamal row house Ill no. 10

N

Cosmoville row house Ill no. 23

In Dodhia pol house, the kitchen area is situated in the courtyard at the rear end of the house. The kitchen is in closer proximity with the dining and the main staircase area. As the courtyard is open to the sky there is a good amount of cross ventilation. It does not have any visual connection with the outside area. It is more like a private area.

In Shyamal row house, the kitchen area is situated between the dining and the living room. It is accessible from the buffer circulation space between the main staircase and the dining area. The kitchen is partially connected with the dining area. The kitchen opens into the backyard which is used as a chowkdi.

In Cosmoville row house, the kitchen is adjacent to the dining area. It is not visually connected with the dining nor the living room. Because of the amalgamation of dining and main staircase the circulation area gets compact. The kitchen is attached with the storage area and the kitchen opens out into the backyard which is also used as a chowkdi.

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4.2 Similarities and Evolution of Spaces Similarities of the houses There are similarities observed in terms of basic principles of a house such as housing and social clusters. The sense of threshold near the entrance area and the sense of openness in terms of inter connecting spaces is also a commonality. The kitchen is in the closest proximity with the dining and the living area which are connected with the main circulation area. The circulation area lies within the buffer space between the kitchen and the dining as these areas have the maximum foot fall through out the day. For natural light and ventilation openings in the double height areas and the courtyard spaces are observed which suffice good amount of natural light and ventilation.

Evolution of spaces • •

• •

•

From clustered formation a edge to edge built up area to the systematic row formation.

From otla acting as a transient from the streets to the house to the front yard acting as a buffer area from the streets and the house which acts as public and social area as well.

From khadki being used as a public space incorporated inside the house to the buffer space between the vestibule and front yard.

From kitchen being a visually connected with the living and the dining area to the layers of partition segregating the other two areas.

The relation of courtyard being acting as a social and spatial space in the house to the double height living room where the circulation and opening bring out the same concept of interaction and social activities.

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5. Chapter 5 5.1 Conclusion 5.2 Bibliography

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5.1 Conclusion

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Every family is different and hence their interpretation of factors such as lifestyles, social and cultural background and religious beliefs are differentc. The houses which are especially designed for the family undergoes modifications over time and hence need to be adapted under such circumstances.

Financial, cultural aspects, time period and number of occupants play an important role in order to make changes and personalize their dwelling through modifications. Most of the occupants tend to sacrifice the community space such as the garden and the activity area in order to facilitate their individuals interests.

Generally conducting modifications can be done and observed under two different stages of construction as well as post construction.

•

Modifications altered during the time of construction • Adapting and modifying the house postconstruction Focusing on the adaptation and modification post construction generally depends on three scenarios.

• Change in family structure • Economic and social influences • The physical structure of the house Change in family structure The necessity of modification depends on the number of occupants living in a row house, because more the number of occupants, more the need of space hence more expansions or additions in a house.

Economic and social influences The character of modifications depends on the financial strength of the family because it plays an important role on the social status as well.

The physical structure of the house As the house gets older the more maintenance it needs in terms of its physical strength and if one wants to make modifications to the house, the structure of the house should be capable to

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load or the alterations done to it.

In the selected case-studies various possibilities of modifications and expansions were provided by the built form and according to their personal lifestyles. A general observation and pattern observed through the post occupancy study is that no matter how wealthy the family is or no matter what cultural aspect inclinations they have, it is reflected in their house through the way they compose their furniture layout, materials, the sense of openness and the sense of privacy.

Structural interventions was also a common pattern observed in the study which led to changes in term of the scale of the space. It changed the perception of the existing space which reflected a lot of personal choices and afford-ability of the family. In most cases additions were done in the living room, dining and kitchen. The only space which is accessible by guests is the living room which is also a reflection of the social status of the family.

In Shyamal row house, the planning of each unit is in a bay formation, because of which the built up area and the interior layout had good amount of flexibility for the occupants to personalize their house, even though the built form is linear and compact the double height acts as a spatial element which balances the layout and the circulation. Hence there is a lot of flexibility in personalizing through modifications of the house. For example: the living rooms have been extended towards the backyard which creates more space for the living area as well as the circulation of the ground floor and also on the upper floors the rooms have been extended incorporating the balcony, these are few common modifications in the interior of the house. Similar additions have been done on the back yard as well as the front yard by the occupants.

In Cosmoville row house, the planning of each unit is in an interlocking formation, because of which the built up area is very compact as well as the front yard and the back yard. There is a

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less amount of flexibility hence the amount of modifications are less but because it has two floors and a double volume area with main staircase it balances the compact layout and the circulation. Hence personalization is only observed in terms of expansion and addition in this case. For example: Occupants modify the kitchen area because of a larger circulation area and the rooms on the upper floors are expanded towards the balcony.

The spaces of row houses have been evolved considering the influence of pol houses in similar aspects of space. Spaces like courtyard, kitchen and dining area and the connection of bedrooms with the main staircase and the socially interactive area have been developed in a form of spatial and subtle approaches. For example: A courtyard in a pol house is the most social space of the house and the bedrooms are visually connected to it, similarly in Shyamal the double height acts as a socially connected space with bedrooms overlooking the double height. The position of kitchen is also evolved as earlier, kitchen used to be a private area and connected with courtyard and the parsal, similarly in Cosmoville the kitchen is a private area by being visually disconnected but it is still in closer proximity of the dining and the living area.

The future research for the morphology of row houses can be the structural aspects of the built form, the inter-relation between the proportion of the plot size and the built form and understanding the significance of row houses in the age of affordable apartments.

5.2 Bibliography

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Books

Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., Silverstein, M., & Jacobson, M. (2013). A pattern language towns, buildings, construction. New York, NY: Oxford Univ. Press.

Desai, C., & Patel, B. (2017). The architecture of Hasmukh C Patel. Selected projects 1966-2003.

Ocean: Grantha Corporation.

Levitt, D., & McCafferty, J. (2019). The housing design handbook: A guide to good practice.

London: Routledge.

Padora, S., Dore, M., & Shetty, M. (2016). In the name of housing: A study of 11 projects in Mumbai. Mumbai: Urban Design Research Institute.

Pfeifer, G., & Brauneck, P. (2008). Row houses a housing typology. Basel: Birkhäuser.

Preiser, W. F., Rabinowitz, H. Z., & White, E. T. (1988). Post-occupancy evaluation. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Rapoport, A. (1991). House form and culture. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Schoenauer, N. (1981). 6000 years of housing. NY: Garland STPM Press.

Rybczynski, Witold. Home: a Short History of an Idea. Simon & Schuster, 2001.

Miller-Lane, B. (2007). Housing and dwelling: Perspectives on modern domestic architecture.

London: Routledge.

Published Thesis

Ghia, Neel (1996),’Ghia, Neel (1996),’Organizing principles and space proportion, A study of traditional pol houses in Ahmedabad’, Undergraduate thesis guided by Y.Pandya,D.C.Patel school of architecture,Vallabh Vidyanagar Websites

AID - Pol houses (residential cluster). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www. architectureindevelopment.org/project.php?id=492 Shyamal Row Houses, Ahmedabad 1981 -1985. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hcp. co.in/project/shyamal-row-houses

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Saieh, N. (2010, March 09). Monterrey Housing / ELEMENTAL. Retrieved from https:// www.archdaily.com/52202/monterrey-housing-elemental https://www.abhikram.com/projects_details.php?Code=103

Unpublished Thesis

Shah,Dhvanik(2017).’Post occupancy study:understanding post occupancy scenario in government housing society residential module’,undergraduate thesis guided by M.Shodhan Basu,CEPT University,Ahmedabad Patel,Pooja (2017).’Inhabitation from generalization to personalization’,undergraduate thesis guided by G.Shah,CEPT University,Ahmedabad.

Patel,Dhwni Pankaj(2017),’ Flexibility in housing : impact of architectural design decisions on ease of making modification to dwellings in mass housing’,undergraduate thesis guided by Kashikar Vishwanath,CEPT University,Ahmedabad Malik,Shubha(1994),’ Flexibility in mass housing : a post occupancy evaluation of housing units with specific reference to physical alternations / additions and the building types’,undergraduate thesis guided by Pandya Yatin,CEPT University,Ahmedabad Chauhan,Ritika Singh(2010),’ Pol as mass housing : modern interpretation of Pol’,undergraduate thesis guided by Pandya Yatin,CEPT University,Ahmedabad Articles

HOUSES: CHANGES AND RESEMBELENCE, A STUDY OF AHMEDABAD. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2019, from https://www.academia.edu/10786184/HOUSES_CHANGES_ AND_RESEMBELENCE_A_STUDY_OF_AHMEDABAD Post-occupancy study of Aranya Housing Project. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2019, from https://www.mcgill.ca/mchg/pastproject/aranya post occupancy: tulsi villa | banduksmithstudio. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2019, from http://www.banduksmithstudio.in/research/post-occupancy-tulsi-villa Shyamal Row Houses, Ahmedabad 1981 -1985. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hcp. co.in/project/shyamal-row-houses

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Images (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from https://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g297608d7814848-Reviews-Dodhia_Haveli-Ahmedabad_Ahmedabad_District_Gujarat.html (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2019, from https://architectureindevelopment.org/project.php?id=492 Lambe, N.R., & Dongre, A.R. (2016). Analysing Social Relevance of Spatial Organisation : A Case Study of Traditional Pol Houses , Ahmedabad , India.

[Photograph]. (n.d.).

Lambe, N.R., & Dongre, A.R. (2016). Analysing Social Relevance of Spatial Organisation : A Case Study of Traditional Pol Houses , Ahmedabad , India.

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Review -1

22/01/2019

Points Discussed • • • • • •

Different approach methods for the post occupancy study.

Different interpretation of post occupancy study.

Any one theory to approach the method.

Survey related to furniture, layout and the orientation of row houses.

Definition of row house and pol house and norms diversifying the typology.

Criteria for the survey.

Actions Taken : After the review, my case study was done keeping only and only the modifications in mind and the decided to narrate the whole layout through literature and illustrations after the post-occupancy study.

Review -2

19/02/2019

Points Discussed • • • • •

Significance of a row house.

Culture in row houses.

Philosophy behind row house.

Cultural inputs of occupants.

To speak with Gunjaria sir in HCP to understand row house as an typology.

Actions Taken: Interviewed Jayant Gujaria Sir and Parul Zaveri regarding the significance and typology of row houses and specifically, Shyamal and Cosmoville respectively. Did my second case study, Cosmoville row house.

Review -3 • • • •

19/03/2019

Drafting of the final chapters.

Implementation of Aranya housing by B.V.Doshi Addition of interviews done for the study.

Structuring the study on the basis of findings then the parameters of the study and then implementation of the theory.

Actions Taken: Restructured the chapterization, could not incorporate Aranya housing as a secondary case study because of different income group of people, added pol house a s a secondary case study.

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