CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
PRESENTATION ON “GOL GHAR/KUDULE GHAR”
INTRODUCTION
The ‘oval’ shape building (Ghumaune/Kudule Ghar) found in Baglung, Kaski, Bandipur (Ramkot), Panauti. 'Nepal, the kingdom in the Himalayas’ written by late Dr. Toni Hagen ( 1951 to 1959). In his book, he had mention about photograph of Gol Ghar saying “the picturesque habitation detaches themselves from the landscape like mushrooms in relief. The walls are snow-white, with brick-red border at the base. The pin-shaped roofs are covered with straw, sometimes also with slate.” Out of about 31 building seen that picture, still 1 house is there.
INTRODUCTION
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Building Type and Purpose
Type of building :- 2 storey, oval shape building (Ghumaune Ghar) Includes the space for cooking, dinning, bedroom, food storage, open verandah (Pindhi) for house hold work and sitting purpose, a goat shed (Khor) and courtyard (Agan). A latter built barn (granary or Dhandar) is used for cattle, firewood stacking in ground floor and beds for children & guests and fodder storage in first floor. Agan and small kitchen garden (Bari) has its special uses as usual.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE: A OVAL SHAPE BUILDING
LEGENDS S.N.
11 8 10 7 12. 7
6
9 4. 7
5
15. 3
DESCRIPTION
1.
PIDHI ( VERENDAH)
2. 3.
MAIN DOOR GOAT'S SHEAD ( KHOR)
4.
MJERI
5.
GAURETHO
6.
JANTO ( A HAND MILL)
7.
BED
8.
MUDUS ( A WOODEN BOX)
9.
AGENU (HEARTH)
10.
BHANSA
11.
KITCHEN UTENSILS' RACK
12.
STAIR (BHRAG)
13.
FIRST FLOOR ( TALA, ATI)
14.
7
BHAKARI/ KOTHA 15. WINDOW
15.
14.
15.
15.
7
12.
13.
14.
14.
2
14.
14.
16.
1
GROUND FLOOR PLAN FIRST FLOOR PLAN SCALE 0
1 m.
SCALE 2 m.
4 m.
1 m.
0
1 m.
2 m.
4 m.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
6.85
2.72
0.55
SECTION AT BB
SECTION AT AA
SCALE
SCALE 1 m.
0
1 m.
2 m.
4 m.
1 m.
0
1 m.
2 m.
4 m.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Construction Materials and Technology
Materials used for building construction are indigenous type. Locally available materials like rubble, sand, stone, mud, Choya, bamboo,wood and thatch (Khar) have used for construction. The load-bearing wall is built with rubble stone masonry in mud mortar. The thickness of wall is usually 45 cm. as there is no corner and joints of wall as in other rectangular buildings, here is no any bond system followed. The rubble stone used for wall is usually of different size and shape.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Construction Materials and Technology
Initially the wall is fully plastered with mud mortar externally and internally. The wall plaster is coated with white soil (Kamero Mato) and the base band with red soil (Rato Mato) which find in the periphery area. Besides wall, other supporting members like post (Tham), beam (Dalin), joists (Karaye), frames of door and windows (Chukos) are of local wood. Mostly Three Tham in the ground floor (Bhui tala), support the capital (Kamani), Dalin and joist above. The first floor (Aati, Tala) is of mud flooring accompanying with joists (Karaye) and fragmented wood (Chirpat). The floors are mud and cow dung coated (Gobar, Matole Lipnu).
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Construction Materials and Technology
The roofing materials are locally available wooden members support the roof load along with the wall. A row of three pillars (Kham?), support the ridge beam (Dhuriko Dalin); transversally, principal rafter (Vayalse, Sattrai?), large purlins at ridge, middle part and lower part (Dhuri Balo, Dhade Balo and Dati Balo), rafter (Dada) and small purlins (Bhata) are used. Thatch is use for roof covering (Chhanu). The verandah roof (Pali Chhanu) has same material as that of roof. The courtyard (Agan) randomly flat stone paved. In the structure side, combination of load bearing wall and posts and beam system has followed.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Construction Materials and Technology
Houses having two floors are usual; due to load bearing wall it might limited in to two floors. The dimensioning unit is ‘Hath’, generally odd number scale (e.g. 11, 13, 15, 17 and so on) is followed. This house however seem oval, has constructed with in a square of 17 hath by 13.5 hath. These were built in area having high annul rainfall, in addition horizontal rainfall from N/W direction demand overhanging roof as here seen.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Exterior Details
The front façade wall plasters with mud mortar has coated with Kamero and Rato .Above the Pali Chanu there are are usually 3 small windows arranged in symmetrically. The central window has two open able shutter but two side windows are lattice type (Aakhi Jhyal). Above windows, a continuous cornice of wooden and stone cornice is seen. The struts (Karnasuli, Tundal) supporting Dhuri Chhanu projection has also carvings. The adjacent struts to central window usually having human figure carving.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Exterior Details
Coming downward, at the sill level of those windows, a one foot width horizontal band plateform (Chhanu Peti) built. This stone/mud masonry work as finishing of Pali Chhnu and serve for storing pumpkins, Kuvindos, cucumbers or seed drying area. Wooden console embedded in wall (Twokal), pin like supporting member (Thedi) and beam (Pali Balo) at wall side and wooden post (Kham) and beam (Paliko Dalin) at external side support the verandah roof (Pali Chhanu). The only door (Dhoka) is very small and has low height. The clear opening usually 65cm by125 cm. whereas
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Exterior Details
The window at right side at Pidhi is small (50cm by 75cm) is lattice type. Four Kham make five bay spaces at Pidhi accompanying goats’ shed . Pidhi usually raise 55 cm above from Aagan level.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Exterior Details
Space in front of Building The Aagan paved roughly with flat stone slab is used for goat tying, firewood stacking and grain drying. Social gathering and mandala (Jagiya) making on wedding and chudakarma ceremonies takes place in the Agan. The courtyard is bounded with low height stone masonry wall at outside, accompanying the dishwashing area (Juthelnu, Rachhyan). There is a ‘Tulsi Moth’ at corner of courtyard.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Interior Details
inside (Vitra) and outside (Bahira) are separated with the line formed by rainwater falling through roof to courtyard (Baleni). The mud floor finishing are open area next to door (Majeri) and kitchen and dining space (Bhansa). In total, nine posts (Tham) has supported first floor load along with the wall around. The floor to ceiling height of ground floor usually 1.65 m. The low height stone/mud masonry wall (Aata) separate the space of kitchen and Majeri. The partition wall in between Bhansa and Bharang contains beautiful carving of oil lamp keeping place (Diya Ghar) made of mud.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Interior Details
Wooden stair (55cm width) leading to first storey. The Tala is open space: no partition. Three king posts support the roof ridge beam. The top of wall is tied with wooden members- console embedded in the wall and wooden pin Ridge beam and wall plate on wall support Principle rafters. The thatch roof construction is more complicated one Space The space broadly can classify in to four categories: Agan, Pidhi, Bhui Talla and Aati (Talla).
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Interior Details
Internal spaces are more sacred. Pidhi is transitional space between inside and outside. After getting entry through door, one can reach open area (Majeri) which is used for gathering and sitting for up to touchable caste people. It is scared space compare to Pidhi. Three posts (Tham) at longitudinally centre of ground floor divide the whole area in to two halves. The second half is more scared than initial (Majeri) which is slightly raised. The space has also divided transversely across centre Tham; the low height masonry wall (Aata) separate kitchen /dining space (Bhanchha) from Majari. At Majeri there is two beds for sleeping.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION
Interior Details
At Bhanchha portion, there is cooking space (Agenu) & Bhanchha (Chula), A wooden stair at northeast corner leads to first floor. The Tala is open; no partition is there. Primarily it use as foodgrain storage purpose. As it is damp proof it is best space for storing food; besides this, it is secure space for storing. Bhakari is located in this floor. There was a small hole exactly above middle of Majeri above which main bhakari was kept so that if needed food grain can directly collected at majeri There is another opening space for stairway in northwest corner. Layout of oval shape is hard; analyzing the building geometry there are four circular arcs in four cardinal directions that are joining with transition curve. The detach buildings are easy to go round while necessary. 2.6 major extensions and alterations
OTHER INFORMATION
Other components
Building are traditional type. Door and windows frame (Chaukosh) has adjusted with the help of wooden holdfast. The frames adjust at the time of wall construction Each shutter of doors and windows are made of single plank and has a projection at the external corners, At night door is closed from the inside with the help of a wooden rod (Aulo) inserting in to two holes made at back projection (Ganda). To close door from out side, two metal hook (chain/Khil), locally made by blacksmith (Kami) is hammered on the shutters. A lock (Nepale Sancho/Bhote Talcha) was used for padlocking purpose.
OTHER INFORMATION
Maintenance and Recovery
In every year at the time of Bada dashin (or at Swora Shradha) whole house is usually clean up; and walls are coated with Kamero and Ratomato. The thatch roof is generally replaced in four to five year period. Some family manage it with dividing the upper roof in two halves front side ( Agadiko Pakho) and back side (Pachhdiko Pakho) and they replace these in every alternate two or three years. The floor and wall coating, cleaning work are done
ANALYSIS
Evolution of form ‘OVAL’
Some predictions can be made are: The round shape structure is more earthquake resistance so, is useful in the earthquake prone zone like Nepal. It is also addressing more climatic necessities. The round shape building more expose to sunlight. Refer WWW:erri.org In the past and even today agricultural based community, store their food grain in a cylindrical split bamboo container (Bhakari) which is auspicious form (Annako Bhandar), so people prefer the oval form. Circular and square form are religious form in Hindu mythology so people choose this round form; but to make it adjustable to humane scale the form is little stretch (flattened in a axis) and become oval.
ANALYSIS
Evolution of form ‘OVAL’
Some predictions can be made are: The economy of people was not strong; owner and community's effort used whatever the building construction, so they wished-for cheap construction. Round form can inscribe large area with in a same length of perimeter. It is hard to construct rectangular building with locally available rubble sand stone, which needs more efficient block stone and skill labors to make corner bond. In construction of a round building any shape and size stone can be utilized.
ANALYSIS
Evolution of form ‘OVAL’
Aesthetic The oval shape building has become itself an aesthetic form. Besides the form of whole building, it cannot ignore the aesthetics of other elements of this particular building. Mostly any cultural objects and event are grasps in carvings. The door window frame and struts of the house has elaborately carved with different floral pattern.
ANALYSIS
Continuity (constraints and possibilities)
Nowadays, since more than half century, this form of building has not seen to built anywhere. There are various problems on continuity to this building. The serious problem is thatch roof which is very temporary nature and vulnerable to fire case. The other issue is spatial; with changing time and coming new generations, spatial needs of people are also changing. This form of building cannot provide efficiently partition of spaces.
CONCLUSION
This house has better orientation, setting and plan form.
‘Oval’ houses are losing day by day.
The families who have still using this type of houses should support for conservation and continuity of such building
These houses, which are related to our identity and pride, should conserve as soon as possible.