alternative theory
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Alternative theories
What is alternative theory????
The difference in built up forms and house t
in different regions with respect to Theirphysical and social factors is called alternati
theory of house forms.
The classification of house types and forms
Based on the following
Physical factors
Social factors
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Climate & need for shelter
•Climate determinism has been widely accepted
Architecture as well as in cultural geography.
•One need not to deny the importance of climateCreation of built form
• for e.g. the difference in urban pattern and hou
Types within old and new Delhi
• In architecture the climate determinist view stat
That primitive man is primarily concerned With
shelter and imperatives of climate determine
form
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“We build houses to keep in a consistent climate a
To keep out predators. We grow, gather and eat fo
To keep our metabolism on an even keel” – bruce
“ Shelter is of supreme importance to man . It is th
Prime factor in his constant struggle for survival. InHis efforts to shelter himself against the extremes
Weather and climate he has over the ages evolve
Types of dwellings”- from the book “The court gardHouse”
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A more imp consideration is why so many forms o
houses are have been developed within the clima
zone??? Even the variation in micro climatic typesrelatively smaller than the no of houses frequentl
found in areas of similar climates
• for e.g. Artificial man made islands like Fiji andSolomon
Pile dwellings in new guinea and houses on mou
terraces in the New Hebrides.In south east asia, south america australia follow
conical hut to prevent from wind. They give more
preference to climate than shelter but sometimes
the principles that religious proscription and taboo
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Introduce discomfort and complications and bec
More important than climatic factors.In arctic regions the forms of dwellings of
Different peoples differ for e.g.
Eskimos and athabascanas these forms cannotExplained in terms of climate alone. The Eskimo
Summer and winter dwellings have a similar plan
consisting of rooms arranged radially off but this
Plan is not found in other cultures in similar clima
In the same way it becomes difficult to accept th
Round house type in loyaly islands and new cale
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Use it as they retain heat of quite all night withou
the need for coveringThere are also cases in which the shelters are
concentrated more on economical activity rather
than climate. For e.g. The hidatsa of the Missour
valley were agriculturalists from apr to nov, gro
Corn & beans. During that period they lived in a
lar house of dia 30 to 40 feet with five foot walls
Made up of tree trunks with four central columns14 feet high supporting the grass roof
• From dec to march they hunted buffalo and us
Teeps like that of plain Indians.
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They adopted two ways of life and the dual econ
Base, although climatically the reverse would be-ted
In other areas in the same valley the climate is
Identical, tepees were the only house form used.• Among the southwest pomo Indians of Californi
Being on the coast in summer & on the ridges of
in winter the form of the house didn't change. On
House door faced away from the wind
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• One assumption might be that these houses mi
Be introduced from elsewhere & a status of symb
Of some powerful group.
• They typical open houses in jungle area around
Iquitos can be seen in native port of belen with
Identical frame and construction, the addition ofSolid walls is the only major change
• This makes the house uncomfortable but they
• They become a symbol of status in the new cult And meets the requirements of privacy.
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Anticlimatic solutions are found in many parts of th
world. For e.g. In Amazon jungle settlers got India
Build houses for them. But they imported brick an
Marble and built thick walled mansions which abs
Moisture, mouldered and led to disease.
These houses still stand ruined and deserted and lby squatters who cannot afford anything.
A similar cultural import is the chinese house i
malaya which came from a very different area butIs built side by side with malay house which is bett
suited to the climate.
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The former is urban and the latter is rural, but th
Courtyard plan and heavy masonry constructionChinese house make little sense in hot humid a
Materials, construction &
technology
“ for more than thousands of years wood & stonHave determined the character of buildings”
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The wood and stone have been used in architec
Both in past and present
the building techniques , wind break techniques
rectangular , circular dwellings were formed.
more sophisticated forms are used for ceremon
buildingsMaterials, construction & technology are best treat
As modifying factors, rather than form determinan
Because they decide neither what is to be built noForm.
they make possible the enclosure of a space
organization decided upon for other reasons & m
That or anizations
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They facilitate and make possible or impossible
Certain decisions, but never decide or determine
The plans of igloo and tent are same but they usVery different material.to
Materials do a make a difference according to th
NecessityThe eskimos cannot build a snow igloo in summe
There is no snow, so rather depend on what mat
Is inevitableIn japan thatch takes on many forms, sizes & slop
The sizes of roof beams are related to their functio
A status symbol
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All roofs in china are of tile yet the forms within o
village may differ greatly due to the influence of-shui
The pueblos are all built of the same material
Considering only those enclosing plazas we find
different forms such as
E shaped
Oval shaped
RoundRectangular
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There are also situations in which climatic needs h
Led to structurally non optimal forms as in the case
Ashanti & iranian huts with heavy walls & especialRoof on a slender.
SITEThe imporatnce of site is shown by almost mysticaAttachement of primitive, cultures to the land testifi
To by the care with which land is treated with hous
Placed on itFor e.g. Southwest pomo Indians of california have
Refused to leave a site which is unsatisfactory in t
Of access to work and shopping because of its tra
nature
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In the past , when these same Indians moved from
Coastal location in the summer mountain ridges in
Winter , their houses remained unchanged irrespe of the site.
The impact of site on crops is more critical than on
Form, yet even crops in particular area may changthey have done in ceylon from spices to coffee to t
To rubber
Similar site conditon can result in different house f Similar forms can be built on very different sites
Nature prepares the site & man organizes it enable
To satisfy his desires and his needs
li i
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religionReligion affects the form , plan, spatial arrangeme
And orientation of the house. The reason for a culNever having a round is due to the needs of cosmi
orientation ie a round house cannot be easily orie
In africa the distributions of round and rectangular
houses is related to the distributions of religion.
defense
Defense has bee cited more to account for tight ur pattern than to expalin in the form of dwellings
The unsocialable englishmen prefers to live near h
Even if he walks 5 miles to visit his neighbours