KERALA

ARCHITETURE
INTRODUCTION

Kerala, the wonderful state in south India has a culture

and tradition found nowhere in the rest of the country.
Kerala architecture is a kind of architectural style that is
mostly found in The Indian state of Kerala.

The same goes for the architecture in Kerala, where you

can see buildings, palaces and monuments built with
local resources and in perfect harmony with nature and
climatic conditions.
It is worth noting that the materials used for constructing
religious refuges were quite different from the materials
used for building people’s homes.
Kerala architecture follows Thathu shastra, a science of
carpentry that governs the building/construction
nuances. The most distinctive feature of Kerala
architecture lies in the long, steep roofs that were built
primarily to withstand the heavy monsoons.
According to the science of Vasthu, every structure on
Earth has a life of its own and when built in the right way,
following the rules, it is possible for one to enjoy
harmony and success in life.
a typical Kerala house, you will find a large home built
within a large courtyard. Kerala houses were integrated
with Nalukkettus(4 blocked structures), Ettukkettu(8
blocked structures) or Pathinarukkettu(16 blocked
structures) depending on the affluence of the owner.
Vastu Sashthrahas always been an enigma to the outside
world. Millions of people come here every year to enjoy
the treasures of Kerala and to marvel at the stunning
architecture.
Geography

The characteristic regional expression of Kerala

architecture results from the geographical, climatic and
historic factors. Geographically Kerala is a narrow strip of
land lying in between seaboard of peninsular India and
confined between the towering Western Ghats on its
east and the vast Arabian sea on its west. Favored by
plentiful rains due to Monsoon and bright sunshines, this
land is lush green with vegetation and rich in animal life.
In the uneven terrain of this region human habitation is
distributed thickly in the fertile low-lands and sparsely
towards the hostile highlands. Heavy rains have brought
in presence of large water bodies in form of lakes, rivers,
backwaters and lagoons. The climatic factors thus made
its significant contributions in developing the
architecture style, to counter wettest climatic conditions
coupled with heavy humidity and harsh tropical
summers.
While Western Ghats isolated Kerala to a greater extent
from Indian empires, the exposure of Arabian sea on its
east brought in close contacts between the ancient
people of Kerala with major maritime civilizations like
Egyptians, Romans, Arabs etc. The Kerala's rich spice
cultivations brought it center of global maritime trade
until modern periods, helping several international
powers to actively engage with Kerala as a trading
partners. This helped in
bring in influences of these civilizations into Kerala
architecture.
origin

The characteristic regional expression of Kerala

architecture results from the geographical, climatic and
historic factors.

Geographically Kerala is a narrow strip of land lying in

between seaboard of peninsular India and confined between
the towering Western Ghats on its east and the vast Arabian
Sea on its west. Favoured by plentiful rains due to Monsoon
and bright sunshines, this land is lush green with vegetation
and rich in animal life.
In the uneven terrain of this region human habitation is
distributed thickly in the fertile low-lands and sparsely towards
the hostile highlands. Heavy rains have brought in presence of
large water bodies in form of lakes, rivers, backwaters and
lagoons.
The climatic factors thus made its significant contributions in
developing the architecture style, to counter wettest climatic
conditions coupled with heavy humidity and harsh tropical
summers.
History

Kerala Architecture is one of the most exciting examples of

preservation of vernacular styles;multiple foreign influences,
and Aryan invasion, and Dravidian culture of different rulers
and neighbours failed to swamp its independence.The earliest
traces of constructions in Kerala belong to a period roughly
between 3000 B.C. and 300 B.C.
The evolution of domestic architecture of Kerala followed
closely the trend of development in temple architecture. The
primitive models of circular, square or rectangular plain shapes
with a ribbed roof evolved from functional consideration.
Structurally the roof frame was supported on the pillars on
walls erected on a plinth raised from the ground for protection
against dampness and insects in the tropical climate.
Often the walls were also of timbers abundantly available in
Kerala. Gable windows were evolved at the two ends to provide
attic ventilation when ceiling was incorporated for the room
spaces. This ensured air circulation and thermal control for the
roof. The lower ends of the rafters projected beyond the walls
to shade the walls from the sun and driving rain. The main door
faced only one cardinal direction and the windows are small
and made of wood. The square or rectangular plan is usually
divided into two or three activity rooms with access from a
front passage. By 10th century, the theory and practice of
domestic architecture were codified in books and attempted to
standardize house construction suited to strengthen the
construction tradition among craftsmen.
The traditional ones, especially carpenters, preserved the
knowledge by rigidly following the canonical rules of
proportions of different elements as well as the construction
details. To this day the domestic architecture of Kerala follows
the style of detached building; row houses seen in other parts
of India are neither mentioned in Kerala texts nor put up in
practice except in settlements occupied by Tamil or Konkani
Brahmins.

Cultural Relevance

The locational feature of Kerala has influenced the social

development and indirectly the style of construction. In
the ancient times the Arabian sea and the Ghats formed
impenetrable barriers helping the evolution of an
isolated culture of Proto-Dravidians, contemporary to the
Harappan civilisation. The earliest vestiges of
constructions in Kerala belong to this period dated
between 3000 B.C.[citation needed] to 300 B.C
. They can be grouped into two types – tomb cells and
megaliths. The rock cut tomb cells are generally located
in the laterite zones of central Kerala, for example at
Porkalam, Thrissur district. The tombs are roughly oblong
in plan with single or multiple bed chambers with a
rectangular court in the east from where steps rise to the
ground level. Another type of burial chamber is made of
four slabs placed on edges and a fifth one covering them
as a cap stone. One or more such dolmens are marked by
a stone circle
. Among the megaliths are the umbrella stones
("kudakkal"), resembling handless palm leaf umbrellas
used for covering pits enclosing burial urns. Two other
types of megaliths, hat stones ("thoppikkal") and menhirs
("pulachikkal") however have no burial appendages.
They appear to be rather memorial stones. The megaliths
are not of much architectural significance, but they speak
of the custom of the primitive tribes erecting memorials
at sites of mortuary rites. These places later became the
annual meeting grounds of the tribes and gave rise to
occult temples of ancestral worship. While the custom of
father worship can be seen in these cases, the protecting
deities of the villages were always in female form, who
were worshiped in open groves ("kavu"). These
hypaethral temples had trees, stone symbols of Mother
Goddesses or other naturalistic or animistic image as
objects of worship. The continuity of this early culture is
seen in the folk arts, cult rituals, worship of trees,
serpents and mother images in kavus.
Traditional Kerala Architecture

Kerala architecture is a kind of architectural style that is

mostly found in the Indian state of Kerala. Kerala's style
of architecture is a unique Hindu temple architecture
that emerged in the southwest part of India, in its
striking contrast to Dravidian architecture which is
normally practiced in other parts of South India. The
architecture of Kerala has been performed/followed
according to Indian Vedic architectural science (Vastu
Shastra) and part of Dravidian Architecture, one of the
three styles of temples mentioned in the ancient books
of Vastu Shastra.
The Tantrasamuchaya, Thachu-Shastra, Manushyalaya-
Chandrika, and Silparatna are important architectural
sciences, which have had a strong impact in Kerala
Architecture style. The Manushyalaya-Chandrika, a work
devoted to domestic architecture is one such science
that has its strong roots in Kerala
Building Materials

The natural building materials available for construction in

Kerala are stones, timber, clay and palm leaves. Granite is a
strong and durable building stone; however its availability is
restricted mostly to the highlands and only marginally to other
zones. Laterite on the other hand is the most abundant stone
found as outcrops in most zones.
Soft laterite available at shallow depth can be easily cut,
dressed and used as building blocks. It is a rare local stone
which gets stronger and durable with exposure at atmospheric
air. Laterite blocks may be bonded in mortars of shell lime,
which have been the classic binding material used in traditional
buildings.
Such enriched mortars were used for plastering or for serving
as the base for mural painting and low relief work. Timber is the
prime structural material abundantly available in many varieties
in Kerala – from bamboo to teak. Perhaps the skillful choice of
timber, accurate joinery, artful assembly and delicate carving of
wood work for columns, walls and roofs frames are the unique
characteristics of Kerala architecture.Palm leaves were used
effectively for thatching the roofs and for making partition wall
Common Features Of Traditional Architecture

Padippura

Structure containing a door.forming part of compound

wall..Tiled roof on top.Formal entry to the compound with the
house .Traditional type lamp below the roof.
Nadumuttom

Considered the prime centre of the home, the courtyard is an

open area, (also open to the sky ) situated in the exact middle
of the house, dividing the house into four sides. A tulsi plant or
a tree is normally placed in centre of the courtyard, and is
worshipped. Architecturally the logic is allow the tree to act as
a natural air purifier.
Chuttu varanda

From the ‘POOMUKHAM’ you can walk through ‘CHUTTU

VERANDA’ to either side in front of the house through open
passage called ‘VERANDAH’
Charupady

By the side of ‘CHUTTU VERANDA’ and

‘POOMUKHAM’, wooden benches with carved decorative
resting wooden pieces for resting the back are provided
POOMUKHAM

Entrance of the house- climbing up steps in the front.

Slope tile roof with pillars supporting roof. Sides arei
opien
Vernacular Architecture

Kerala Architecture is one of the most exciting examples

of preservation of vernacular styles. The primitive models
of circular, square or rectangular plain shapes with a
ribbed roof evolved from functional consideration.
evolution of domestic architecture of Kerala followed
closely the trend of development in temple architecture
.The climate of Kerala greatly influenced the traditional
architecture. The natural building materials available for
construction in Kerala i.e. stones, timber, clay and palm
leaves have anchored and guided the acceptance or
rejection of outside influences
Domestic Architecture

There are five types of traditional domestic

architecture or Veedu in Kerala, namely:the
wretched humble house, unknown by any building
treatise of Kerala, belongs to ordinary folks and

tribal people/ adivasis (cheri, chala, kudi, variyam or

pisharam or pumatham);the Ekasala, an I-shaped
single rectangular hall house,belongs to farmers or
middle-class non-farmers;the Nalukettu, a
courtyard house, belongs to landlords;the great
mansion Ettuketu and Patinjarukettu (double
ettukettu) or much bigger structures, belong to very
rich landlords; commoner houses are simple
ordinary houses scattered abundantly in the cities
and villages. Literally, the local term of house--
veedu--means home and signifies no important
structural arrangement. Classical Indian
architecture acknowledges a concentric
arrangement of buildings and a generic spatial
structure of the sala or hall. The Ekasala is a single
hall house, dvisala a two-hall house, trisala a three-
hall house, catusala a four-hall house/courtyard
house. The Nalukettu is the only local term for
house that implies structural importance since it is
associated with the catusala . There are no local
terms for dvisala, trisala and ekasala, they are
simply called veedu.
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE

Temple architecture

The variety of temples, numbering more than 2000

dotting the Kerala state has no match with any other
regions of India.
The temples of Kerala highly developed in strict
accordance to two temple construction thesis, Thantra-
Samuchayam and Shilparatnam. While the former deals
in developing structures that regulates energy flows so
that positive energy flows in, while negative energy do
not trend to remain retarded within the structure;
whereas the latter deals in developing stone and timber
architecture in such manner that each carved structure
imbibe a life and personality of its own.

Church architecture

The evolution of the church architecture of Kerala springs

from two sources – the first from the work of Apostle St.
Thomas and the Syrian Christians and second from the
missionary work of European settlers. The tradition has it
that St. Thomas who landed in Muziris in 52 AD had
seven churches built in Kerala at Kodungallur, Chayil,
Palur, Paravur-Kottakkavu, Kollam, Niranom and
Kothamangalam, but none of these Syrian churches are
now extant. It is possible that some of the temples were
adapted as Syrian churches for services by the population
who got converted into Syriac Christianity by St. Thomas.
For example, the present Palur Syrian church has
preserved the abhisheka patra (the letter of intonation)
and certain shaiva symbols as the relics of the old church
which is said to have been a Hindu shrine adapted for
Christian worship.

Islamic Architecture

The mosque architecture of Kerala exhibits none of the

features of the Arabic style nor those of the Indo-Islamic
architectures of the imperial or provincial school in north
India. The reason for this is not far to seek. The work of
mosque construction was done by the local Hindu
artisans under instructions of the Muslim religious heads
who wanted to erect the places of worship. The models
for places of worship were only Hindu temples or the
theatre halls (“koothambalam”) and these models are to
be adapted for the new situations. The early mosques in
Kerala consequently resemble the traditional building of
the region. Arabic style of architecture was introduced to
the Malabar area of present-day Kerala, during the
period of occupation by Hyder Ali and later by Tipu
Sultan during the eighteenth century. A large number of
temples were converted to mosques during this period
as evidenced by the traditional Kerala style of these
structures.
Famous Kerala Architectutre

The Padmanabhaswamy temple

It is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvananthapuram, the
state capital of Kerala, India. The name of the city of
Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam translates to “The
City of Lord Ananta” referring to the deity of the
Padmanabhaswamy temple. The temple is built in an
intricate fusion of the Chera style and the Dravidian style
of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century
gopura. While the Ananthapura temple in Kumbla is
considered the original seat of the deity
(“Moolasthanam”), architecturally to some extent, the
temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple in
Thiruvattar.

Jewish Synagogue
Jewish Synagogue or the Paradesi Synagogue is the
oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations,
located in Kochi in South India. It was built in 1568 by the
Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in
the Kingdom of Cochin. It is also referred to as the Cochin
Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The
synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known
as Jew Town, and is the only one of the seven
synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four
buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry
Palace temple on the land given to the Malabari Yehuden
community by the Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma.
Hill Palace

The Hill Palace is renowned by the largest archaeological

museum in the state with 49 building complexes all built
in the traditional style within 52 acres of terraced lands,
ponds and lawns. The Hill Palace is the perfect example
of the classic Ettukkettu Kerala style architecture.
Bekal Fort

Built almost 300 years ago, Bekal Fort is considered as

one of the largest and most preserved forts in Kerala.
Nestled in the lap of nature, Bekal Fort is a historic fort
surrounded by a beautiful beach offering an enchanting
view of Arabian Sea from its high observation tower
where once the cannons were placed. The beautiful
walkway, illuminated beach and the grand architecture
of the Bekal Fort make this place a favourite among the
masses.

Shikhara , Residence
Located at the top of a hilltop in southern india, this
house by wallmakers is titled ‘shikhara’ — a word that
translates literally as ‘mountain peak’. The residence has
been designed for a client who loves to travel and
wanted his own himalayan-style retreat. In order to
shield the west-facing property from the region’s hot
sun, the architects designed a large wall to protect
occupants from harsh heat and direct sunlight.
British Residency

A blend of European, Indian and Tuscan architecture, the

central portion of the building has a rounded front, with
a large gable decoration. Atop the building there is a
crown with a lion seated on it, with the motto Dieuet
mon Droit (God and my right) inscribed above. The 10
feet (3.0m) entrance doors are made up
of glass panes.
Arthunkal Chruch

Integrated with the charm and beauty of Portuguese

style, Arthunkal Church is quite different from what it
was built with initially. In the early years, the church was
built using wood and coconut leaves. Then it was later
rebuilt and became the magnificent structure that we
see today.
CASE STUDY : MACHIYA AND
NALUKETTU

MACHIYA:THE TOWN HOUSE

Machiya are traditional wooden townhouses found

throughout Japan and typified in the historical capital of
Kyoto. Machiya (townhouses) and nōka (farm dwellings)
constitute the two categories of Japanese vernacular
architecture known as minka (folk dwellings). Machiya
originated as early as the Heian period and continued to
develop through to the Edo period and even into the
Meiji period. Machiya housed urban merchants and
craftsmen, a class collectively referred to as chōnin
(townspeople). The word "machiya" is written using two
kanji: "machi" meaning "town", and "ya" meaning
"house" or "shop" depending on the kanji used to
express it.

OVERVIEW OF MACHIYA

Machiya (town house) is a commoners house at the

beginning. Merchants came in during the day and set up
temporary stalls or booth, ransforming the street into
commercial spaces. These structure eventually become
huts including small shop and permanent commercial in
time. Cho-nai was born as the square open block layout
of bo-jo system was vulnerable to attack. The
communities within the gated block formed self

governing associations to organize their defense. These

shops shared a well in their common backyard which is
peculiarity of Machiya architecture even now. As their
business prospered, the citizens rent or brought adjacent
land behind their stores to build their dwelling and
workshops.
NALUKETTU

Nalukettu means four blocks and a typical house built in

this fashion would be divided into a north, south, east,
and west block. The naalukettu was a typical feature of
the Kerala tharavadu tradition, where joint families lived
together for generations with a patriarch and matriarch
overseeing all their affairs.
OVERVIEW OF NALUKETTU
Thatchu Shasthra, or the Science of Carpentry and
Traditional Vasthu, was the governing science in this
architectural form. This branch of knowledge was well
developed in the traditional architecture of Kerala and
has created its own branch of literature known under the
names of Tantrasamuchaya, Vastuvidya, Manushyalaya-
Chandrika, and Silparatna.
Typically made of teak wood or the wood from wild
jackfruit trees, brick, and mud, these houses had superior
ventilation and lighting that kept the house well lit and
aerated at all times. A padippura is a distinguishing
feature atop a naalukettu gate consisting of an elaborate,
temple-like gopuram. The entrance to the house would
have a verandah designed to receive visitors. Inside, the
nadumuttam is surrounded by rooms on all sides like the
ara, a special room meant to store valuables. Granaries,
cattle sheds, kitchen and utility, dining halls, bathrooms,
bedrooms, puja rooms, wells and other purpose-built
spaces filled all the corners of a naalukettu. Another
feature that showcases the technical ingenuity of these
complex yet very thoughtful structures is the roof.
Gabled windows on the top of all naalukettus ensured
cross- ventilation at all times and let in enough light into
the attic while extended rafters gave ample protection
from the heavy rains that are characteristic to Kerala.
REVIEW OF CASE STUDY
Looking into the two structures .i.e. Machiya and
Nalukettu, both are considered as a place where ordinary
people lived. These two varies in size and designed in
such a way that it follows their needs and built according
to their cultures and climatic changes.
CONCLUSION
Understanding about the architecture of a particular
region would give us an insight on how architecture can
function in perfect harmony with nature. The climate
responsive architecture helps in maintaining indoor
environmental quality and also provides us with some
infallible methods and techniques of maintaining human
comfort conditions. These techniques when integrated
with current technologies can help in providing
maximum comfort to occupants with minimum use of
energy