Ve r n a c u l a r A r c h i t e c t u r e

Of Gujarat
 In the urban landscape of India, one of the most
visually appealing spaces is the walled city of
Ahmedabad, known for its intricately carved wooden
architecture and the neighbourhood settlements
of pols.
Pols are enclosed residential clusters entered by
gates, which used to be shut at nights.
The essence of a pol is a network of small streets,
side lanes, shrines and open community spaces with
a chabutaro, a birdhouse raised on a pole to feed
birds in the neighbourhood.
The word pol is derived from the Sanskrit word
pratoli meaning entrance to an enclosed area.
Pols were originally made as a protection
measure when communal riots necessitated
greater security.
Street view of a Pol
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
 THE ORIGIN OF POL SETTLEMENT PATTERN
The pol settlement pattern has a rural origin One enclosing wall is simultaneously
prevalent in the villages of North Gujarat. It the rear wall of a house. With the ends
is also called khadki type of settlement. enclosed off, the settlement forms a
Each house is joined to the next by a closed unit guarded by a single
common party wall and many such houses gateway used by a large number of
form a row opposite it and two rows thus families. The gateway is known as
enclose a space in front, which resembles a khadki.
street but which is, in fact, a common yard. All the families of a khadki are blood
In order to ensure privacy and security, the relations or belong to the same caste.
ends of the common yard are closed off by a Every village has a number of such
wall on one side and a gateway on the other. khadkis belonging to different castes
The rear walls of all the houses which are In cities, khadkis belonging to different
exceptionally thick and have no windows, castes may adjoin each other and may
form a continuous line. all open into a common street, closed
at either end with gates. The city
khadkis are called pols.
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
Faade of Pol house
 Street view of a Pol

Aerial View of a Pol

Highly carved facade of a

wooden house in a pol in
Ahmedabad
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
Various Faades of Pol Houses
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A POL HOUSE
Pol houses have a minimal frontage on
the neighbourhood street, which is itself
quite narrow.
Side walls of the house are shared with
the house next door.
The street faade is heavily treated with
wooden structural and decorative
elements, including carved columns, Plan of a chowk Khadkee oatla
brackets, window shutters and balconies. Pol house
The OATLA Entrance platform
generally a plinth with a row of columns
which marks the limits of the house on
the street. used for sitting outside;
sometimes even for washing dishes and
Section
clothes; In hindu houses religious of a Pol
activities takes place in oatla. house

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad

 CHARACTERISTICS OF A POL HOUSE

Pol housing

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad

 BAITHAK the formal reception space
used for visitors.
The interior rooms were not designated
as living room, dining room or bedroom
rather it is very flexible in use.
Easily movable furniture and bedding
allow migration from room to room to Swing in the parsal
suit the changing family composition or
to accommodate to seasonal changes.
The kitchen, storage rooms for drinking
water and Puja room usually have
definite spaces
ORADA Central Hall
PANIYARA For storing water & grains

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad

 CHOWK the Courtyard is the primary
element of the house.
all other rooms are built around the chowk.
It provides the connection between inside and
outside for much of the house.
Functions as a light well and a ventilating shaft;
moving vertically from the ground floor
through the roof.
Traditionally, being open to the sky, these
spaces infuse in individuals the
consciousness of nature as well as bringing the Chowk of a House
occupants into daily contact with the
supernatural and the mythical.
A water tank is usually located beneath the
floor of the chowk. Access to the underground
water tank
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
 The PARASAL the verandah space around
the court; most utilized spaces in the house.
It serves as a transitional space, between
interior and exterior as well as public and
private spaces.
The swing is hung in the Parasal.
In the parasal, there is a provision for hearth,
where the housewife cooks.
DHUMADIYU chimney
CHULHA - FireplaceThe roofs of the pol
houses are sloping sheds away the
monsoon rains and provides loft space below
for storage.
Flat roofs/ terraces provides area for drying
clothes and sleeping outside during summer.
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
 On the first floor is the DIWANKHANA
the large hall where guests were received.
The living quarters were on the first floor.
The second floor had bedrooms, and in
summer the Agashi (rooftop terrace) was
a pleasant place to sleep under the sky.

Artwork over a Doorway

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
 The wooden door frames and
shutters are engraved
intricately

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad

 CHABUTARO or
CHABUTRO
Chabutaro Bird feeder "a
stone or wooden tower with
artistic canopy over it
constructed to feed birds" is
a salient feature of the
ambience of any pol in
Ahmedabad.
There are nearly 120 of them.
The architecture of a
chabutaro is different from
the rest because it contains
intricate carvings and
complicated interlocking
system of wood.
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
 CLIMATIC CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE FORM
Three walls are common, so reduces surface area exposed to
the sun. Only shorter faade is open for light & Ventilation

Chowk provides porosity to the built mass; also gives a sense of

openness.

Chowk also acts as vent shaft

which sucks the hot air from
the house, providing thermal
Chowk provides comfort in hot dry climate
more surface
area responding The balcony and projections act
to the open space as a buffer protecting inner
for light & spaces from direct sunlight &
ventilation. hot winds.
Pol Houses of Ahmedabad
CLIMATIC CONSIDERATIONS

Even in Ahmedabads hot summer, it was

comfortable inside the house. Cool air
flowed through the front window into the
house, taking the warm air up and out
through the chowk. This cooled the entire
house.

Wood and stone used as

materials for construction
helps in maintaing the comfort
level inside the house.
Use of jaali provides protection
from hot winds.

Pol Houses of Ahmedabad