Alternative theories

What is alternative theory????

The difference in built up forms and house types
in different regions with respect to Their
physical and social factors is called alternative
theory of house forms.


The classification of house types and forms are
Based on the following
Physical factors
Social factors

CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSE
TYPES
PHYSICAL
FACTORS
Climate
Shelter
Material
Technology
Site

SOCIAL FACTORS
Economic defense
Religion

Climate & need for shelter
Climate determinism has been widely accepted in
Architecture as well as in cultural geography.
One need not to deny the importance of climate in
Creation of built form
for e.g. the difference in urban pattern and house
Types within old and new Delhi
In architecture the climate determinist view states
That primitive man is primarily concerned With
shelter and imperatives of climate determine
form
We build houses to keep in a consistent climate and
To keep out predators. We grow, gather and eat food
To keep our metabolism on an even keel bruce aucher
Shelter is of supreme importance to man . It is the
Prime factor in his constant struggle for survival. In
His efforts to shelter himself against the extremes of
Weather and climate he has over the ages evolved many
Types of dwellings- from the book The court garden
House
A more imp consideration is why so many forms of
houses are have been developed within the climatic
zone??? Even the variation in micro climatic types is
relatively smaller than the no of houses frequently
found in areas of similar climates
for e.g. Artificial man made islands like Fiji and
Solomon
Pile dwellings in new guinea and houses on mountains
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 taboos
Introduce discomfort and complications and become
More important than climatic factors.
In arctic regions the forms of dwellings of
Different peoples differ for e.g.
Eskimos and athabascanas these forms cannot be
Explained in terms of climate alone. The Eskimos
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 climates
In the same way it becomes difficult to accept that
Round house type in loyaly islands and new caledonia
Use it as they retain heat of quite all night without
the need for covering
There are also cases in which the shelters are
concentrated more on economical activity rather
than climate. For e.g. The hidatsa of the Missouri
valley were agriculturalists from apr to nov, growing
Corn & beans. During that period they lived in a circu
lar house of dia 30 to 40 feet with five foot walls
Made up of tree trunks with four central columns of
14 feet high supporting the grass roof
From dec to march they hunted buffalo and used
Teeps like that of plain Indians.

They adopted two ways of life and the dual economic
Base, although climatically the reverse would be expec
-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 California
Being on the coast in summer & on the ridges of hills
in winter the form of the house didn't change. Only the
House door faced away from the wind
Primitive and peasant builders regard ceremonial
beliefs prestige and status irrational in terms of
Climate. For e.g. The boro of western amazon and
Other tribes of amazon.
they live in large communal houses
These houses have thatched roof and walls
no provisions for cross ventilation an essential factor
In hot, humid climate.
These factors in such a climate find a worse solution
According to the climatic factors although it might
Be very useful for protecting against insects

One assumption might be that these houses might
Be introduced from elsewhere & a status of symbol
Of some powerful group.
They typical open houses in jungle area around the
Iquitos can be seen in native port of belen with
Identical frame and construction, the addition of
Solid walls is the only major change
This makes the house uncomfortable but they
They become a symbol of status in the new culture
And meets the requirements of privacy.
Anticlimatic solutions are found in many parts of the
world. For e.g. In Amazon jungle settlers got Indians to
Build houses for them. But they imported brick and
Marble and built thick walled mansions which absorbed
Moisture, mouldered and led to disease.
These houses still stand ruined and deserted and lived
by squatters who cannot afford anything.
A similar cultural import is the chinese house in
malaya which came from a very different area but still
Is built side by side with malay house which is better
suited to the climate.
The former is urban and the latter is rural, but the
Courtyard plan and heavy masonry construction of
Chinese house make little sense in hot humid area
Materials, construction &
technology
for more than thousands of years wood & stone
Have determined the character of buildings
The wood and stone have been used in architecture
Both in past and present
the building techniques , wind break techniques , in
rectangular , circular dwellings were formed.
more sophisticated forms are used for ceremonial
buildings
Materials, construction & technology are best treated
As modifying factors, rather than form determinants
Because they decide neither what is to be built nor its
Form.
they make possible the enclosure of a space
organization decided upon for other reasons & modify
That organizations
They facilitate and make possible or impossible
Certain decisions, but never decide or determine form
The plans of igloo and tent are same but they use
Very different material.to
Materials do a make a difference according to their
Necessity
The eskimos cannot build a snow igloo in summer when
There is no snow, so rather depend on what material
Is inevitable
In japan thatch takes on many forms, sizes & slopes
The sizes of roof beams are related to their function as
A status symbol
All roofs in china are of tile yet the forms within one
village may differ greatly due to the influence of teng
-shui
The pueblos are all built of the same material & yet
Considering only those enclosing plazas we find
different forms such as
E shaped
Oval shaped
Round
Rectangular



There are also situations in which climatic needs have
Led to structurally non optimal forms as in the case of
Ashanti & iranian huts with heavy walls & especially,
Roof on a slender.
SITE
The imporatnce of site is shown by almost mystical
Attachement of primitive, cultures to the land testified
To by the care with which land is treated with houses
Placed on it
For e.g. Southwest pomo Indians of california have
Refused to leave a site which is unsatisfactory in terms
Of access to work and shopping because of its traditional
nature

In the past , when these same Indians moved from
Coastal location in the summer mountain ridges in the
Winter , their houses remained unchanged irrespective
of the site.
The impact of site on crops is more critical than on
Form, yet even crops in particular area may change as
they have done in ceylon from spices to coffee to tea
To rubber
Similar site conditon can result in different house forms
Similar forms can be built on very different sites
Nature prepares the site & man organizes it enables him
To satisfy his desires and his needs
religion
Religion affects the form , plan, spatial arrangements,
And orientation of the house. The reason for a culture
Never having a round is due to the needs of cosmic
orientation ie a round house cannot be easily oriented
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 urban
pattern than to expalin in the form of dwellings
The unsocialable englishmen prefers to live near his work
Even if he walks 5 miles to visit his neighbours
The social greek prefers to live in a crowded village
among his friends even tough he walks miles for his
Fields
The compact towns of greeks are attributed to the
needs defense, lack of money ,and the need to conserve
it.
Defense plays a vital role in the form of the house and
Use of palisades and fencess have a defensive implica
-tions
Many factors are neglected by accepting defense as a
determinant form. Element of choiceof which method
of defense is to be used is of great importance