Re-Interpretation of Indo-

Portuguese Architecture In Goa

How has the spirit of Goan Architecture

been brought about even with the use of
contemporary materials and techniques?
I think parts of Goa have been marred by some very bad ‘modern’
buildings. So nowadays, many people insist that everything should have
a kind of “old-fashioned’ look – which often turns out to be real kitsch.
Of course, you can use tiles on a house and make it very elegant, but
you can also put them on in a really dreadful way. The same is true of
‘balcões’. In themselves, they are not a panacea, a remedy for beauty.
Today, Goa seems to be fast sliding into a state of pathological
nostalgia. We build as though we’ve forgotten we may have a future. Of
course Goa’s future has to be based on a solid understanding of its
culture – but architecture must reinvent the expression of that culture,
in today’s materials, and in the context of today’s aspirations. We don’t
have to build exactly the same kind of architecture that the Portuguese
did, do we? In any case we’re not even doing that. All we are really
building is a cartoon version of the Portuguese architecture. Goa is a
more serious place than just a cartoon

Charles Correa
Before

ABSTRACT
Traditional Architecture is always strongly rooted in its region. It is based on over hundreds of
years of experience and never fails, as long as it is carried out in the right way. With changing
times however, there arises a conflict: which is the right type of architecture to move forward?
Goa is going through a similar dilemma. Of course Goa’s future has to be based on a solid
understanding of its culture – but architecture must reinvent the expression of that culture, in
today’s materials, and in the context of today’s aspirations. This research paper is aimed at
examining the transition of Goan Architecture from the 18th century till today. The 18th century
was a major point in history for Goa because that was when the ‘Goan identity’ was forged;
Goan Architecture reached its peak here. Architects and designers over the years have been
influenced a lot by the Modern movement and technological innovations of the world since
then. By referring to various books and journals that have extensively documented Goan
After
Architecture, and also through some case studies of present day buildings the paper is aimed to
find out how the spirit of Goan Architecture has been retained, if at all it has been, in today’s
context.
 OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVES
1.To do a brief study 5.To learn about how 7.To see if it is still
2.Studying how the
of how the 3.To identify the ‘Goan Architecture’ possible to achieve
Portuguese style 4. To analyse
Portuguese elements of this came into existence, 6.To study the the ‘Goanness’ in
merged with the whether it worked in
influenced the amalgamation of and how it gained transition of the style modern buildings,
vernacular style to context to Goa’s
architectural architecture, and impetus after the till the 21st century. not forgetting the
give Indo-Portuguese climate and lifestyle
their symbolism. decline of context and climate.
landscape of Goa. architecture.
Portuguese rulers.
 Methodology
‘’One must recall that the houses of the mid 18th to the early 20th centuries
The materials used for research will be
became expressions of the Goan ethnic identity.
books, magazine articles, online articles and journals This is proved by the fact there are no traces of a porch in the Goan houses
built before this period. And many houses of the early 18th century vintage
Secondary case studies have added a balcao as an after thought. By the end of the 19th century all
the houses had integrated the balcao into the overall design of the house.’’
Observations

The dissertation can be split into two parts. GOA IN THE PAST, AND GOA IN
RECENT TIMES.

Without a solid understanding of Goa’s traditional architecture, one will not

be able to evaluate todays examples.

One of the objectives of this dissertation is to identify the elements of

traditional Goan Architecture. This will be done through books which have
already documented a substantial amount of buildings. To make a better
assessment, the analysis will be done in chronological order. i.e. 18th century,
19th century, 20th century. Etc. The aim of this part of the study is that by
looking at the form and the elevation of the building, it will automatically
strike oneself that it belongs to so and so time period.

The later part, pertaining to the recent times will be done through case
studies, photographs, writings from the architect himself and various critics
will be used to come up with the overall analysis of these modern buildings
and how they responded to context.

The final part of the dissertation will include my analysis and conclusion.
 18th Century
The architecture of the late 18th century can be
said to have produced two main types of
facades. The single storied façade of the
courtyard house and the double storied
façade. Examples of the third type – the house
with the chapel integrated in its façade – also
exist
Some of the features prevailent in early 18th century The single storied/courtyard house
buildings are
The single storied house as a type was fully
1. Front planar facades acceptable to the wealthy families in Goa. The
Hindus, of course, had been living in this house
2. Emphasis being on the top storey in case of
type and it has always been the acceptable type
double storied houses for the rich and the poor with only the scale of the
3. Vertical and horizontal division of the façade houses and the number of courtyards varying, to
with mouldings and pilasters reflect the economic status of the house owner.
4. The ornamentation was a combination of the
Mannerist and Rococo styles.

Sloping roof to
Moulded protect from
cornice the monsoons
and for climatic
control
Façade consists of
a row of
windows, usually
symmetrically
arranged with the
main door Low plinth
standing out.
The double storied house
The double storied house or Casa de Sobrado is a throwback of the Portuguese
double storied mansion. It maintained the European sense of form. Even so, it
was still within the Goan tradition and the main rooms following the andar
nobile syndrome in that the houses never went above two storeys and the living
areas were on the first floor while service rooms were on the ground floor
This feature of a pediment above a window bay
on the first floor is characteristic of the Italian
Classical style. The other details typical of Italian
Classical architecture are the fluted pilasters with
a Corinthian capital and the pilasters in true
Baroque style which alternate with windows
dividing the façade into a number of bays.

Sloping roof with

descript eavesboard

Elaborate Pilasters dividing

Cornice the façade into
several bays

Corbelled
balconies in the Ground floor
second storey windows were plain
and unornamented
while upper storey
windows were
elaborately
ornamented and had
decorative railings
and grills.
The half storeyed house

The transition from the sobrado or double storied house and the single storied
house led to the emergence of the half storied or meio sobrado house form.
The height of the plinth in these houses ranged from 3 feet to 7 or 8 feet
leading to an interesting array of plinth details.
 19th century houses had
decorative woodwork used
extensively on their
facades.

Crowning the balcao was

the symbol of the
Portuguese nobility and
powers- the gabled roof. It is
possible that while imitating
the rulers, Goan
householders used this
device to reiterate their
own authority.
The traditional house had a The Goans added the balcao to the The balcao led to the verandah, and this
plain verandah in its front. buildings; a marriage of styles led to a pattern of the entire front and
happened eventually between the sometimes sides of the house covered with
Goan and the Portuguese a verandah.
Features of traditional Goan Architecture In terms of material:
1. Use of laterite as building material and clay tiles for roofing. Use of very
1. Rooms organized about a courtyard. earthly materials, which made the structure breathable.
2. The balcao – a device for opening out to the world. It had 2. Mother-of-pearl shell windows, which gave opacity and let in light. It was
built in seats too, acted as a major interaction space. later replaced by glass.
3. Use of transition elements – the balcao and the verandah, 3. Cast iron railings
collonades in public buildings- they serve the purpose of 4. Intricate wooden carvings in the eavesboards or railings.
shade as well.
4. Use of ornaments and decorative elements such as
exposed pillars, elaborate compound walls, elaborate
railings, exquisite eavesboards and decorated gateposts.
5. Emphasis on the upper storeys in case of double storied
structures.
6. Vertical and horizontal division of the façade with
mouldings and pilasters.
7. Elevated plinths to give the feeling of grandeur.
8. Sloping roofs to protect from the fierce monsoon, they
were usually high so as to help in cooling the building.
9. Cornices to project the roof slightly more outside.
10. Many large ornamental windows with distinct designs to
identify the house
11. Outward looking street facing layouts.
12. Use of dramatic colors to draw attention and add character.
White was forbidden for private houses, only churches and
government buildings could be painted white, although the
trimmings in houses would be painted white.
The Balcao – Symbol of Goan Identity

he Goan house of the Late Phase differs from Portuguese secular architecture in
the form of the porch or balcao and the details of its ornamentation. This single
element can be said to be the symbol of Goan Architecture.
The balcao could be described as a colonadded porch with seats built into the
sides, a kind of open hall accordant with the ideas of decorum. It extended into
the public space and is not a balcony as its name would suggest. It is the Goan
houses device for opening up to the outer world.

• The balcao was also the favourite place of all the elderly members of the
family. This is where they’d sit and chat, rest and doze off. It is from here that
they could watch the village activities and hence feel part of the village
community without exercising much effort.

• An area of transition as one moves from the dazzling sunlight into the cool of
the house, it also functions as preparation ground for moving out into the
sunshine of the outside world.

• The Balcao is not a balcony as its name would suggest. Its not a verandah
either.
 Eaves boards Pilasters and Cornices Pillars and Columns
The veranda
Eavesboards are the gable ends and The pilaster itself can be divided into three A stylistic analysis of pillars and columns is
The veranda that covered the entire width
eaves of timber roofs decorated with parts- the capital, the shaft and the base. quite complex as they are a rather mixed bag
of the house evolved from the balcao. This
carved timber fascias. The design of In Goan secular architecture the Tuscan of architectural styles. The extensive variety
veranda is covered with a simple lean to
eaves boards in Goan houses is generally Order was most frequently used. The most of mouldings found in the columns in Goa can
roof that is tiled and supported on slender
very simple. The width of the board is commonly featured detail is the one in be classified into three types – flat or square,
wooden columns. The tiled roof of this
around 6 to 8 inches thick. Called which the capital is straight. After the 18th convex and concave. It can be presumed that
veranda is then pitched against the wall of
sunderpatti in Marathi and paanpatti in century, however a variety of details were by the 19th century more slender columns
the central area of the house (slightly
Konkani, eaves boards performed dual used. The neck of the capital tended to be were used and the large bulky columns were
below the main roof) giving the house an
functions. They cut off glare during the incurvated and came to be popularly out of favour.
elegant two-tiered effect and drawing
day and give additional aesthetic value known as the Indian Tuscan. A vertical
attention to the decorative cornice.
to the eaves. emphasis on the building was achieved
with the use of pilasters. The repetitive
use of this column-like projection, along
Railings
Perhaps the most intricate embellishment in
Goan buildings is seen in the design of the
railings.
Railings were often made from wooden strips
laced together to create patterns or from
carved wooden strips arranged together
vertically. Railing design on the veranda were
often reflected at the base of the window.
These carvings, mainly bas relief done on
wooden panels were sometimes cut through
leaving fenestrations, not only creating visual
interest but also helping in the reduction of
glare in the house.
Windows
Face a Goan house upfront and the first
thing that strikes the eye is its windows.
Simple, functional or heavily ornamented,
these impressive apertures lend charm and
grace to the buildings of Goa in their own
inimitable way. Windows gave facades
character and personality.
Much before glass was made available in
Goa, Goans covered their windows in a
unique and indigenous manner. Mother-of-
pearl shells, collected from the shallow
mangrove forests along the estuaries, were
dressed to make up 2’’ x 2’’ square pieces
of translucent nacre. These pieces were
then fitted, one by one by hand, into
wooden battens.
Doors
Facades of most buildings in Goa were
symmetrical with the entrance door
occupying the place of honour at the
centre of the façade. Added prominence
was given to the entrance door by its
dimension. As compared to the other
doors, the entrance was always larger.
The dimensions and properties of the
other doorways were dictated by the
practical requirements of access and
construction.
Color
Before the introduction of chemical dyes
Goan houses were coloured in vegetable
and natural dyes. This limited the choice of
colours to red (from red oxide), burnt red
(from clay) and blue (from indigo). As more
colours and dyes began to be made
available, a variety of pastels – cornflower
blue, pistachio green, yellow ochre and
light brown- began to add to the showcase.
As houses became grander and more
elaborate, these colours began to be used
as bases for walls, while white was used to
emphasize trimmings and mouldings.
20th & 21st century

In the past, Goa's identity was defined by its beautiful natural environment together
with the prevalent Indo-Portuguese and vernacular styles of architecture. Since
architecture mirrors local material culture, and there had been little change in that
culture for centuries, Goan architecture remained relatively static until the 1960s.

• However, a few stray examples of a far different architectural style did crop up.
The earliest, the Mandovi Hotel at Panaji, was built to cater to the influx of visitors
expected to attend the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier in 1952. Built in Art Deco
style, designed by architects from Bombay.

After Liberation (post 1962)
• With Liberation, an initial lull was followed by a spurt in building very
undistinguished Bombay-style storied apartment blocks, a way of living
hitherto alien to Goa. But with good schools, cinemas, and other recreational
facilities coming up in towns, and the public transportation system very poor,
people opted to move into the towns.
• Thus, apartment blocks proliferated. This brought in a breed of developers
who, to maximize their profits, built cramped flats with rooms like cubby
holes, which unfortunately were quickly snapped up; and so it continues till
today.
• With storied blocks coming up, sloping mangalore-tiled roofs gave way to flat
reinforced cement concrete slab-terraced roofs. This trend carried over to
individual bungalows as well. Though apartment blocks in general were very
undistinguished, there was much innovation in other building types.
During this same period, three buildings strongly influenced by Le Corbusier came up: the
Minor Seminary at Pilar, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries at Panaji, and the
Carmelite Monastery Church at Margao. The first two, with their elevational treatment and
structures for recreational activities on the roof, were photogenically very appropriate for
architectural magazines, but actually not suited for Goa.
The exposed concrete walls accumulated heat and became badly disfigured after the rains
due to fungus formation.
With tourism flourishing, hotels have proliferated, especially along the coast. Ironically, this
sector did not innovate and explore elements rooted in the cultural milieu; instead, seeking to
attract rich Western tourists, the luxury hotels indulged in ostentatious decor bordering on the
ridiculous when they depicted a distant period in history or even another exotic country.
Gulf expatriates brought new wealth into Goa, resulting in increased demand for planned
housing developments. Unfortunately, tasteless and overly decorative bungalows took centre
stage, vying to outdo each other.
Hotel Cidade De Goa, Dona Paula, Goa

The search for an appropriate architectural response will thus have to be looked Murals and sculpture are used not just to provide references to local
for elsewhere, and the answer could be in the popular Hotel Cidade de Goa in traditions and events, but really to bring back into balance the
Dona Paula, a serious attempt to reinterpret Goa's vernacular architectural spatial tensions generated by the builtform.
language, by overlaying it with Portuguese urbanism. The plan-form is a simple
parallel wall structure placed perpendicular to the contours; subtle variations in
the projections of the facades create an impression of a clustered Mediterranean
village.
 Taverna, a typical Goan bar.

One gets the impression of a village, with cultural elements and motifs.

Murals and sculpture are used not just to provide references to local
traditions and events, but really to bring back into balance the Traditional
spatial tensions generated by the builtform. elements like
built in seating in
balcaos are used.
CASE STUDY: Kala Academy, Panjim, Goa

The Kala Academy is a large cultural institution built on the banks of the
Mandovi at Panjim. The Kala Academy project undertook significant
innovations in spatial organization.

• A modernist plan-form of post and beam construction on an orthogonal

grid offered the architect the necessary variation in dimensions
demanded by a programme that makes use of several performance
halls, exhibition galleries, informal public gathering places, etc.

• The relatively low rise mass is spread horizontally and organized around
an innovative ground plan with an open 'street' going through the entire
building. This allows one to enter the building without being self-
conscious about entering; it makes an otherwise serious public
institution seem less "institutional" and more relaxed and
appropriate.(Frampton)
 Spaces laid out around a
semi-open courtyard, a
traditional element in
houses, especially the Goan
Hindu house. It facilitates
ventilation as well as acts as
a congregation area.

The ‘Open Street’, A reference to a

traditional Goan street.
The architect has used the local material, laterite, extensively. The laterite merges well with the concrete post and
beam system.

On the walls of the auditorium is painted

the illusion of an old Goan theatre,
complete with balconies peopled with
typical locals, drawn by the renowned
Goan artist Mario Miranda.

Fragments of the Goan jungle have been

painted on the ceiling. Spotlights fall on it
at the beginning and end of shows, and
give an illusion to the audience.
The relationship of architecture to the other arts is a crucial one.
In the Hotel Cidade de Goa (1978-82) at Dona Paula, for instance,
murals and sculpture are used not just to provide references to local
traditions and events, but really to bring back into balance the
spatial tensions generated by the builtform.

This is also attempted in the Kala Akademi (1973-83) in Panaii.

These projects, both sited in Goa, use elements from the kit-of-
parts developed together earlier with abstract colour and realistic
images, setting up a dialectic between builtform and visual imagery
– a complex interaction which can adds layers of metaphorical and
metaphysical dimensions to architecture.

Both these projects are noteworthy as they created an identity of

contemporary Goa and did not merely express a commonly held idea
of what Goa is all about. In a contemporary context, they
reinterpreted elements — the clustered village and the public street
that have only an indirect association with Goa, derived mainly from
the Portuguese past. However, they express a large and remembered
part of Goa and to that extent are credible and successful attempts at
defining and expressing our identity.
CONCLUSION

• Not much has been done to preserve the Goan spirit of Architecture. And sometimes a
little too much has been done!
• For example, while apartment builders have made extensive use of concrete and
designed a characterless ‘box’, hotel and resort owners have tried to create an image of
Portuguese-Goa in their designs, in an attempt to lure tourists and claim they can offer
a ‘traditional experience’ and the result is an over rated cartoon. Goa is a much more
serious place than a cartoon.

HOUSES OF GOA MUSEUM

Porvorim
TAJ VIVANTA HOTEL, Panjim View of New Panjim Gerard da Cunha
• There may be the argument that the state must progress and explore new styles of architecture
with the technology available and with the commercial industry booming, but that would be true
to any region in the world, and if everyone follows the same thing, how is architecture region
specific? What would be the difference between a house in say, Jaipur and a house in Goa.
Technology should rather be used to further improve the traditional elements of the
architecture of the region.

• Laterite structures with sloping roof are ‘breathing’ structures. Concrete on the other hand
forces the user to use air conditioning and concrete itself becomes damp and is attacked by
fungus.

• Talking about context, one interesting point is that all Goan buildings are beautifully placed with Mira Bay Resort, Candolim
respect to the site and other buildings. One sees the whole only as so many fragmentary pictures
that are still in harmony with landscape; scenery becomes a very important partner in place-
making. The boundaries between what is nature and what is man-made are blurred, as is the
case in rural Goa.

• A minimal building lets a certain element stand out and speak louder. Architects have used this to
emphasize the building material – LATERITE which is symbolic of Goa.

• Use of Earthly colours. Use of white to make a reference to the past. Earlier, only churches and
important buildings were allowed to be painted white. Houses would paint their trimmings
white. Many a times nowadays, white has been blended with the earthly colours in elevations.

• The right way forward for Goan Architecture is thus to find the right balance in reinterpretation XANTA ASHRAM, Vasco
of the vernacular language.
Application in thesis

• Being able to design functional buildings, suited for the

needs of the present, and in context with the region,
but maintaining the traditional spirit of Goan
Architecture.

• Using modern day materials like glass and concrete in

construction, and styles such as hi-tech, or minimalism,
and yet portraying the local heritage in Goa.

• Having a solid understanding of what present day Goa

needs.

THESIS:
H E R I TAG E
AWA R E N ES S C E N T R E
I n Fo nta i n h a s ,
Pa n j i m
THANK YOU