CHETTINAD HOUSES

ENTRANCE

LOOKING IN FROM THE

HIGHLY MAIN THRESHOLD, YOUR
CARVED EYE TRAVELS IN A
WOODEN STRAIGHT LINE ACROSS A
DOOR FRAME SERIES OF INNER
COURTYARDS, LEADING
OUT TO THE BACK DOOR

WOODEN
PILLAR
SUPPORTING
ROOF OVER
THINNAI
 PLANNING

FIRST COURTYARD SECOND COURTYARD

COLUMNS

FRONT BACK
ENTRANCE ENTRANCE

PUJA AND CORRIDOR

VARENDA SURROUNDING VARENDA
STORAGE
THINNAI KITCHEN
FOR DOWRY CENTRAL
ITEMS COURTYARD
 CHETTINAD HOUSE - PLANNING
• THE HOUSES HAVE SUCH INCREDIBLY LARGE HALLS, ROOMS AND
COURTYARDS.

• ANOTHER ASPECT THAT WAS CONSIDERED WHILE BUILDING THE

HOUSED WAS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ARID-PLACE THEY LIVED
IN.

• TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOUSE HAS ENOUGH AIR MOVEMENT,

LARGE DOORS AND WINDOWS ARE BUILT.

• THESE HOUSES ARE BUILT ON A RECTANGULAR TRAVERSAL PLOT THAT

STRETCHES ACROSS TWO STREETS.

• THE FRONT DOOR OPENING INTO THE FIRST STREET AND THE BACK
INTO THE SECOND.

• THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE PILLARS RANGE FROM TEAK, IRON,
MARBLE AND TO GRANITE.

• EVERY CHETTINAD HOUSE IS DISTINGUISHED BY A GREAT FRONT

DOOR AND ALL OF THESE DOORS ADORN ELABORATELY CARVED
STRIPES, FLOWERS AND PATTERNS WHICH MAKE THE DOORS LOOK
ALL THE MORE AFFLUENT AND STRIKING.
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – MULTIPLE COURTYARD
• THE CHETTINAD HOMES WERE
PLANNED AROUND EXTENSIVE
COURTYARDS (AT LEAST TWO)
AND DEEPLY-SHADED VERANDAHS
THAT OPENED INTO THE ROOMS
AND OTHER FUNCTIONAL SPACES.

• THESE AREAS ESTABLISHED AN

EXCELLENT INSIDE-OUTSIDE
CONNECT THAT BROUGHT IN
AMPLE NATURAL LIGHT, ALLOWED
CROSS-VENTILATION AND KEPT
THE ROOMS COOL AGAINST THE
SUMMER HEAT.
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – CARVED WOODEN DOORS
• THE ANTIQUE DOORS OF MANY
CHETTINAD MANSIONS WERE CARVED IN
BURMA TEAK THAT IMPARTED WARMTH
AND GRANDEUR TO ENTRANCES. THE
DOOR PANELS, FRAMES AND MOULDINGS
WERE HEAVILY EMBELLISHED WITH
MYTHICAL SCENES, CARVINGS AND
SCULPTURES
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – ATHANGUDI TILES
• ATHANGUDI TILES ARE
HANDMADE BY SKILLED
CRAFTSMEN WITH LOCALLY
AVAILABLE CLAY. THEY ARE
AVAILABLE IN BRIGHT COLOURS
AND DESIGNS, AND HAVE AN
INTERESTING SHEEN WHICH IS
NEITHER TOO SHINY NOR TOO
DULL.
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – CARVED PILLARS
• A TYPICAL CHETTINAD
HOUSE USUALLY HAD
INTRICATELY CARVED
PILLARS IN WOOD,
STONE OR GRANITE TO
SUPPORT THE SLOPING
ROOFS, ESPECIALLY
AROUND THE
COURTYARDS.

• THE DESIGN OF PILLARS

WAS GIVEN A LOT OF
IMPORTANCE; AS A
RESULT THE UPPER AND
LOWER PORTIONS OF
THE PILLARS WERE
MINUTELY DETAILED.
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – PITCHED ROOFS

• PITCHED (SLOPING)
ROOFS ARE A
PROMINENT FEATURE
OF CHETTINAD
MANSIONS. THE SLOPES
ALLOWED COLLECTION
OF WATER DURING
MONSOONS FOR
COLLECTING
RAINWATER.

• THE TERRACOTTA TILES

ON WOODEN TRUSSES
AND THE WOODEN
PILLARS GIVE AN
EARTHY APPEAL THAT
NATURALLY BLENDS
WITH THE LUSH GREEN
GARDEN.
 ELEMENTS OF CHETTINAD HOUSES – WINDOWS

THE WINDOW GRILLES OF

CHETTINAD HOUSE IS DESIGNED IN
A VERTICAL BAR PATTERN IN
WOODEN FRAME
 THANK YOU

DESIGN PROPOSAL