DESERT ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION

Barren area
Less precipitation
lack of vegetation
• (unprotected surface of the ground
to the processes of denudation)
 variations in temperature
• Deserts are formed by weathering processes as large
variations in temperature between day and night
put strains on the rocks which consequently break in
pieces
less than 250 mm
Wind pressure
ARCHITECTURE
?
WHAT ARE THE MATERIAL?
LOCAL MATERIAL
MUD PLASTERING – KEEPS INTERIOR COOL
 JAISALMER
“The Golden City”
“the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the
city and its surrounding area”..
INTRODUCTION

The fort & town of JAISALMER was founded by Maharawal Jaisal in the year 1156 AD after having shifted his capital
from Ludharva (18 Kms away from Jaisalmer) to a safer place

Jaisalmer was merged into the state of Rajasthan, there was no important change in the area of the state

There are many spectacular forts in India, particularly in Rajasthan, reflecting a martial history of which the local
people are self consciously proud

Today this town consists of two major components:

The fortified upper citadel, elevated on a ridge, with more: than 400 houses, groups of temples and a palace
complex, the lower town, also fortified, set on the north-eastern slopes of the ridge in the wind shadow of the
citadel.
• Narrow winding streets with densely built
construction on both sides.

• All Major streets were oriented in the East-

West direction at right angles to the direction
of dust storms.

• The height of the building compared to the

width of streets is large to create shaded cool
environment for the pedestrians and other
social activities on the streets.
SMALLER HOUSES

The simplest town house consists of a single room, a verandah and a courtyard. Larger houses of this type
have another verandah over the entrance and some houses have an additional room on one side of the
courtyard. These single storey structures are owned by the poorest people and have been built in the
peripheral areas of the town.
MIDDLE INCOME HOUSES
A two or three-storey
structure, this house type can
be considered the typical
house of Jaisalmer. It is similar
to the first house type in plan,
with the only difference that
additional rooms and small
enclosed terraces are
located at the upper floors.
The front part of the first floor
has a balcony projecting
onto the street.
A two or three-storey
structure, this house
type can be considered
the typical house of
Jaisalmer. It is similar to
the first house type in
plan, with the only
difference that
additional rooms and
small enclosed terraces
are located at the
upper floors. The front
part of the first floor has
a balcony projecting
onto the street.
HAVELI’S
1. The most complex and interesting
residential buildings in Jaisalmer are the
haveli’s built by the rich merchants or
courtiers.
2. In these four or five-storied houses, the
courtyard is surrounded by rooms or
verandahs on all sides.
3. There are underground rooms as well,
sometimes at two levels one below the
other.
4. The uppermost storey comprises
terraces enclosed by wind pavilions and
high parapet walls. In some cases, the
house is built around two courtyards.
PLAN AND SECTION OF A TYPICAL HAVELI IN JAISALMER
jharokhas
PUBLIC SPACES
Public spaces in Jaisalmer may be classified according to their types. The major
categories are :
The Royal Square in the center of the upper city ;
Public spaces like Gandhi Chowk and Gopa Chowk ;
Community spaces at the level of residential clusters.

STREETS OF JAISALMER
Jaisalmer is a compact network of streets rarely too long. With fairly high buildings and width
of streets rarely more than three meters, one can move around the town in cool shade.
There is a significant difference in the street patterns of the upper and the lower city. The radial
pattern in the upper city is contrasted by the somewhat irregular grid iron pattern in the lower
city.

A street
showing
additions
and
Alterations
in Jaisalmer
A typical cobbled street in Jaisalmer
THANK YOU…….!
MOUNTAIN ARCHITECTURE
CUT

FILL
There has been extensive debate over how best to characterize tribes. This
includes the perceived differences between pre-state tribes and
contemporary tribes, and the controversy over cultural evolution and
colonialism. It is generally felt that tribes reflect a way of life that predates,
and is more “natural”, than that in modern states. Tribes also preserve
primitive social ties, and there is a bond that keeps them together. Tribes are
homogeneous and stable though parochial or narrow minded.
It is believed that most contemporary tribes do not have their origin in pre-
state tribes, but rather in pre-state bands. These tribal groups, also called
“secondary” tribes, actually came about as modern products of state
expansion. This was probably done when states treated tribal areas as
extended administrative and economic areas, since direct political control
was too costly.
Moreover, states would encourage people to form clearly bounded and
centralized polities, which could produce surpluses, and have a leadership
which would be responsive to the needs of the neighboring states. Examples
of such state policies can be seen in the scheduled tribes of United States or
British India. Another way in which the secondary tribes developed was
through the bands forming themselves into organized groups in order to
defend themselves against state expansion.