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Architecture without architects

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Vernacular designs and the connect with nature

Veteran Indian architect Shirish Beri discusses what it means to build buildings without
architects and how human relationship with nature has changed over the years.

by Shirish Beri Published on : Sep 16, 2019

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This ‘architecture without architects’ that we would now be discussing could also be
termed as anonymous architecture, vernacular architecture or timeless architecture.
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Vernacular architecture in Kashmir, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri

The talents and achievements of these anonymous builders in conceiving almost utopian
concepts and creating almost sublime aesthetics have been obscured and neglected.
reflect

Today, we would bring forth some examples of their work out of this obscurity.

Putting the beginning of history of architecture around 2,500 years ago is like saying that
music originated with the symphony. We guess that the first architectural inspirations for
man must have come from nature ‑ its varied forms, natural caves, nests of birds and
special habitats ‑ burrows, platforms etc. of other animals, as these builders in nature
were far more accomplished in their architectural creations, much before man learned to
put a leaky roof over his head.

Working with limited functional complexity and scale, man built by assuming all three roles
of the architect, client and builder simultaneously. Sometimes he played the role of the
skilled or unskilled workers also. His design skills started with the design of products ‑
tools, containers etc. Even today we see some ingenious products as well as display
designs created by the common man.
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Iran - Yazd street with wind tower, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri

As people then lived with a close understanding and in harmony with nature, their
architecture too fitted beautifully as well as appropriately onto the site and its natural
surroundings. Thus, we notice that these settlements or individual buildings possessed an
inherent organic quality stemming out of their respectful attitude towards the
environment.

The second characteristic of this architecture is its humaneness. Compare the streets of
today ‑ which look bare with characterless, indifferent architecture, alongside to these old
streets with so much shade, activity, a humane scale, a sense of belonging and interest.
The buildings flanking them belonged to a larger whole ‑ a community. Thus, they are
expressions of civic solidarity. This design of the buildings as well as streets happened as
a response to real, meaningful human relationships, which in turn were considered an
important part of a good life and not as a disposable commodity.
think

A village in central India, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri
inspire

Even an aerial view of a settlement or town conveys so much to us in terms of the

hierarchy of public spaces and the relation of the individual to them.

The third quality evident in this manner of space creation and utilisation is simplicity. The
solution is so simple and straightforward that one wonders why one did not think of it
before. As corollaries to this quality of simplicity, economy, frugality and minimality follow.
The designs many times are so minimal that it is difficult to subtract anything. Everything
seems to be the bare essential.

The next characteristic of vernacular architecture is the display of rarely good common
sense through its very direct functional responses to various functional needs. The
solutions not only appear simple, economical, beautiful but also ingeniously sustainable.

What decides the form of these vernacular buildings to some extent is the people's
understanding of their building materials, which are normally the locally available ones. We
will see the many wonderful ways in which these materials such as stone, brick, thatch,
tiles, wood, etc. are used at different places in the world by different people. This good
knowledge of the building materials created material specific technologies for walls, roof
spanning and so on. This structural technology without any structural formula or
calculations, evolved with lots of experimentations in close rapport with the building
materials.
reflect
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In our study, we learn that many primitive solutions were forerunners of our complicated
modern technology. Many features claimed to be invented in recent decades are old hats
in vernacular architecture; for example, different roof spanning systems as flat slabs,
trusses, vaults, prefabricated roofs, walls, modular standardisation of building
components, flexible, movable partitions as well as structures, floor heating, air
conditioning, light control and a lot more.
see

Through proper atonement with the function, the materials and the technology, we find
Vernacular architecturedesigned
very interestingly in Kohima, architectural
Nagaland, a sketch by Shirish
details likeBeri
the windows and doors, the carvings,
Image Credit: Shirish Beri
the shutters, the hinges, the planters, entrances, the rain water gutters and so on. This
totality of conception from the site orientation to this smallest details is really astounding.

Another special characteristic of this timeless architecture is the way it understood the
vagaries of climate and adapted itself to it. The underground dwellings of millions in China,
the Badgirs or wind towers in Hyderabad ‑ Sind, the fine tree barriers in Japan, the stilted
houses in Nicobar, the trellised houses in Konkan or the mud houses in the deserts and so
many others bear testimony to the effective climatological designs.

It is indeed surprising why we do not design our buildings with these simple devices
instead of using so much electricity and air conditioning!  
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Old town residential space, Mathura, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri

Why is it that the quality of our environment has deteriorated so much to an impersonal
boring level? Why do we see so much dependence on technology for simple day to day
activities? Is the explosion in the size and scale of our cities the reasons for this
degradation in the quality of life? Though it is one of the major causes, it is not the only
reason. Hasn't there been a change in our attitudes on the whole ‑ the way we see things
and respond to them?

The love and respect with which these beautiful granaries in South Spain or Kutch were
inspire

constructed with consideration to every functional detail cannot be compared to the

godowns that we erect to store grain today. The reason for this lies in people's attitude to
food as a gift from God, and thus needing the proper respect and place. Today it is taken as
any other consumable commodity that can be bought, sold and wasted.

Houseboats in Kashmir, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri
reflect

There can be many examples that can be shown for man's changing values and attitudes
towards the soil, the flora and fauna, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the human
relationships that we cherish. The river ghats, step wells, the old wind towers and mills,
the worship of soils and trees, the old fertiliser plants from collective pigeon droppings in
Sudan or the bridge across a small river made from the large lianas that grow on the river
 side trees, or lively community gathering spaces around a village tree platform or the
simple multiple use design of a product, and many more illustrate the empathy that man
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considered himself a strand in this intricate and wonderful web of life.

The paradox of today's life is that despite man's attachment and mania for technological
gadgets and ensuing mechanical comfort, his relaxation lies in their absence. That is why
to avoid the physical and mental deterioration, he escapes to natural ‑ primitive
surroundings. The modern devices cannot replace real peace and happiness, just as a
child's toys cannot be substituted for human affection.

As Rudofsky rightly puts it, "The philosophy and know how of these anonymous builders
presents the largest source of architectural inspiration for industrial man. But the wisdom
to be derived goes beyond the economic and aesthetic considerations, for it tackles a far
more important and difficult problem of 'how to live' and 'let live'' ‑ the art of life itself.
see

Ab-anbar – a traditional water reservoir in Iran, a sketch by Shirish Beri

Image Credit: Shirish Beri

(With some inputs from Bernard Rudofsky’s book “Architecture without architects”)

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About Author

Shirish Beri
Guest Writer
A renowned architect and educationist, Shirish, through his
work, attempts to bring man closer to nature, closer to his
fellow humans and also strives to bring man closer to his own
self. He gives expression to thought not only through his built
works, but also through photography, painting and poetry. W…

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