My rural, vernacular house in context to COVID-19

Abstract

Vernacular architecture offers clues and lessons to people. Purpose of this paper is thus to explore and identify attributes of a particular piece of vernacular architecture and try to relate it in context to COVID-19. It highlights attributes of the house in context to reimagining and redesigning built environment in days of COVID-19. Said piece of vernacular architecture is my ancestral house which no more exists since 55 years in a village I am from. Its plan, form, building materials and setting in a village teaches few things. House of single storey in mud construction was over a small plot of about 9 meters by 12.5 meters. Top of compound wall was above eye level offering great privacy and insider naturally avails environ offering pleasant solitude, the need of COVID-19. When one entered plot of house from road through compound gate on south-west direction of a plot, one is in a small courtyard. Immediate to entrance at compound gate was a room of about 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters with a veranda of about 2 meters by 2.5 meters. This space called “Gadaaro” was for male guests and males of a family. Courtyard which contained two cows continued beyond Gadaaro. Abutting on northern wall of a plot were walls of 3 rooms namely kitchen (northwest), a general room and a bed room (north east). From a courtyard one could enter to a general room leading to kitchen on its west and bed room on its east. Plan remained closer to what one needs to reimagine today in COVID-19. Construction from local building materials; mud-walls and a country tiled sloping roof offered many things expected in COVID-19. Findings here are that environ, house plan and construction materials has to be such that one can leave in for a long period without coming in contact with outdoors for days. House plan shall be fully contained and complete in itself.