EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF VERNACULAR STONE SALAI AND MODERN SALAI OF KURUMBA HAMLETS OF ATTAPPADI
Authors :Ar. Ashwathy Nair
Abstract
Architecture serves as a tangible expression of a society's necessities, ambitions, and
cultural identity, shaped by a complex interplay of socio-cultural, economic, belief,
practice, environmental, and political influences. Vernacular architecture, which is
harmonizes with local environments and climates, receives insufficient recognition in
contemporary construction practices. This research seeks to comprehend the diverse
architectural designs within settlement and assess the application of vernacular
architecture in Kurumba settlements. The long-standing Salai (dwelling) of the Kurumba
settlement that evolved from sustainable planning and construction techniques is
evaluated. A comparative evaluation method is used for a vernacular Kurumba stone
Salai and a Modern Salai, through factors of orientation, openings, building envelope,
surface area to volume ratio, daylight factor, etc. The result of the whole study is
recommendations that can sustain in a modern context through vernacular values and
practices.
