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Decoding Craft Expressions: Wood Carvings of Traditional Houses of Gujarat
l cole franai s e dExtrme - O r ie n t ( E FE O ) The French Schoo l of Far East G u ja r a t a nd S ind h Studies Decod ingsCra f t a nce n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t Pa r i , Fr Expressio
Jay Thakkar A s s i s t a n t P ro f e s s o r, C E P T U n i ve rs i t y R e s e a rch H e a d , D I C R C , I n d i a A u t h o r o f N a q s h & jay a tr a M thakkar
introduction
G u jarat CEPT DICR C Mat ra Naqsh
Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t
jay thakkar
Introduction Academics
3
Raja
Pa ki st an
Palanpur RANN OF KUTCH Radhanpur Patan
Background
stha
Associate Professor Faculty of Design CEPT University India

Himatnagar
Khavda Rapar Nakhatrana Bhuj Anjar Mandvi Mundra Morbi GULF OF KUTCH Bhachau
Santalpur
Sidhpur
Mehsana
Ahmedabad
Gujarat
Muli Surendranagar Limbdi Sayla Jamnagar Rajkot Chotila Jasdan Bhavnagar GULF OF CAMBAY Khambhat
Area of Teaching Interior Design Studio, Graphic Design, Wood workshop, Craft & Technology, Craft Traditions
Godhra
Kapadvanj Umreth Vaso
p ra d e s h
Research Research Head Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre (DICRC) SID Research Cell, India Author of Books Matra (2008) Naqsh (2004)
Baroda
Sankheda
Porbandar Junagadh
Amreli
Bharuch
Keshod Rajula
Savarkundla
Surat
Navsari Ahwa
Ma
ha
Daman (Goa, Daman, Diu)
ras
Diu (Goa, Daman, Diu)
Madhya
htr
India
Khadia, Ahmedabad Khadia, Ahmedabad
Raipur, Ahmedabad
Ar ab ian se a
Professional Honarary Secretary Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) - Ahmedabad Visual Communication Consultant
3
jay thakkar
Introduction
CEPT Centre for Environmental Planning & Technology (CEPT) University Ahmedabad, India Faculty Faculty of Architecture Faculty of Public Policy & Planning Faculty of Technology Faculty of Design Faculty of Arts & Humanities Faculty of Geometrics Faculty of Climate Change Centre Centre for Sustainable Environment & Energy (CSEE) Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre (DICRC) Centre for Continuing Education Centre for Rural Development Centre for Infrastructure Center for Urban Transport Centre for Research, Development & Consultancy
jay thakkar
Introduction Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre (DICRC) Vision
DICRC
To document, study, analyse, research and generate resource related to Space Making Crafts (SMC) of the vernacular and traditional buildings of India Undertake research projects addressing social concerns as well as professional and academic interests related to the Space Making Crafts (SMC) Establish a platform for research scholars to disseminate acquired knowledge Create opportunities for public involvement (including craftspeople) towards issues of sustainable craft practices and traditional and vernacular built environments
jay thakkar
Research
Publications Mtr: Ways of Measuring Vernacular Built Forms of Himachal Pradesh

Authors: Jay Thakkar & Skye Morrison
Published by SID Research Cell, School of Interior Design, CEPT University in August 08 ISBN 819040968-9, Hardbound, 315 pages, 800 images (sketches, hand measure drawings, technical drawings, 3D CAD drawings, photographs)
Naqsh: The Art of Wood Carving of Traditional Houses of Gujarat: Focus on Ornamentation
Author: Jay Thakkar
Published by SID Research Cell, School of Interior Design, CEPT University in October 04 ISBN 817525285-5, Hardbound, 240 pages, over 1000 images (B/W, colour, sketches)
jay thakkar
Publications
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Matra
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Typology of houses
House is a space inhabited by people and their stories. The character of a Himachal house, the story unit is basically a cuboid (figure 39, 40). The smallest houses are single cuboid stacked in two or three layers (ground level, first level, second level). The size of the house increases by placing cubes side-by-side and then extending the larger rectangular units up by one or two levels (figure 37, 38). The largest house where we made measure drawings is three side-by-side stacked cuboids extending up three levels (figure 103). Closer examination of the interior spaces of this house revealed half levels and intermediate spaces not obvious from the external viewpoint (figure 192). Each house size is determined by capacity. This capacity is not only the size of the family but also the familys socio-economic status.
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Variations The most common variation in vernacular built form is the addition of balconies on the first and second levels of the house (figure 41 to 45). These extensions can be open, semi-covered or completely covered. They can enclose one, two, three or four sides of the house (figure 46). They are a transitional space between levels and between the inside and the outside acting as the middle zone of the social space of the house. Other variations to the basic structure include the addition of washing rooms, laundry or storage spaces as extensions of the balcony or beside the ground floor (figure 132). In the case of the balcony these additions are for domestic activities or increased social use of the built form. On the ground floor additions create enclosures for outdoor rooms, increased or altered storage space and sometimes innovative spaces for new purposes (a shop, a place for modern vehicles or a guest space).
41. Hanging out the wash, Dhagoli Village. Wet clothes are rung out away from the house. They are hung to dry suspended in the fresh air to catch both breezes and the afternoon sun. 42. Lower balcony as a laundry facility, Dhagoli Village. Here the flat floor of the open lower balcony is put to complete use to dry the garments and keep their shape after washing. Activities around cleaning and water take place outside the house because there is no infrastructure of indoor plumbing. The balcony is both a workspace and a temporary storage space. 43. Carved semi-enclosed upper balcony, Dhagoli Village. A woman is standing out on the open part of the upper balcony outside of her kitchen. The cusped arches frame her view of the mountains from outside the kitchen, the heart of the house. 44. Young boys watch the action from an open lower balcony, Dhagoli Village. The balcony is used as a focal point for news and gossip as well as a place to do homework and play. Photograph: Kireet Patel 41 42
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38 37. Front view of six-cuboid module house, Upper Dhagoli Village. Looking up the front facade of this older house, there are six-cuboids stacked beside and above each other in the basic inner structure. The shifts in patterning of layers of stone and wood, as well as irregular insertion of small doors and windows create non-aligned openings in the structural wall that assist in the seismic design. 38. Plinth and steps for animals and people, Jhaknoti Village. Different layers of stacked stones form a plinth for the cow and steps to bring people around to entrances of the house while defining the outer footprint of the built form. This transitional space is another example of the multiple uses of transitional space. Photograph: Rajesh Sagara 39. Schematic digital illustration of stacking of cuboids. These cuboid modules represent the key volumes of the rooms in the kath-khuni houses we measure drew. Starting with the smallest house, with just three cuboids to the large houses with nine or more cubes. 40 (a to m). Typology of Kath-Khuni Houses, Himachal Pradesh. These sketched views of types of kath-khuni vernacular are all front elevations and include an indication of human scale. The schematic of cuboid-module under each house represents the configuration of the volumes within them.
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45. Villagers watch the performance of SID students and faculty, Jhaknoti Village. The lower balcony is a social space. A group of women from a family who have come to learn of our measure drawing exercise are watching us with both delight and curiosity. 46 (a to d). Digital schematics of configurations of balconies, Himachal Pradesh. This is a series schematic plans of kath-khuni houses we measure drew, where different configurations of balconies are highlighted. These are only some of many possible ways the villagers integrate balconies to the basic cuboid house form.
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Hari Chaudran laments the loss of woodcarving. In this age of iron and cement, woodcarving which was so profuse and common in the past has been virtually eliminated from the process of building 231a 231b 231c Regional and local wooden temples are the expression of reverence for the Gods and the skill of the local people. They all use local wood as the primary material, a precious and costly commodity. We could see how closely these temples are integrated into the lives of the villagers. They took pride in protecting their deities, respecting their religious traditions and expressing their worldviews through the ornamental art used to tell the story of the gods in pictures. 231f 231g
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Woodcarving integrated in built forms

Woodcarving as ornamentation of built forms is one of the oldest crafts of Himachal Pradesh. Ornamentation of large wood-and-stone built forms is an artistic testament to the sustainable natural resource of the great deodar cedar tree and the peoples ability to create visual narratives. Woodcarving is a form of folk art that enables the people to express their culture whether the motifs are abstractions from nature, spiritual awareness or the replication of patterns found in local flora and fauna. Towards the end of our 2006 trip in the village of Sarahan, we had an enlightening encounter with traditional Himachal Pradesh woodcarvers working on the restoration of an ancient temple (figure 70). We talked with the craftsmen while they worked and came to understand the four stages of their process. We received permission to photograph the work in progress. There are a clearly defined repertoire of motifs and patterns in Himachal Pradesh surface woodcarving that, with personal variation, all appear to be from the same artistic community. The ornamental images are repeated in all Himachal Pradesh vernacular built forms with greater or lesser intensity. Temples receive the most attention followed by darbargadhs, large houses, and finally granaries. This is in direct proportion to the size of the structure and the resources available to employ master artisans. Woodcarving is integrated into the construction of the building, and not added later (figure 71). The exception to this is freestanding wood sculptures of temple deities and masks carved for festivals or rituals. Three-dimensional carving is most often found in temples and darbargadhs, but we did not meet the artisans who produced this work. Sculptural carving appears on columns, studs, door-frames and hanging pendants. In local temples and houses, there are sculptural wooden deities either in the sanctum or in prayer niches. We saw only a few examples of old sculptural woodcarving. The woodcarving that we observed was two-dimensional (planar surface-based). In our examples, a prepared piece of wood has only the single outer surface ornamented. The process of carving has four phases and utilizes tools fabricated by the local blacksmith (figure 72). The basic woodcarving tools include the aari (handsaw), basola (adze), randa (plane) nehan (chisel) and hathodi (hammer). The first phase of production is wood preparation when the craftsmen measures and cuts the wood to the desired size with the help of carpentry tools. When the satisfactory size and surface is achieved the master artisan moves into the second phase of production. He draws the pattern on the wood with pencil or pen. Less elaborate and repetitive designs are achieved with the use of stencils. This is the critical part of the process because it is when the master artisan creates the story in images on wood. The ornamentation is a mixture of classical forms, popular local motifs, repetitions of previous work and new variations within the parameters of local aesthetics. The degree of creative expression varies depending on whether it is to be used in religious, communal or secular built forms. Expression also depends on the skill and knowledge of the artisan and the quality of his tools. Rules are much more stringent and defined for woodcarving on temples. The skill level of the carver must be excellent.
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229 standardization of forms, principles and procedures, which further indicates that, fundamentally, all these temples belong to the same family. Two factors are at play in these types of temple: The first factor is the observance of the tenets of the Shilpashastra, the ancient system of divination of space and rules for the protection of Gods was known to master craftsmen through their patrons who funded the temples. In an oral tradition, they passed on the tenets of Hinduism including the visual and architectural vocabulary. The local people interpreted this knowledge using available local materials and their own expertise. They practiced their own aesthetic preferences by stylizing, simplifying and exaggerating classical forms to suit their own desires. The second factor influencing the building of these temples is the guild system. In this medieval system there were master artisans in
227. Upper temple, Old Jubbal Village. The Old Jubbal tower temple has survived with the patronage of kings and queens. It is a freestanding building rather than a temple in the darbargadh. The temple has stone carving with woodcarving motifs (see figure 233) and narrative folk woodcarving inside the temple. 228. Prashiar Rishi Temple, Mandi District. From the overview (see figure 218), we view a detail of the main temple roof structure resplendent with flags. This multi-tiered temple is extremely well maintained including intense folk woodcarving inside and outside the temple. 229. Local kath-khuni temple, Jhaknoti Village. According to the villagers, this multitiered roofed temple is recently constructed and has a metal roof (like some granaries). The roof trim is hanging wooden pedants that imitate the edge of a shawl and cast a shadow as a whole cloth on the building. The gentle sound of the wooden pendants in the fresh mountain air beckons the villagers to gather at their folk temple.
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Box of Knowledge
70 (a to e). Documenting woodcarvers working on a temple restoration, Sarahan Town. Two students talk with the lead carver (a) and his apprentices about their craft practice. The two carvers discuss a section of a doorframe (b) while a woman finishes another carved piece of wood with sandpaper (c). The master carver holds a rounded chisel in a section of a carefully drawn floral motif (d). He shows in detail how the curved chisel fits his needs to achieve an accurate design (e). Photographs: Tarang Sagara 71 Carved and painted wooden door in a kath-khuni house, Jhaknoti Village. Here we see how the carving is layered in the construction of the door and frame. Contrasting bright colours emphasize the figures and the patterning of the carving. The overall effect is a beacon inviting you into the house.
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72. Handmade woodworking tools, Sarahan Town. These are the essential tool kit of a traditional woodcarver, including basola, (adze), nehan (chisel), hathodi (hammer) and punch tools. The metal would be fashioned by a local blacksmith and the handles added by the woodcarver. Photographs: Tarang Sagara
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233. Detail of stonecarving, Old Jubbal Village. Upper Temple (see figure 227) entrance door. Low relief imagery is similar to the woodcarving. Coins nailed on to the door and prayer flags and flowers adorning the metal hardware are the part of the auspicious rituals.
231. (a to l) Folk carving in Sutlej valley temples (2006 study tour). Integrated with classical carving and sometimes standing alone local woodcarvers have created a distinctive repertoire of folk carvings. From local stories to Ganesh to heroic deeds to the delicate trail of leaves and spirals, these repertoires of the folk forms tells us the integrated story of the lives of the villagers of Himachal Pradesh. 232. Elaborate entrance of local temple, Dhagoli Village. This first floor level with locks, bells and enchanting folk carving on structural beams and doorframes represent the importance of embellishment that was embodied to the temples of this region.
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Living at home
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First floor The middle level of the house (the first floor or in some cases the split-level room) is used for storage of practical items. If the house is large enough there will be an indoor granary at this level. Otherwise the room(s) will include wooden bins, cupboards or boxes on a large scale meant to keep a years supply of grain, vegetables, bedding and clothing for the changing needs of the seasons. These rooms are dark, self-contained and compact. Not only does this keep foodstuffs cool and safe, but also it prevents deterioration of cloth and other natural materials since it is in a cool, dark place. This floor is another upward
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Wash room Living room Kitchen Second floor balcony Storage room
Social use of space

People who share a common location, beliefs and activities express their values through the way they live. This is true about the villagers of Sutlej region in Himachal Pradesh. In each level of their houses and in each season of the year space is used in a pattern that makes the village a cohesive unit. Climate plays an important role in defining the use of the space within as well as outside the house. The warm sunny days pulls the activities out of the house on the balconies and plinths, while
First floor balcony Storage room
during the colder times during winter and night, the daily activities gets contained within the warmth of the wood-and-stone walls. We studied the levels of the house in terms of social patterns in order to understand why it is constructed and used in a particular manner. We examined in detail the salient features of the house, the chulha (or hearth) and the personal storage systems in order to understand how each house reflects the personalities of the inhabitants while at the same time represents members of a coherent community.
layer of insulation from the cold of the ground floor and the outside. It is frequently accessed by a ladder and trap door system from the top floor. There are usually doors to the outside on balconies. These doors, as the Gaushala doors are small and airtight, preventing any excess heat loss during the winter. Students who ventured into these rooms thought they were like secret compartments on a ship. They were silent, smelled of wood and the musty odours of the cows and gave you a feeling of security that there would be enough to make it until the weather improved. This middle zone is a buffer for the smells of the cattle and the outside, keeping the top floor as the freshest zone of the house.
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114. (a, b, c) Interior sketch of first floor storage room. This room (a) is activated by the addition of a in-built storage unit (b) and by the homeowner filling the unit with grains for the coming winter (c). The organization is open-ended, whereby the owner of the house has the possibility of organizing the spaces when the house is constructed. 115. (a, b, c) Storage Elements, houses in Sutlej river valley, Himachal Pradesh. There is a need for storage at every level of the house. The first floor has the independent (a) or in-built (b) storage. Many times enclosed balconies also are filled up with inherited storage boxes (c).
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Tower temples
These are multi-storeyed temples build in Kath-Khuni method with Pent-and-Gable and composite roofs that quite literally tower above the surrounding buildings. We saw tower temples in Jhaknoti, Dhagoli, Old Jubbal (upper temple) and Sarahan (Shimla district) that ranged from three to seven floors high. These buildings were not only temples but also defensive structures used to observe the comings and goings of people, animals and events. For this reason, they were built in strategic locations in the form of soaring towers to enable surveillance of routes along which an enemy might attack. In order to prevent penetration by unwanted outsiders, in many of the tower temples there were no permanent staircases or steps. Instead, a log of wood was notched to create ladder (sanghah) to reach the entrance. This could be drawn up or down as required by the temple guards. In present day, they function purely as the religious edifice strongly guarding the belief system of the society. In Tower temples the topmost floor holds the clan deity (kul-devata) or the community deity (gram-devata). The lower floors of the temple are used for storage of holy vehicles, food, grain, weapons, and musical instruments and housed the kitchen and assembly hall. Tower temples have solid stone plinths at their base that are nearly one whole storey high. This provides stability and added security by preventing ground level access. Thick sections of wood and stone were employed for the construction of walls, to ensure uniform distribution of the superimposed load on the foundation. Watch-holes were constructed in the wall for surveillance and firing on attackers. The balcony and the topmost floor are made primarily of wood. The balcony has a series of openings, usually enriched by cusped arches. The most elaborate carvings are observed on the panels of the balcony, and the subjects chosen by the woodcarvers either pertained to local culture or were nature motifs. Where the practical events of daily life take place in a house, the ritualistic events of the deity and nature occur within the space of the temple. A wooden balcony encircles the topmost floor. In earlier times, the balcony was used for protection and surveillance. Today it acts as a circumambulatory for viewing the surrounding terrain.
Multi-tiered pyramidal roof

These single-storey temples have a layered pyramidal roof (hansakara) capped with a conical canopy on the vertical axis. The Prashar Rishi temple visited during the 2005 study tour falls under this category. Built around 1340, the Prashar Rishi temple is situated on the bank of a lake separated from society. It is said to have been built to celebrate the solitude of the sage Prashar who is thought to have meditated on this spot. It sits like a gem in the peaceful surrounding landscape. The temple is an elaborate wooden structure with kath-khuni walls holding up a four-tiered pyramidal roof. There is an articulated clearance between the tiers. The lower three tiers have pent roofs covered with fine slate tiles, while the top roof is a conical shape and sharply pitched. The top roof of the Prashar Rishi temple is currently covered in galvanized iron sheets and a canopy. The outer surface of the sanctum is exuberantly carved in high-relief style on the door and window frames with stylized floral and figurative narratives. The temple we observed in Jhaknoti, which was constructed some fifteen years ago, also exhibited a roof made out of metal sheets in form of Multi-tiered pyramid. This clearly demonstrates the need of the community to continue the traditional forms at least within the arena of religious buildings.
240 (a, b, c) Multi-tiered pyramidal temples. Schematic illustration of Prashar Rishi temple at Prashar Lake (a). Sketch of local newly built temple at Jhaknoti Village (b) and Prashar Rishi temple (c).
Gaushala mezzanine Gaushala 105
107a 105. Digital sectional perspective of rooms, Aukta House. A cross section cut from the front of the house shows the organization of spaces and their function. 106 (a, b, c) Illustration of section of Kath-khuni house in different seasons. These cross sections of a house are in different seasons and climatic condition. Activities of people and animals indicate the changing use of spaces. 107. (a to m) Function indication through colour-coded plans and sections. A key of coded colours indicates functions and organization of spaces according to the levels of each floor. Three houses of different scales are chosen to indicate the similarity in the space organization. 107d
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113b. Lohlta house cross section
113d. Happi singh house cross section
1 1 3 f . Au k t a h o u s e c r o s s s e c t i o n
113. (a to f) Human activity in different houses. First floor plans (c, d, f) and cross sections (a, b, e) of three houses (Lohlta, Happi Singh, Aukta). Depending on the size of house, more activity and more people and animals can interact. Plans of the first floor of small, medium, and large houses illustrate the storage spaces at this level. This is complemented by the cross sections representing the activities of villagers at different levels. are complemented by their corresponding plans.
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239. (a, b, c) Tower Temple. Schematic illustration of tower temple at Jhaknoti Village (a) and Bhimakali temple at Sarahan Town (b), where the main temple is a tower temple while in the surrounding area are examples of many roof types from pent to pent and gable to composite roofs. Sketch of tower temple at Dhagoli Village (c).
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113a. Lohlta house first floor plan
113c. Happi singh house first floor plan
1 1 3 e . Au k t a h o u s e f i r s t f l o o r p l a n 115 c
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jay thakkar
Publications
Naqsh
jay thakkar
Decoding systems
Deco ding a bu ilding
jay thakkar
Decoding systems
X Y Z Ax i s S y s t e m
Y Axis
X Axis
X Axis
Ax is
Sub Axis
G ene sis
Idea t ion
Surface
Volume
Co m po sit io n
I nt angibles
Perception + Memory O r na m e n t a t i o n A na l y s i s o f Ex p r e s s i o n Sp a c e M a k i n g Cr af t E x p r e s s i o n
Gravity + L o gi c Material An a l y s i s o f Construction Tr a d i t i o n a l B u i l d i n g P r a c tice
S pat ial + Int ellect Elem ent s Analy sis o f Art icu lat io n Tradit io nal S pat ial Co nfigu rat io ns
Tan gibles A n alys is Typology A rea of s tu dy
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jay thakkar
Decoding systems
X Y Z- T Ax i s S y s t e m = Op e r a t i o n a l C r a f t M a t rix (OCM)
Y Y
T = Time X T = Time X
Craft s Craft speo ple Mat erials To o ls Techniqu es Co nt ex t
OCM
Process
Applicat io n
I nt angibles
History + Ac h i e v e m e n t s Ben c h m a r k & Tu r n i n g P o i n t s Analysis of Innovation & I n t e gr a t i o n History of Space Making Crafts
W isdo m + S u st ainable Applicat io n Craft -Design Pro cess XYZ -T Analy sis Applicat io n Co nt em po rary applicat io n o f t em po rary pract ice
Tan gibles A n alys is Typology A rea of s tu dy
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Traditional houses of Gujarat
Ty po lo gies o f t radit io nal ho u ses W o o den ho u ses Deco ding sy st em - Craft Ex pressio ns W o o d Carv ings o f t radit io nal ho u ses
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Typologies of traditional houses
Vernacular Houses Row House Type Wooden Houses Individual House Type Wooden Houses Row House Type Colonial Houses Individual Bungalow Type Colonial Houses
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Vernacular Houses
House, Banni, Kutch District
Source: Jay Thakkar
House, Savarkundla, Amreli District
Source: Sangeetha Priya
House, Ahwa, Dang Distict
Source: Gaurav Dinodia
House, Amreli, Amreli District
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Vernacular Houses Bhunga houses in Ludiya and Bunni, kutch Material: Mud and Grass
Source: Banni house form, A Study of the phenomenon of change, Aporva Amin, Unpublished thesis, CEPT University
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Row House Type Wooden Houses
Source: Jay Thakkar
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Individual House Type Wooden Houses
House, Khambat, Anand District
Source: Jay Thakkar
House, Kapadvanj
Source: Jay Thakkar
Raj Mahel, Amreli
Source: Jay Thakkar
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Row House Type Wooden Houses Kapadvanj houses, North Gujarat Material: Brick masonry with wood
Section
First floor plan
Ground floor plan

Elevation
Source: Cross culture influences and their impact in interior of Bohra houses of Siddhpur. Suthar Shweta, Unpublished thesis, CEPT University
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of traditional houses Bohra houses in Sidhpur, North Gujarat Material: Brick masonry with wood
Section
Ground floor plan
First floor plan
Front Elevation
Second floor plan

Source: Cross culture influences and their impact in interior of Bohra houses of Siddhpur. Suthar Shweta, Unpublished thesis, CEPT University
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Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Row House Type Colonial Houses
House, Khambat, Anand District
Source: Mitraja Vyas
House, Nadiad, Kheda District
Source: Rishav Jain
House, Nadiad, Kheda District
Source: Rishav Jain
House, Kapadvanj
Source: Jay Thakkar
House, Kapadvanj, Kheda District
Source: Rishav Jain
House, Kapadvanj, Kheda District
Source: Rishav Jain
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Individual Bungalow Type Colonial Houses
House, Kapadvanj
Source: Jay Thakkar
Raj Mahel, Amreli
House, Bhavnagar, Bhavnagar District
Source: Shri Soumaya
House, Amreli
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Typologies of houses - Individual Bungalow Type Colonial Houses Colonial houses, Ahmedabad, Central Gujarat Material: Brick masonry with wood
First floor plan
Ground floor plan
Section
Detailed Part Section Section

Source: Colonial Bungalows of Ahmedabad : A study of characterisation through Interior. Shaikh, Mubassir, Under Graduate Research Thesis, CEPT, 2005.
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Traditional Wooden Houses
Row House Type Wooden Houses
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
Traditional wooden houses
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Gujarat
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
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jay thakkar
Gujarat
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Gujarat
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jay thakkar
Decoding Craft Expressions
Wood Carving Craft
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X YZ A xis Sys t em
W o o d Carv ing Craft
Y Axis X Axis
Sur f ac e
I n t a n gi b l e s
P er c ep t ion + M emor y
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X YZ A xis Sys t em
Facade, traditional house, Gujarat
Y Axis X Axis
Sur f ac e
T a n gi b l e s
Ornam en t at ion
Front elevation
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X YZ A xis Sys t em Issues
Y Axis
Material
X Axis
Te c h n i q u e Sur f ac e Or n a m e n t a t i o n t y p e An a l y s i s A n al ys is of Ex p r es s ion s Composition
Style
Value
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X YZ A xis Sys t em
Study of of brackets, Gujarat Study ornamentation details, Guja
Y Axis X Axis
Sur f ac e
An a l y s i s
An al ys is of Exp r es s ion s
Met h od s of r ec or d in g Ph ot og r ap h y Fiel d D r aw in g s T ech n ic al D r aw in g s
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M a terial
Wood Sag ( T eak ) Sis am ( Bl ac k Wood ) Ch an d an ( San d al w ood ) H aldar v o Seva n ( Wh it e T eak ) Lim b ad a ( N eem) Baval ( Bab ul )
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Te c h n iqu e
Carvin g Rel ief c ar v in g U n d er c ut t in g In c is ed c ar v in g S cu l p t ur es que c ar v in g Pier c ed c ar v in g
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Or nam entatio n t yp e
Finite Des ig n s
classical forms / forms depicting narrative / popular figural forms / folk forms / animal forms floral forms / palmettes forms simple & complex geometrical forms / objects
Motifs Figur al M ot if s Nat ur al M ot if s Geomet r ic M ot if s Ban ds Fin it e Ban d s Infin it e Ban d s Pattern s
Organ ic P at t er n s Geomet r ic P at t er n s
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Fi nite Design s
Motifs when used singularly or in a cluster form in a simple or ornate manner, produces a design around which a boundary can be drawn and is finite in extent. Such bounded designs are known as finite designs
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M o tifs
figural forms
popular forms
Figu ra l M ot if s
popular forms
natural forms
floral forms
Natu ra l M ot if s
floral forms
Geom et r ic M ot if s
etric forms
objects
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B a n ds Fi ni t e Ban ds In f in it e Ban d s
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P a tt ern s O r g an ic Patter n s Geomet r ic P a t t e r n s
Facade entablature details, traditional house, Gujarat
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Co m pos ition
In tu itive met h od s
Organizing P r in c ip l es T ra n s l at ion Ro t at ion Re f l ec t ion Glid e Ref l ec t ion
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Style
T ime Mid 1 6 th t o l at e 1 7 th c e n t u r y
( fr o m 2 7 5 to 4 2 5 y ears)
Late 1 7 th t o ear l y 1 9 th ce n t u r y
( fr o m 1 5 0 to 2 7 5 y ears)
19th t o ear l y 2 0 th c en t u r y
( last 1 5 0 years)
Comp os it e s t yl e Ec l ec t ic s t yl e A r t d ec o
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M i d 16 t h to late 17 th c en t ur y
(f r om 275 t o 425 y ears)
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La te 1 7 t h to earl y 19 th c en t ur y
( f r om 150 t o 275 years)
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19th to early 20 th c en t ur y
( l a s t 150 ye ars)
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Va lu e
Placemen t Stru c t ur al L og ic A est h et ic L og ic Cu lt ur al L og ic Mean in g Ritu al is t ic Pop ul ar Orn amen t al
Workman s h ip Skill Den s it y Mat er ial exp l or at ion
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P la cem ent Stru ctu r al L og ic A esth et ic L og ic Cu ltu ra l L og ic
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M e anin g Ritu alist ic Popu lar Orn am en t al
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W o rkm ans h ip Skill Den s ity Materia l exp l or at ion
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Design Interventions
Craft speo ple W o rking w it h Craft speo ple Act iv it ies relat ed t o craft s
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Current Scenario
Traditional craftspeople at work, Himachal Pradesh ple Craft speo
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Decod ing tCra: fways o f m e a n s: i Wo ve r n a c u l a rgs olft Tram s o f n am Hohusep ra d eG u ja ra t m r t Expressio su r n g o d Car vin bu i fo r dit io h i l a c a l s o f s h
jay thakkar jay thakkar
Current Scenario
W o rking w it h Craft speo ple
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jay thakkar
Current Scenario
Act iv it ies relat ed t o craft s
A cti v ities of DICRC f or c r af t s r el a t e d t o t r a d i t i o n a l i n t e r i o r a r c h i t e c t u re Space Ma k in g Cr af t ( SM C) W o r k s h o p s Wood T ur n ed L ac qu e r C r a f t s o f D h o l k a Cra f t s p eo p le: 5 , S t ud e n t s 5 : , D ur a t i o n : 1 5 d a y s , Out p ut : 1 i nt era ct i v e c a t a lo ging p a r t i t i o n Bamb oo Cr af t s of K o t wa l i a C o m m u n i t y , D a n g C r a f t s p e o p l e : 2 5 , S t u d ent s 25: D u r a t i o n: 15 d a ys O u t p u t : 2 4 in n ova tive p r o d uc t s c a t e r i ng t o u r b a n, r u r a l a nd hi g h end m a r ket Space Ma k in g Cr af t ( SM C) D o c u m e n t a t i o n G uj ar at T r ad it ion a l H o u s e D o c u m e n t a t i o n Da t a c o l l e c t i o n a nd o r g a ni z a t i o n, Ma p p i ng d a t a o n g o g g le ma p . P r e l i mi n a r y f i e l d v i s i t s t o S i d hp u r a nd P a t a n, Cr a f t Ma nu a l ex p lora tion s Co lla boration of D ICRC w it h n at io n a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r ga n i z a t i o n /inst it u t e National In d ian In s t it ut e of C r a f t & D e s i gn , Ja i p u r Ek l av ya F oun d at ion T ap in i Bamb oo D ev e l o p m e n t C e n t r e s ( TB D C ) Rh izome Con s or t iu m In tern at ion al T U D el f t , T h e N et he r l a n d s U n iv er s it y of M el bo u r n e , Au s t r a l i a
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Thank you
Jay Thakkar
Author (Naqsh and Matra) Hon. Secretary (IIID Ahmedabad Chapter) Asst. Professor (Faculty of Design) Research Head (Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre - DICRC, CEPT University , Ahmedabad, India) Mobile: +91 (0) 98252 99525, Off: +91 (0) 79 26306652 Email: jaythakkar@naqsh.in , Web: www.naqsh.in
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jay thakkar

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Decoding Craft Expressions: Wood Carvings of Traditional Houses of Gujarat

Jay Thakkar A s s i s t a n t P ro f e s s o r, C E P T U n i ve rs i t y R e s e a rch H e a d , D I C R C , I n d i a A u t h o r o f N a q s h & jay a tr a M thakkar

G u jarat CEPT DICR C Mat ra Naqsh

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Associate Professor Faculty of Design CEPT University India

Kapadvanj Umreth Vaso

Daman (Goa, Daman, Diu)

Diu (Goa, Daman, Diu)

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Introduction Design Innovation & Craft Resource Centre (DICRC) Vision

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Publications Mtr: Ways of Measuring Vernacular Built Forms of Himachal Pradesh

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

N Not to scale 46d

Woodcarving integrated in built forms

Social use of space

First floor balcony Storage room

Multi-tiered pyramidal roof

Gaushala mezzanine Gaushala 105

113b. Lohlta house cross section

113d. Happi singh house cross section

107j 106a 106b 106c Lohlta house Happi singh house

113a. Lohlta house first floor plan

113c. Happi singh house first floor plan

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Deco ding a bu ilding

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Deco ding a bu ilding

Gravity + L o gi c Material An a l y s i s o f Construction Tr a d i t i o n a l B u i l d i n g P r a c tice

Tan gibles A n alys is Typology A rea of s tu dy

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Deco ding a bu ilding

Craft s Craft speo ple Mat erials To o ls Techniqu es Co nt ex t

Tan gibles A n alys is Typology A rea of s tu dy

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Traditional houses of Gujarat

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Typologies of traditional houses

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Typologies of houses - Vernacular Houses

House, Banni, Kutch District

Source: Jay Thakkar

House, Savarkundla, Amreli District

Source: Sangeetha Priya

House, Ahwa, Dang Distict

Source: Gaurav Dinodia

House, Amreli, Amreli District

Source: Sangeetha Priya

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Typologies of houses - Row House Type Wooden Houses

Source: Jay Thakkar

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t

Typologies of houses - Individual House Type Wooden Houses

House, Khambat, Anand District

Source: Jay Thakkar

Source: Jay Thakkar

Raj Mahel, Amreli

Source: Jay Thakkar

Decod ing Cra f t Expressio n s: Wo o d Car vin gs o f Tra dit io n a l Ho use s o f G u ja ra t