Cultural Landscape

REDEFINING THE DEFINED

A Retrospective in Cultural Landscape

Abstract

Retrospection into to past, the indigenous culture and tradition of the people, their life style and its effects on built environment has led to an intriguing thoughts of the inlaid principles of sustainability that was predefined ages ago. Their cultural values and traditional approaches towards built form and structure not only retain the regional identity but also provide authentic solutions to the design problems faced on a regular basis.Vernacualar architecture is but a representation of man, his ideals, and his beliefs on a built scale. This research attempts to understand the definition of sustainability through simple and effective methods used in the bygone days.

In order to evaluate the same, a study of a settlement in the rural area of Andhra Pradesh is carried out. Being looked at, on a macro and micro level, the study aims to evaluate the principles not only at an individual level but also through the evolution and growth of the area. The outcome of the study mainly is to establish a relationship between the physical and ecological sustainability of a cultural landscape.
Key words: Cultural Landscape, Physical Sustainability, Ecological Sustainability, Mukkollupadu, Andhra Pradesh

1. Theoretical Premise
1.1 Introduction
Prior to understanding the visual and practical reflections of sustainability in the built form the researcher felt the need to establish a theoretical premise on the aspects like defining cultural landscape, ecological sustainability, physical sustainability through a broader perspective . Works of eminent thinkers like Amos Rapaport, Kevin Lynch, Aishwarya Tipnis have been referred to in order to get an insight into the various perspectives of the same. These high minds have evaluated architecture not only as a response towards the physical determinist parameters like climate, materials and technology but also the possibilist features like culture, religion and traditions prevailing in and around the places.(1) While the need for shelter and protection from natural adversities could be a possible explanation of the structure of built forms, it could also be viewed as an expression of man.
In vernacular communities, it is observed that people and architecture are more minimalistic and practical not only due to scanty resource availability but also due to the inherent respect towards nature as the giver. Mother Nature is celebrated for being their protector and provider of earth, monsoons and food. The culture and tradition is a reflection of this respect. India being known for its multicultural identity is one of the best examples .The age old practices of worshipping sacred groves and God in nature are some of the striking examples of the same. Abroad, the Cantonese peasants who considered success most important in their life attributed it to the natural forces of the cosmos. The orientation of the built form, the structure , roof forms depend on their ability to tap the natural forces .On a settlement level, the evulsion of evil spirits form the village boundaries is done by restricting their movements to straight lines and avoidance of entrances of houses along these directions.(1) Conspicuously or inconspicuously nature is the driving force of man’s practices in these communities.
1.2 Defining Cultural Landscape
UNESCO (2005) defines cultural landscape as the combined manifestation of the works of man and nature which are illustrative of the evolution of human society and settlement over time, under the influence of physical constraints or opportunities presented by their natural environment and of successive social, economic, cultural forces both internal and external.
The dynamic nature of indigenous architecture is reflected in its temporal variations due to the change in man’s lifestyle, the varying views of comfort of the different generations and the physical factors like the change in the availability to the materials and their access, climate change etc.

Cultural landscape being the translation of the innateness of man’s respect towards nature is also thus a dynamic or ever changing phenomenon. One of the best examples of cultural landscape could be the growth and evolution of settlements over time. Settlements manifest the same on a macro level. Considering the settlements in the Goan lands of India ,though the morphology of settlements is broadly influenced by any governing factors like socio-cultural influences, cultural changes, technological innovations, the beginning of any human civilization is marked by the evaluation of the geographical parameters(2). The watersheds/ geographical features and character of the site, shape the occupation of the people and their livelihood. Groups of people whose life revolves around their occupation, tend to stay around the agricultural precincts thus growing along the boundaries over the years. This hands a certain character to the settlement which is more physically determinist. Geography of the place acts as the determinant of the form and structure of the settlement. However there are places where the culture takes over the physical characters of the settlements. The Greek settlements

prefer to live miles away from their place of work even though they have to compromise on the living conditions. Their social life is given more importance when considered to the occupation. (1)
This clearly shows that cultural landscape needs to analyzed not only on the basis of the surrounding physical factors but also the lifestyle and culture of the people.
1.3 Vernacular architecture
“By the virtue of its nature vernacular architecture may be termed as something native and unique to a specific place, created without the help of imported components and processes, and possibly built by individuals who occupy that particular place.”-Al Sayyad (2006)
As appropriately defined, vernacular architecture is a region specific manifestation of authenticity.

The depiction of culture in a place may be through the visual components of the built form or through the timeless practices used by the people .When evaluating the architecture based on the lifestyle of the people ( which is a reflection of their tradition) it is important to study the living realm as a representation of the same. Their notion of house should be evaluated based on the family structure, their beliefs, the drama of life, and their social intercourse

(3).
Cultural landscapes or vernacular settlements are self-sustained communities. They live and work among themselves to create a harmony in and around the place with the limited amount of resources. Each dwelling represents a fragment of the unified cultural picture painted by the settlement as a whole. The drama of life in a village is a simple representation of the activities of man. These activities and sub-cultural beliefs are translated into the layout of the built form. For instance the Iranian house is a pure reflection of culture. The layout of the house is dependent on the cultural status of men and women in the Islamic society. The women are refrained to the rear portion and the men are generally on the outer side or the front portion of the house. This is due to the inlaid belief that women being a sacred entity and also due to their differential status when compared to the men (4).The family structure and social life play a minimal role in this case due to the cultural identities formulated by the religion. While on one side the culture dominates reason there are examples where the activities tend to shape the living realm. For instance, considering the vernacular settlements in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in the remnants of the settlements it is observed that the kitchen is generally placed outside the house due to the extravagant cooking practices which may lend a sense of a lack of comfort when combined with the rest of the house. This shows that the layout of the house can be activity oriented also.
The social structure of the vernacular settlements may vary from the common meeting areas in the village, the markets, the festivals etc. to the small areas formed amongst the clusters of the houses .These may be a conscious or an unconscious outcome of the unstructured planning of the community.
The researcher aims to study on the reflection of the various possibilities of the parameters mentioned above and also their evolution and change over the time.
1.4 Physical and Ecological Sustainability
Physical sustainability represents the adaptive nature of the built form to the changing needs of man and time.(2)
Ecological Sustainability is the design approach that takes into consideration the environment, ecosystems and the relation between nature and the built form at all levels.(2)
The above mentioned parameters help in studying the structure of the settlement and the dwellings and assessing the physical and ecological sustainability of the built form and fabric. The outcome of this paper will establish the relation whip between the physical and ecological sustainability of the vernacular settlement thus rendering the architecture eternal.
Physical and Ecological sustainability not only render the architecture of a place timeless but also render a meaning to the built form practices .
References
(1) Rapaport, A 1969, House Form and Culture, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs
(2) Tipnis, A 2012, Vernacular Traditions Contemporary Architecture, TERI, New Delhi
(3) Jalan, R, 2012-2013Dissertations in Architecture’,vol 3,4, pp 3-22
(4) Mazumdor ,S ‘Built Form and Culture’,pp 51