cold climate architecture

By Group: Anisha, Adil, Jugal, Jugal, Kartik, Nehal, VishakhaSubject: Environmental Science

Venus Institute of Design and Architecture

COLD CLIMATE

World Climatic Condition

• The regions that lies on the earth’s equator tend to have tropical and deserted region due to close and direct sun rays. These regions are mostly hot and moist.• As the regions move away from the equator it starts

to get warmer, cooler and colder, due to distant sun rays. • The northern and southern hemisphere have the

polar region that are extremely cold due to the most distant region from the sun. • The northern part of the world has high amount of

colder region due to rise in the altitude.

Climate in India

• India is home to an extraordinary variety of climatic regions, ranging from tropical in south to temperate and alpine in north, where the elevated regions receive sustained winter snowfall. The nation’s climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar desert.

Cold & Dry Regions• Regions that lie in the cold climate zone are situated at the high

altitudes. The temperatures ranges between 20 – 30 C in summers; while in winter, in rages from -3 – 8 C, making it quite chilly.

Essential features in designing of a house • Building will have sloping roof.• Windows will have wooden panels.• Timber paneled wall will be used instead of brick or stone masonry.• Bedroom will be on south west of the house. • Kitchen will be on south east of the house. • Dinning will be on the south.• Bathroom will be on the north west of the house.

• Natural light is important in the house.• Flooring of the house must be of timber.• Living area should be in the north of the building.• Utility rooms should be in the south.• Cross ventilation is very important for healthy living.• Tress can be planted near windows to the block cold

air.

Design Criteria• Increase thermal resistance• Increase thermal capacity• Increase buffer spaces• Decrease air exchange rate Roof insulation, wall insulation and

double glazing• Thicker walls • Air locks / lobbies • Reduce shading • Utilize heat from appliances• Trapping heat • Orientation and shape of the building• Uses of trees as wind barriers.

Cold climate

Cold and cloudy Cold and sunny

• HIMACHAL PRADESH

• LEH LADAKH

• MANGOLIA

Roofing in the cold and dry region • Gable roofs are used in hilly areas, as these roof types are able to

shed snow in the hilly areas.• The main used material for roofing in hilly area is timber, as it is locally

available from the trees.• Trees which are used for this purpose are cedar.

HIMACHAL PRADESH - cold and cloudy- DEV BHOOMI- ABODE OF GODS

• It is situated in the laps of Himalayas – surrounded by number of ranges

• Main occupation : Agriculture – Wheat, Maize, Rice, potato, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, olives.

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Climate : cold and cloudy• Himachal Pradesh experiences of huge variations in it’s climatic

conditions(The variations of climatic conditions are divided according to altitude)

1. 450- 900 m – hot and sub humid tropical – southern lower traces2. 900-1800 m – warm and temperate 3. 1900-2400 m – cool and temperate4. 2400-4800 m – cold glacial 5. 3000 m – snowfall

Octobers - very cold December-march – snowfallFeb-April - spring seasonJune rainy - season starts

TOPOGRAPHY AREA: 55673kmsq.• Shares borders :

• Numerous mountain ranges, like Shivalik ranges • (450-6500)m above the sea level• Latitude : 32’ 22’ 40” north to

33’12’40”north.• Longitude : 75’ 45’ 55” to 79’

07’20” east.• 38% of total area under forest• Satluj is most prominent river,

others are Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Yamuna.

vegetationFlora: • Forests⁻ Alpine scrub forests ⁻ Sub alpine forest⁻ Montane temperate forests⁻ Montane sub tropical ⁻ Dry tropical forests- Moist typical forests

• Medicinal plants⁻ Latjira-snake bite⁻ Neelkanthi-used as tonic⁻ Mimosa –anti-depression⁻ Aloe-discomfort in stomach and jaundice

Major Problems• Frequent and Seismic tremor• Problems of soil erosion and land slides.• Suitable orientation on the hill slopes.• Existence of tall shoddy trees and dense forest area, which obstruct

the winter sun required for the buildings.• Limitations on the height of the building due to earthquake risk.• High cost involved in the site development due to the cutting and the

filling process.• Non-availability and transportation problems of construction materials

Settlement patterns : Typical village along stepped contours The traditional settlements appears to have the color of the land and appear just right almost ecologically planned. The landscape materials, techniques of making, all contribute to a common formal language of settlement.Typically located along the contoured sunny slopes admits backdrop of hills and snow clad mountains and appear to organically grow out of the fold of the landscape.

KATH KHUNI TECHNIQUE

• Made of alternate courses of dry stone masonry and wood without cementing mortar.• Layering and inter locking timber and stone provides strength, stability and flexibility (Earthquake resistant).• These heavy walls allow a good thermal insulation by providing high time-lag of more than 8 hours. This makes the interior of the house cooler in summer and warm in winter for maximum part of the year.• Above the plinth walls are strong with alternating stone layer, as the wall rises up it is only the wood frame that is stacked above another wood frame. This distributes mass optimally.• Interiors of wall are finished with mud plaster and lined with wood on account of its good insulation and binding properties.• Resist sliding or overturning during land movement.• Dry masonry construction allow stones to undulate within a flexible wooden frame work to allow energy of earthquake to disperse.

Foundation :• Stone plinth – 0.6 – 1 meters for two storey buildings. 3 meters for tower temples.•. The upper floors are made of timber planks and timber-joints

WALL :

FLOORING• In the ground level mud & cow-dung were used for flooring above the plinth made of random rubble masonry. The upper floors are made of timber planks and timber-joists

KITCHEN• Kitchen made of mud, placed at center which helps in keeping the indoor warm.

• Balconies: Provide a good sun-space or solarium.

• Cantilevered balcony resting on stone wall • Wooden members supports it to provide stability.

• Courtyard: Sunny courtyard to perform various activities during day time.

ROOFING :

• Pitched roof with locally available timber. Slate used for roof covering. Below the roof a ceiling is constructed with timber.

• The light-weight roof construction and the air between the roofing and attic-floor provided a very good thermal insulation against the passage of heat.

• Low pitched roof provides a good solution to drain off the rain-water/ snow from the dwellings.

ATTIC• Multifunctional space• Served as abode of god.• Storage of grain.• Windows – ventilates and helps to dry the grains .• Protects from rain. • Insulates the house

LADAKH

Introduction- Climate- Topography.Settlement patternUrban planArchitecture spatial layoutBuilding material and construction techniques.

INTRODUCTION• Ladakh region is at the highest altitude , belongs to the Tibetan Buddhist sphere, western neighbouring

region is Kashmir.• Mountainous region • Little vegetation• Cold desert

CLIMATE: COLD AND SUNNY • Temperature variations.

SUMMER :Day 17 : 24° C (March – September) Night 4 : 11°C.WINTER : Day -14 : 7°C ( October – February ) Night below 0° C -20°C.

• RELATIVE HUMIDITY : Consistently low 10 – 50 %.• WINDS : Occasionally intense.• SKY : Fairly clear throughout the year.• CLOUD COVER: Is less than 50%.• RAINFALL: 15cm annual average. (very less).

TOPOGRAPHY:

• Ladakh is land located between two mightiest mountains ranges karakoram in north and great Himalayas in south. Ladakh has its own range, ladakh range and zanskar range

• Dras, zanskar and the suru valley on the Himalaya’s northern flanks receive heavy snow in winter, when it melts in the summer it becomes only source of the water for the crops here as there is very less or no rainfall.

• Because of thin air in its atmosphere the heat of the sun is more intense then at lower altitude vegetation is very sparse in ladakh except along stream beds and wet lands, on high slopes and in irrigated places.

SETTLEMENT PATTERN:

• Leh is the biggest town of ladakh.

• The settlements of various sizes are located along the meandering river Indus flowing from east to west. This creates northern settlements facing south to allow maximum sunlight.

• The houses are located on slopes of the mountain rather than the plains or valley in order to increase the time duration of sun.

• Also they are close to water bodies and Fertile land.

URBAN PLANNING :

• Leh is typically located on plateau on the northern banks of Indus river.

• The old town is on southern slopes of mountains where as newer parts are extended in plains in south west direction.

• The highest point of Leh is occupied by houses of nobles and lower side by commoners and main bazzar area.

• The vertical staging of buildings ensures the sunlight to all individual houses.

• The houses are placed in such a manner so that its 2-3 sides are shared with other houses to reduce heat loss.

• The street pattern of old town is such that it allows maximum solar penetration.

• The important streets are laid in north south axis.

ARCHITECTURE – SPATIAL LAYOUT

• Most of the houses are two storey buildings

• Larger houses are based on courtyard while smaller ones don’t have the courtyard

• The ground floor is low in height , used in keeping livestock, storage purposes and also to collect toilet waste.

COURTYARDS

• Upper floor is used for living purposes usually consist of prayer room, store, toilet, kitchen , drawing and bedroom.

• Sometimes kitchen area and sleeping area are same to add warmth inside the house.

• Main hall is furnished with carpets and smoke chimney.

• The main living room is fitted with large window facing the sun it traps solar radiation as and indigenous green house mechanism without opening the windows in some cases these windows are provided with double glazing to hence the insulating properties.

• MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

• Primary building material is earth and timber available locally.

• Both are natural materials offering climatic comfort in condition of Ladakh

• They are used due to their high thermal insulating properties.

• Mud plaster is applied on walls.

• Quartzite stone is used in making lower storey palaces or forts where protection from water is required .

Leh palace

• Stones are used in lower parts of walls to provide protection and strength.

(stone)

• Sun dried earth block- 300x150x150 mm used for walls of thickness 300 or 450 mm.• Soil available is alluvial soil found in banks of Indus .

• Floors of lower storey are made of mud while upper storey by timber

• It is observed that traditional construction of earth block and timber was able to offer temperature difference of 40° C in extreme winters. When outside is -20 inside it is 20 C recorded.

• The sills and jambs are articulated by the plaster band often coloured in red or black these timber lintels and plaster bands are the distinct features of ladakhi architecture. .

• ROOF- FLAT ROOF

• Beams are placed 50-60 cm apart having 15 cm diameter and 3-4 m long.

• These beams are covered by popular willows spread in the other direction its thickness is 20-30 mm .

• 15-20 cm of dry grass, hay ,etc…. Over the willows, finally plaster of clayey mud

• Capital and post supporting the roof.

• This type of wooden design is speciality of ladakh.

• The lintels of doors and windows are corbelled features with ornamentation.

• Doors and windows are made of timber brought from Kashmir.

MongoliaClimate : Cold and dry

Short summers Long winters

20-35 cm a year of rainfallMore than half of the country covered in

permafrostAverage temperature below freezingAverage of 257 cloudless days a year

Topography • The main mongolian topographic feature are three mountain ranges,

which creates separate river drainage basins and some different topographic zones.• The GOBI DESERT lies in the south of mongolia, and stretches into

northern china. It has VERY LOW RAINFALL which creates the desert by the rain shadow, formed by 4500 meter high Tibetian Plateau which blocks rain-bearing clouds.

Yurt• Traditional yurts consist of an expanding wooden circular frame

carrying a felt cover.

• The felt is made from the wool of the flocks of sheep that accompany the pastoralist .

• The frame consists of one or more expanding lattice wall-sections, a door-frame, bent roof poles and a crown.

• The Mongolian Ger has one or more columns to support the crown and straight roof poles.

Process

• Staring with walls and doors

Starting to place roof poles

• Roof poles and place

• placing the thin inner cover on the roof

• adding felt cover

• adding the outer cover

REFRENCES:

https://www.askideas.com/30-beautiful-inside-pictures-and-photos-of-leh-palace-leh-ladakh/

https://sarikagulati.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/traditional-roofing-in-leh-ladakh/

http://www.kamit.jp/05_wooden/1_ladakh/xint_eng.htm

http://www.academia.edu/12616882/Vernacular_Architecture_and_Climatic_Control_in_the_extreme_conditions_of_Ladakh

Thank you