Journal articles
The new Assam smart village dwelling: meeting the challenge of absorbing new technologies
This paper reports on the creation and testing of relatively accessible software that allows householders to reconfigure a replacement home built of safer and more technologically sophisticated materials (where required), with designs that conform to an identified set of culturally loaded conditions and expectations.
Jul 24, 2019
Village dwellings of Assam tend to have raised wooden platforms, sloped thatched roofs and woven bamboo walls which are sometimes plastered with mud. (Stack & Lyall, 1908) However, due to economic reasons and lack of one material and surplus of another has changed the way village dwellings are built. The changes in climate, topography, availability of local materials and the culture of the local community indicated the difference in vernacular architecture from place to place. (Das, et al., 2014) (Saikia, et al., 2016) (Singh, et al., 2009) The raised platforms are gradually being flushed with the ground removing the storage of dry goods and livestock. Brick, mortar and concrete are replacing the walls and floors reducing the natural air ventilation and increasing the heat retention of the house. While galvanised iron sheets are maintaining the sloped roof for the rain, it also retains heat in the house. Though the newer materials are a solution for permanent structure of housing, the characteristics of the materials have changed the construction style, modifying the architecture and space, resulting in the change of culture of the communities. These changes to the materials and construction style have ultimately led to changes in the living standards of the rural community.
In addition to differences in topography, there are more than 115 ethnic tribes are recognised in Assam. (Taher, 1993) As an initiative of the ministry of rural development under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojna (PMGAY), the compendium of rural housing typologies- ‘Pahal’ has proposed six typologies for Assam that are based according to the prevalent construction trends in Assam and the division into five geographically characterised zones. (CBRI, UNDPIndia, 2016) People and society, geography, climate and natural hazards in Assam were among the criteria for developing the rural housing typologies. However, the oversight of the diversity of the ethnic cultures of Assam was indicated by the comparatively negligible number of proposals. Upon analysing the rural housing schemes such as Indira Awaas Yojna (IAY) and PMGAY, it indicated a rigidity in the delivering the housing requirement that could be availed through the schemes.(Katharpi & Doloi, 2017) This indicated a disconnect between the government schemes for rural housing development and the on-ground reality of rural housing support required by the rural community, resulting in compromises with the quality of life of the rural community.
