Transformations of Domestic Architecture in the Indigenous Settlements in Assam, India: Relations Between Spaces and the Built Environment

Abstract

Over the years, the spatial organization of Assamese vernacular domestic architecture has changed because of the changes in the socio-cultural factors. This study examines these architectural changes over four generations, starting from the 1880s to the present. It explores the impacts of social changes, lifestyle, and customs on space and its vernacular utilizations. It uses a qualitative case study method and interviews and observations as research techniques for data collection. The case study is a house in Bamunpara village Mangaldoi, India. As the research is a vertical study based on transformations that have occurred in a single house, literature related to Assam houses is studied for better understanding and inclusivity. The space syntax technique is used with a focus on Justified Plan Graphs (JPG) to depict changes in the spatial organization of the house in response to the changes in the socio-cultural context over time. The study explores alterations in the arrangement of spaces, clusters, and serving witnessed in the case study. The findings show that changes in the socio-cultural factors, lifestyle, in particular, act as catalysts for the changes in the usage of space. It has a profound effect on the layout and connectivity. There is a trend which is observed repeatedly. This phenomenon reveals the default power of choice possessed by the people. This paper presents the tools for analyzing vernacular architecture and illustrates its adaptive capacity in situations of socio-cultural changes.