Cultural Expressions In Architecture – A Case Of Manapad In The Coastal Stretch Of Tuticorin

Abstract

“Through architecture it’s possible to gauge many things about a culture, such as lifestyle, artistic sensibilities and social culture”. Residential architecture evolved basically for the need for shelter, to protect people from harsh weather conditions and other disasters. They built these shelters based on the climate, available materials, known techniques, their culture, lifestyle and socio – economic factors. Climate plays a major role in deciding the house forms in a place like the roof forms in a shelter, to an extent the size and volume of spaces, sequence of spaces and material usage too. However it is culture which details out the treatment or articulation of a built form. The size of the family units, the spaces which they use, the way their food is prepared, the way they eat, the way they interact, the work they do, how they do it etc., will all affect the layout and size of buildings. In certain places the dwelling units are clustered. These clusters might contain people belonging to the same family, or same caste or clan or even of the same occupation. One dwelling unit might be used by one family or several dwelling units by the same family itself. All these totally depend upon culture, these dwelling units can either be demarcated, separated from the other units or can also share a common platform etc. Buildings from the same climatic region are different and unique as a result of prevailing cultural conditions. Culture is not a constant. It keeps changing and also accommodates changes. People tend to have changes in their culture, due to the influence from neighbouring cultures or occupation or from any other parameters. It hence accepts changes so as to satisfy the current need of people. Thus vernacular architecture which is built based on culture also accommodates changes and is hence flexible. This is one of the main reasons for it to survive till date. This paper aims to illustrate the cultural expressions in architecture by analysing the architectural elements and details at all levels, from settlement to individual built form and till the element level. For the purpose, a case study of Manapad, located in the coastal stretch of Tuticorin, South India, which has a unique sustainable and cultural significance is studied.